I don’t know if it is the changing of seasons but it seems like every other conversation I have had these past few days has consisted of someone saying something to the extent of “What am I doing with my life?!?”. Not necessarily in a bad way but it feels like there’s a lot of introspection happening as leaves are starting to turn and begin their descent to the ground.
And real talk: I ponder, question, reflect or panic about something about my life on most days that end in y.
Should you be in a similar boat, I read two things this week that I loved.
“The Crossroads of Should and Must” literally stopped me in my tracks. I am not good with should, I don’t exist well or fully in obligation but must, must isn’t something I have thought much of.
Must is different—there aren’t options and we don’t have a choice. Must is who we are, what we believe, and what we do when we are alone with our truest, most authentic self. It’s our instincts, our cravings and longings, the things and places and ideas we burn for, the intuition that swells up from somewhere deep inside of us.
“7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose” is a little more irreverent…and like most things worthwhile, will require some work. #2 made me feel pretty good because my 8 year old self would be really glad I still write (I was the journal and silly story queen as a kid) and she would also probably be happy I still sing along to West Side Story on a regular basis but #4 (How Can You Better Embarrass Yourself)…that is not even a work in progress. As a friend observed recently, I don’t get messy very often. Yes, I embarrass myself because I trip often or when my stories get awkwardly long but in terms of real vulnerability, not so much.
But I think it all comes down to #6:
6. GUN TO YOUR HEAD, IF YOU HAD TO LEAVE THE HOUSE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, WHERE WOULD YOU GO AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Whoa.
So, read this and this if you are need a little push to get you thinking about life-related things. And let me know if you discover anything big.