I recently turned down two big opportunities. One kinda high-profile, one probably quite lucrative. Some folks would probably consider my walking away to be downright craaaazy, but I gotta tell you: it felt soooo good. Yes, I could have done either job, but neither one would have made me happy in the long-term or aligned with the work I’m most passionate about {including this blog}.
I knew pretty darn quick that neither opportunity was a good fit for me. I wasn’t jumping out of my skin with glee. My heart wasn’t doing cartwheels. I didn’t call Brad with an “oh-my-god-you’ll-never-believe-this” moment. The deafening silence within me was my cue to think twice.
It took years to reach this point. It used to be that every time an opportunity crossed my path, I said yes. I didn’t have the heart to say no to people {part of my deeply-rooted talent for people-pleasing!}. Whenever someone asked me to do something within my skill set, I would jump on board. I would do a good job. And, then, instead of feeling fulfilled or purposeful afterwards, I would often feel drained and deflated.
FINALLY, I realized doing stuff I was good at was not the same as doing work I was passionate about. We are all so lucky to be born and raised with many abilities – but we’re blessed with particular gifts and interests that, when given priority, can lead us to our purpose. Now that, my friends, deserves a hearty hell-YES!
{P.S. Last week, I talked with Sabrina Ali about the power of saying no and how to say yes to bliss. Honored to be part of her Claim Your Bliss interview series – check it out}
