follow my North Star

I’ve been trying to get more in touch with my inner North Star that Martha Beck says is a true part of us and will guide us when we stop to look and listen.

I started writing a list of those things mine tells me, and wanted to share:
1. Have fun; work needs to be play.
2. Be yourself; you’re created to be exactly who you are. Use that; don’t change that!
3. Don’t run away from people. When you’re invited somewhere, go.
4. Listen actively. You’ll build rapport and you’re likely to learn something (or a lot).
5. Trust God. God is your creator. God is a God of love, peace, justice, and joy.
6. Explore every interest. Don’t let yourself become exhausted when thinking about it. Just do and remember #1: Have fun.
7. Talk to people. Make connections. If it feels right, share your heart’s burning desires. They might help you get there.
8. Listen to music you love. It feeds your soul.
9. Free yourself. If you ever feel restricted, find out why and remove the “shackles.”
10. Do what you like!
11. Think constructively, but stop complaining. Complaining only lets you focus on what’s not working, not what will.
12. Life is not meant to be bound up in anxiety and worry.
13. Let love be your compass. Love should be the reason for everything you do. If it’s not, ask yourself what is leading you. Fear, anger, resentment, and guilt are not adequate answers.
14. Take yourself seriously. No one else will, if you don’t first.

One of my North Star sensations is my happy dance. I found myself dancing for no particular reason several times while being with my sister-in-law, and it just affirmed for me that I married into the right family, and also that she is marrying the right person. We had a full weekend of wedding planning, and I was glad I could share the (small) wisdom I gained in planning mine!

Happy Day!

Life is life. Deciding what to do with it is redundant; when you think about it, getting out of bed is simply the best decision you can make.

So, “follow my North Star” is my new goal.

I started reading Follow Your Own North Star by Martha Beck last summer, and it’s totally opened my eyes to the sensations your mind and body already give you when you’re on the right track.

I have to admit that I have allowed myself to become so socialized that I don’t always invite those feelings to help me make my biggest decisions. And honestly, I really don’t want to become so far removed from my “compass” that I find myself miserable later on down the road.

So, I’ve changed the wording of this goal to something that has a lot more meaning (and hopefully power) than “decide what I’m going to do with my life.” I hope to be able to recognize my North Star more and more, and finally feel like I’m living the right kind of life.

Perhaps I will use this space to document some of Martha Beck’s exercises…

I just saw this quote:

“A musician must make his music, an artist must paint, a poet must write if he is to ultimately be at peace with himself.”
- Abraham Maslow

It reminded me that a person’s “life calling” so to speak is doing what they really are and love to do.

I suppose this goal is to keep searching for what that is, but I think I might need to change it to something like, “Do what makes me happiest in life,” or, “Follow my North Star,” a nod to Martha Beck’s book.

I am finally in a job I love. I am the Associate Director of a nonprofit that recruits full-time volunteers to serve and live in community for a year. It is amazing work. The volunteers are amazing, the process is amazing, and I’m learning a ton.

However, I know I won’t be at this job forever. Not only will I move from this city in a few years, but I want to keep learning and keep doing a lot of different things.

Let Your Life Speak is a book that was recommended to me by my boss. She wants me to explore vocation and “calls,” and to figure out what it is I would like to do, where I’d like to end up, and how to use my current work to build my resume and get there.

I feel so glad to have had that conversation with her. She’s helping me view my job as a road map, and giving me permission to examine roads and streets that get me to the other side.

We had a very candid conversation about all different aspects of the job, and I feel a lot more comfortable exploring the parts that do fuel me.

And I’m interested to read what this book has to say. And also to compile more “dream jobs” to examine what skill sets and education they require.

I just saw this quote on the sidebar, and it so summed up exactly how I feel:

“My life has a superb cast but I can’t figure out the plot.”
- Ashleigh Brilliant

:)

So I just live each day, lovingly, passionately, purposefully, fearlessly, knowing that I only get my glimpse of the pathway for the few steps I am taking.

It reminds me of the Psalm (119): Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light onto my path.

God grants me enough light to see my feet and step forward, but I might not see the rest of the way.