Steps Towards Discovering Your Vocation: Step 1

Finding your place in the world is not a simple task.  I believe finding your place requires a balance in your lifestyle.  You first must be able to think clearly, not to panic or limit the world around you.  You must be physically healthy, or feel the best that you possibly can, you must be able to be honest with yourself and not limit your thoughts and your importance to what you have to offer others, you also must get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods and spend alone time with yourself.  The process of discovering your vocation may take some time and it is important that you are patient with yourself.  Do not pressure yourself with time limits because starting a new career and moving through a life changing transition is not a rapid task.  Being an older displaced homemaker, makes this even more difficult because we can feel the "clock ticking" and time moving.  We realize that we have lived most of our lives and now we have entered into another stage or season of life.  We are not in our 20's or 30's anymore and there is not much room for errors nor is there any room for making additional changes in the future.  This is why it is important to remain patient with your thoughts and yourself before making big changes.  It is important to have the feeling of inner peace before making that big step.
     Life is never sure, as we have learned from our past experiences, the economy of today, and the increased natural disasters that seems to be taking place.  As we get older, we tend to feel our own vulnerability in life we feel a bit more fragile.
     I have listed a few steps to take you towards your journey of discovering your vocation.  We all know that we need to survive and earn an income so this journey is one that is necessary for the woman who suddenly finds themselves alone and in the midst of changes that we did not expect.

• First, start a daily journal.  Purchase a blank notebook and start in that.  Write in it every day.  Find a time in your day that you will not be disturbed and you can write.  If you are super busy, buy a small notebook to put into your purse so you can quickly jot down thoughts and ideas as your day passes by you.  Be faithful with this, you will find that the journal will become your best friend.  Do not worry about what you say nor limit your thoughts.  This is your free flowing moment, say anything without limitations.

• Throughout the day, start observing yourself as if from the outsiders perspective.  This is not easy to do, but notice how you communicate with others, what makes you smile, what makes you happy.  For example:
• When you go into a book store, what subjects are you drawn to?  Remember them, write them down.
• When you rent a movie or go to the theater, what are you drawn to?  Why?  Write it down.
• When you are engaged in conversations with others, what topics do you tend to gravitate towards with others?  Do those topics hold your attention and you can go on for hours talking about them, or do you become rather bored and tend to cut them short?  Write down the topics that seem to be common in your social life.  write them down.

Do not worry about the time here, just be patient and honest.  If you are not honest, you are only cheating yourself.  Remember, it is for yourself that you do this and you are very important.  You do not need to impress anyone, listen to anyone or decide that you "should" be interested in this or that.  Find the freedom to have the ability to be who you are, different an unique from any other.
     Follow these steps for long enough to gather some answers, it may take you days or weeks or months do not limit yourself.
      Now that you have spent time in knowing who you are, observed yourself and stated your traits and desires.  Sit down and read over your interest list.  Cross off the items that do not seem to really pertain to who you really are.  You may have listed 5 or 6 or maybe 10 different areas of interest. Now number the ones that are left from the most important to the least important. For example, you like home decorating, animals, nature, cooking, science, medicine, and music.
Look for the items that really make you soar inside when you read the list number that item 1 and so on.
     Put your list aside in your journal and start another page following the suggestions in Step 2:  Negative Traits