We get ideas, or a desire for something, but then we wait. We wait until someone draws it out of us, and insists we do it, or we wait until we are elected into a role that will pay us to do this thing. It isn’t that we want to wait, but somehow we feel it is what we are supposed to do.

If we belong to a group, it is easy to adopt a group mentality. But we were born into this world alone, and we will leave this world alone. We are responsible for ourselves and owe it to ourselves to ask these 5 questions…

• Do I have an unfulfilled desire?

• Is there something I have wanted to do that doesn’t go away?

• What is keeping me from doing it?

• Do I need someone to give me a title to begin doing it?

• Would it bring me joy if I did it without anyone noticing?

Many times we develop resentment when we know we should be doing something, but feel “others” are preventing us from doing it. A phrase I keep hearing from people, “Am I not being who I am, or are others preventing me from being who I am?” It is a terrible place to be, but there are only two options to moving past it. Either someone will open a door for you… or you open the door for yourself. The joy is not in the recognition we receive from others, but in doing that which we were created to do.

Give yourself the permission and freedom you need to initiate the action it takes to be who you are. Are you a leader? Then lead by example, and reach out to others. Do you want to serve, then just do it. No one is keeping you from using your natural skills to assist those around you. So, if you don’t feel like you are being utilized in your current sphere of influence, consider taking these steps.

1.  Define your desire. Sometimes it takes identifying the source of your angst, to find an unmet desire at the root of your distress or anxiety. What expectations or desires do you have that haven’t been met?

2.  Decide to take responsibility. Stop holding others responsible for your journey. Release the ones who are standing in your way, and move past them. Consider them as merely part of the scenery on your journey.

3.  Develop your skill in this area. If it is something you have put on a shelf, take it off and begin to use it. Look for ways to increase your knowledge, through books, groups devoted to the subject, and courses.

4.  Determine to create opportunity. Find opportunities where you are able to be useful to others in this area. If you cannot find a situation that allows you to use or function in this area, consider ways to create the opportunity yourself through volunteering, serving others, or starting something new.

5.  Dive in! Although you may have a big picture of how you would like this to play out, think in the small attainable steps that you can take today. Keep it simple. Do not wait until you have a title, can afford it, find the right people, or for anything else. Just give yourself permission to take one joyful step today!

Doing it…

Tami Gaupp