Last night I watched Eat, Pray, Love for the first time. The premise of the movie is that the main character, Liz (played by Julia Roberts), finds herself in a string of bad relationships and financial ruin. To try and find her zest for life again, she picks up and dedicates herself to finding God – in Italy, India and Dali.
I had so many moments in that movie that made me think – and that, frankly, I could identify with. But one line specifically stood out to me – when she was new to Italy and finding friends, one man looked at her and said, “So, Liz, who are you?” Liz responded, “I’m a writer.” He looked at her and said, “That’s what you do – not who you are. Who are you?”
That deeply resonated with me. Who we are can so easily be defined by what we actually do. We tell ourselves that we are the actual role in life that takes up our 9-5. I’m a baker, I’m a salesman, I’m a manager, I’m a business owner, and the list goes on and on. To make it even more complicated, our self-worth can get wrapped up in how well we do at those things. If we have a rough day at work or a string of bad luck at work, all too often that pours directly into our personal lives.
Let’s take a step back. Let’s take a look at who we actually are as individuals.
If we’re really honest with ourselves, we’d probably see that our passion isn’t our careers. Now we may be GOOD at our careers/job – which can make life seem successful and fulfilled – but that doesn’t mean that we have reached ultimate success.
Liz found her passion and zest for life by totally changing it. She found her life again by finally giving up the façade of what she felt life SHOULD have been and pursuing life as she wanted it.
So often we build ourselves up and try to make life look like everyone else’s – and usually that’s at the expense of our happiness, passion and who we truly can become. I encourage you today to dig deep inside of yourself and find your individuality. Defining yourself by who you truly are will only make you a happier person in your career, in your relationships and will give you a sense of fulfillment that you never have experienced before.
You are one of a kind with amazing gifts, talents and abilities. Find your passion. And don’t be afraid to follow it!
To the journey of happiness,
Michelle
very well written! LOVE your blog!
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