People pay me large sums of money to do what I love.
This is an affirmation I heard years ago and have often recited to myself. But I didn’t always believe it. Deep down, I really struggled with the notion that if I just did what I loved, the money would follow. Though I longed for it to be true, it was hard to believe wholeheartedly – no matter if I was gainfully employed or looking for a job.
See, when you’re sitting in a high rise office with a beautiful view, great benefits and a healthy paycheck, it’s hard to imagine leaving it all to explore the great {potentially unpaid} unknown. You get used to swallowing the bittersweet pill of doing something you’re good at in exchange for welcome stability.
Meanwhile, when you’re in a job you despise or are desperate to find work, it’s hard to imagine finding a job that feeds your bank account and feeds your soul. You’re willing to take anything at that point.
And then there’s the starving artist mentality – a trap I’ve fallen into far too many times. It goes something like this: “If I’m one of the lucky few who’s doing what I love, living artfully to make a living, I have to sacrifice. I must choose between living with meaning vs. living with money. I can’t have both.”
That’s messed up.
Through trial and error, through debt and wealth, I’ve realized those beliefs weren’t doing anyone any good. We can have both – joy and abundance. We deserve both. In fact, we need both to carry on. Some say financial hardship motivates them to think outside the box, stretches them to be “scrappy” and “resourceful.” True, but continually spinning our wheels is exhausting and drains us of our life force, dims the light within us.
When you’re compensated well for doing what you love, you not only get to do more of it, but you give back in big ways: you touch others with your talents, you inspire others to follow their passions, you contribute to the economy, you become a spokesperson for joy {sometimes without even realizing it!}, and you kick fear to the curb.
So, notice what lights you up from the inside out and trust that those passions – and the unique way you bring them into the world – have great value. You are worthy of all you can imagine. Believe it.
