I’m not talking about what you simply enjoy doing or what only “lights you up,” but something that just sets you on fire. I know a lot of people throw that phrase around - “This jacket gives me life… I’m living for these shoes…” but is there something in your life that really makes it worth living? The thing that you’re excited about doing when you wake up and the last thing you think of when you go to sleep.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and all of the things that demand our attention. But, every now and then, we get to do the thing that makes your soul breathe a sigh of relief. This happened to me a few days ago…
I love that my career is made up of several different things that I love doing, and I definitely don’t take that for granted. I’m a creature of variety and am happiest when I get to do a host of different things instead of doing the exact same thing day in, day out. I’m currently in a planning phase for a Marching Band show design project, so I’ve been listening to a ton of music - looking for pieces that will help to create a few different moods and atmospheres I want in the show. Living in all of these imagined moments, I was transported to a world of possibilities, where anything can be created. In my mind’s eye, I could see the motion on the field and the expressions on the performers’ faces. I could literally feel the environment of the moment and the mood gripped me so tightly, I’d completely forgotten I was sitting in my office. I live for those moments.
The few hours that passed literally felt like minutes and it felt like I was able to breathe after an eternity underwater. I had a few takeaways after that experience - the first being how fortunate I am for having the opportunity for expression on such a creative and artistic platform. Then, I thought about my opening question - What is it that makes other people feel like this? What is it that others feel gives them life in that way?... And do we make time for those things?
Oftentimes, what lights us up and fulfills us in meaningful ways are things we found very early in life. Maybe you love to sing and have been singing since you were a little kid. Or you might be a dancer who found your love for dance in your grandma’s living room while watching Saturday morning cartoons. When I think about the things that I’m so passionate about, I realize that they’ve been with me for most of my life. So, when I make time to do those things, I’m letting my inner child play. I’m not just designing a marching band show, I’m making time for 5-year-old Kendall to express, find magic and create. The deep fulfillment that comes from doing those things that light us up can energize us in remarkable ways. They literally give us the energy to live life, to do the mundane things as well as the hard things.