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Work as a Spiritual Calling: 7 Tips to Heeding Your Life’s Calling by Bud Inzer, Career Coach

Since September eleventh many of us have begun to look for what really matters in our lives and our work. For many people, the idea of just pursuing more money, more power, or more perks no longer holds their attention. These people are now trading “making money” as the focus of their career efforts for that of “making meaning.” They have begun to ask deeper questions of their lives. They are in search of their Calling. They find themselves asking, “Where is my real place in the world? What is my special gift to give” “Is there something bigger or better to do with my life?” These and other questions echo their desire for a deeper sense of belonging and purpose.

In order to hear and heed our call we must move through three phases of discovery: Preparation, Insight, and action. We must prepare ourselves to hear the call. We must learn to retrieve that which brings us deep joy and expression. We must ready ourselves for the call to action. The following tips have assisted others and can help your journey. 1 SOCK AWAY A FEW NICKELS

For many of us our first step in hearing the call, is to first give attention to our personal or financial concerns. It is often helpful to bring some stability to our finances or begin to resolve stressful personal concerns before embarking on a search for our life purpose. If you find yourself worn out at the end of the day because of your financial worries, you may need to sock away some money as an anchor. We need the freedom of time and adequate breathing room to genuinely wonder and seek a truer meaning.

2 TAKE PAUSE AND GET TO KNOW YOUR SELF It has been said that the first step to wisdom is silence; the second is listening. For many of us, our lives have become a fast forward approach to life; a life lived in rocket mode. Metaphorically speaking, our phones are so busy we have little chance to hear a larger call. Consider slowing life down. Try on a little silence and begin to listen generously to your inner longings and your abandoned dreams. Is there a forgotten dream still pulling on you? Is there a talent of yours still waiting for expression? Is there still a problem in the world that pains you for lack of a solution? Just as a child keeps pulling on your shirttail to get your attention, so does your truer purpose.

3 LOOK FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Where do you suppose you are going to need to go to find work that is deeply satisfying? You might be tempted to aim for the “hot careers,” but finding work that is intrinsically satisfying and fulfilling requires that we go deeper. It requires us to turn back to ourselves to discover what makes us unique: What talents come naturally to you? Of these natural talents, which ones do you enjoy? What interests you? Who or what do you genuinely care about? What do you do naturally, just being yourself? Begin to answer these questions and you will begin to understand what you need and what you have to offer. 4 GIVE UP THE NEED FOR APPROVAL

To some degree, we must give our need for approval if we are to find our true course. Callings ask us to consider shifting our view from ambition (what is it that I might get), to inspiration (what is it that I might give?). What

5 BE WILLING TO DEAL WITH YOUR INNER CONFLICTS

“There is a big difference between being divided within ourselves and being divided against ourselves,” says Gregg Levoy. Consider this: You have an inner family just as you have external family. There are members of your inner family who want you to go for your dreams, another, who thinks you must be crazy to think of risking security. There might be a part of you who can only criticize, another whose focus is to push you to read more, do more be more. There may also be a part of you who wants to lie on the beach, while another wants perfection. These are only a few examples of how we are divided within ourselves but we need not let these different parts work against our deeper wishes. Each part has a positive intention. Each part is really on your side. Consider embracing them all, stepping aside, thanking them for their concern and then listening deeper for what would make you feel more alive. You may want to work with a facilitator who is familiar with voice dialogue or a therapist to assist you with this.

6 ALIGN WHO YOU ARE WITH WHAT YOU DO

Gather up the pieces of your “personal meaning” puzzle and you will notice that there are themes which point you in certain directions. What do you do easily, naturally, effortlessly and enjoy? Your calling will utilize the best of your abilities, your nature/personality, your values, your interests, your skills, your sense of purpose, your talents and your natural gifts. What do they say about you? Where do they seem to be pointing? What environments would be ideal for you to be yourself and shine? What fields do you keep being attracted to? Who has a career or work that you wish you could have? What problem or situation in the world do you feel still needs more attention? Can you think of a project, product or service that calls to you? If you can’t put your finger on your passion, ask yourself what bothers you or moves you?

7 GET CONNECTED TO POSSIBILITIES

To put it simply, in order to give our calling focus and direction we must start looking someplace. We can begin to search for opportunities to contribute without knowing ahead of time where our exploration will take us. Explore to get clear. Participate more and plan l.ess! Think of a project, a service or a product, which could link what you feel moved to give, to those who need or want it? Sniff around, explore people, organizations, problems that need solving to get an clearer idea of what matters to you. Research your fields of interest. Read articles by those who are doing something interesting in your area of interest. Lower the drawbridge and ask for help from family, friends, acquaintances Find someone who you think might be doing what you want to do and talk with him or her. Remember, as George Eliot said, “it is never too late to be who you might have been.”

About the Author

Bud Inzer is a certified career coach who specializes in helping people find their calling and begin doing work that feeds their soul. He is an the author of 110 Ideas for Inspiring Your Work and Life.