Finding and following your calling is a big part of living with purpose. Finding that calling though, can be a pretty big and intimidating task, particularly if you put yourself under pressure to come up with the perfect answer right here and right now. While it is a goal worth pursuing, it’s also important to realize that it may take time to find your calling, that it’s a process that will develop over time, and that you can’t force. In fact, you shouldn’t. A much better plan of action is to take it one step and one day at a time until your calling becomes clear.
Start With What’s Important To You
A great place to start is to think about what’s important to you. It doesn’t have to be huge or all-consuming. Start with something small. Find a cause you feel drawn to and do what you can to support it. Volunteer, learn more about it and share what you’re learning with others, support organizations financially. Maybe this means knitting baby hats for preemies at your local hospital. Maybe it means spending time with an elderly neighbor, or maybe it means saving up for a mission trip next summer. The most important thing is to simply start and do something.
Listen To The Soft Voice In Your Head
Another great strategy is to listen to your intuition. Pay attention to that small voice in your head that tells you what you should be doing. Learning to listen to this little voice can be a bit of a challenge in today’s busy and noisy world.
Spend some time contemplating your values. Educate yourself about causes that catch your attention. Spend some quite time in meditation or prayer to be able to hear the voice in your head. Then start taking action on what you’re hearing and what you know you should be doing.
Walk The Path Towards Your Calling One Step At A Time
Don’t let this process overwhelm you. In the first excitement, you may be tempted to tackle a huge project and set out to change the world all at once. While that’s a great ambition, it’s also something that can seem quite daunting and burn you out. Instead, take it one step at a time. Pick your path and get in the habit of doing something every week, or even daily that aligns with your calling and helps you reach your goals. Pick something that’s easy to do and fit into your already busy life. No matter how small, every little act and effort helps to make a difference and serve with purpose.