Written by: Jane Ramsey, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Most people wonder; what is my true calling in life?
Because I help people find greater fulfillment, questions about life purpose and true calling come up frequently as I work with clients.
We all struggle to live fully.
I recently read two profound books and they both prominently featured the same quote. When that kind of synchronicity happens, I pay attention.
Here is the quote from the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas
‘If you bring forth what is within you, it will save you: if you do not bring forth what is within you, it will destroy you.’
This quote reminded me of what I have learned since retiring.
When I was still working in corporate life, I had a fantasy that fulfillment would be having abundant wealth and leisure time. I imagined a retired life focused on relaxation. An infinity pool and a good book were involved.
There, I thought, I would experience pure contentment, complete happiness, and deep fulfillment.
I now understand that people are happiest and most fulfilled when they are engaged in some compelling activity relating to an aspect of their true calling in life.
Then activity becomes effortless and joyful. I realize this firsthand every day because I’m grateful to be living that way. My post-retirement purpose is creating and teaching courses that combine creativity and personal development.
I wake up excited every day. My fulfillment comes from profound engagement.
I am a life-long seeker who looks for inspiration to live an ‘at my best’ life. I believe that finding your purpose or dharma can help you find great meaning and daily joy in life. It can help you become your best self.
Dharma is a Sanskrit word that has layers of meaning. It alludes to everything from the truth, to your path or vocation, to teaching to a sacred duty. For the purposes of this article, I use the word to mean purpose or true calling in life.
Yogis explain that every single human has a unique vocation or dharma.
Do you wonder if you are truly living a fulfilled life? Are you bringing forth what is within you?
Or, do you fear you may have missed the boat? That you don’t yet know? Perhaps you feel you have become disconnected from your true calling.
In the book The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope, he acknowledges that we all have a purpose; a true calling.
However, most of us don’t name it and claim it. For many of us, our sacred calling is hiding in plain sight.
Cope says that perhaps we’re not missing it by a lot, but we may not be living it as intentionally and consciously as we could.
Most of us need to do some inner work and take a couple of small leaps to fully find our true calling.
And that might make a BIG difference in your personal level of fulfillment.
Many of my teachers believe that our greatest responsibility in life is to find and fully embrace our unique true calling.
If you are hearing a call like this, it’s a sign that you are being asked to bring spiritual practice into the center of your everyday life.
Some of my clients tell me as we begin our work together ‘I don’t think I have a true calling, but I wish I did. I think I am just a regular person without special dharma or purpose.’
As we work together, they begin to realize their gifts and unique talents. What people call on them to do. How they love to help. Where they get real satisfaction and enjoyment. Many people are so close to the epicenter of their true calling it’s hard for them to discern. In fact, their whole life is their dharma; their purpose suffuses their life.
Sometimes, when the calling is not dramatic, people have what author Stephen Cope calls ‘denial of dharma.’
He says ‘with denial of dharma there is often a vagueness, a lack of clarity - and confusion about the nature of dharma itself.’
Some of us have visions of grandeur about our purpose in life. We imagine the corner of the world we deeply care about as insignificant; ’too small.’
If someone gets a tremendous amount of joy in a helping or caretaking profession they may devalue their work because society often undervalues those types of roles.
‘Think of the small as large’; wrote Lao Tzu in the Tao de Ching.
This wisdom teaches us that we have a sacred duty to see the actions we take in the expression of our true calling as infinitely important. Though they may appear insignificant to some, these actions lift us up and give us the power to realize the essential reason we are here.
Many of us need help and perspective to see the magnitude of serving the world with our unique gifts and talents.
Cope explains that every person’s true calling is like an internal fingerprint. He calls it ‘the subtle interior blueprint of a soul.’
To live a fulfilling life, dedicate yourself to finding out who you are and what you are here to do.
Once you reach the second half of life you are entitled to a great realization. No one else really cares what you are doing with your life.
Perhaps you chose a profession or career that someone else chose for you. You may have lived someone else’s dream and set your own aside. Maybe you worried that you would disappoint someone if you didn’t pursue one or another vocation.
If that is true for you and you would like to discover your purpose and find greater meaning and fulfillment, I urge you to do some inner work.
One way to do this is to begin meditating. You could take my Soul Artist Experience series of courses. In the Soul Artist Experience courses, you learn to silence self-judgment, free your inner artist and connect with your innate wisdom so you use more of your potential and make a bigger impact in life.
While the art part of the Soul Artist series is optional, the exercises and lessons help you feel constant support and guidance. They help you more fully know yourself and what you want.
You begin to claim your life; discover and live your true calling and find greater fulfillment.
Do you feel you want to come home to your true self? When you do, you feel renewed and excited about life.
"It is never too late to be what you might have been." - George Eliot
It is definitely within you to connect to inner wisdom, amplify your life and discover your purpose so that you can make a bigger impact.
If this has stirred something in you, I would love to connect to talk about working together. Please set a complimentary discovery session here.
I would be honored to include you in our Tribe of Soul Artists. You can find out more here: Soul Artist Experience 1.0
Find out more about my journey through my book: Vision Quest Vision Quest – A Journey to Happiness by Jane Ramsey.
Find out more about Jane Ramsey on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or visit my website for more info!
Jane Ramsey, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jane Ramsey, formerly a business executive for a global Fortune 500 company, is now an author, artist, meditation coach, and Founder of SoulArt Meditation. Upon retirement, Jane embarked on a course of study in philosophy, fitness, health, nutrition, quantum physics, happiness, and spirituality. She has been meditating for more than twenty-five years and is a Chopra-certified meditation coach, helping clients create a strong daily meditation practice. Jane shares her spiritual journey in her book VISION QUEST: a journey to happiness. Her story is inspiring and enlightening. As a part of her journey, Jane has become an avid and accomplished artist. Jane’s quest to get clearer on her purpose in life inspired her to combine creativity with meditation and spirituality, and that’s how her signature class, SoulArt Meditation, was born.
