Here's how I found what I love to do and how you can do the same
For the longest time, I had a strong desire to find what I love to do since I felt spending time doing what you love, was the key to leading a fulfilling life.
I searched all over the internet, going through as much content I could find on the topic, hoping to gain some clarity.
Most of the content I came across implied that finding and doing what you love was about combining what you enjoy and what you are talented in and getting someone to pay you for it. But none of it offered much practical advice on how I could find what I love.
Well, here’s how I eventually came to find answers.
Ask and you will receive
By the time I got to college, I grew desperate for answers. Familiar with the Law of Attraction, I decided to ask the Universe to reveal what I love with the belief that I will get answers.
A couple of months later, I found myself in one of my friend’s apartment, where two things grabbed my attention. One was a beautiful Yamaha guitar; the other, a copy of Steve Jobs’ biography.
The guitar was something I’d wanted to learn ever since I was a kid, and those familiar feelings of longing and excitement arose within my gut the moment I saw it.
Seeing the biography piqued my curiosity, and I got myself a copy of it when I went home that night.
Reading Jobs' biography led me to Autobiography of a Yogi. It was a book that had such a profound impact on him that he made arrangements before his death to give it as a gift to those would be attending his funeral service. It was also the only e-book he had on his iPad, and one he would reread every year.
Reading Autobiography of a Yogi blew my mind and completely transformed my outlook on life. It left me convinced that there is far more to life than what we have been led to believe by our society, media and religions.
The Universe had started responding to my request. I only realised this a few months later, once I’d started learning the guitar and found myself in love with it. I'd also become completely captivated with other spiritual books and meditation.
To apply the law of attraction to find what you love is simple. Here are the steps involved to receive answers from the universe to find what you love.
1. Ask God or the Universe to reveal what you love to do.
2. Believe and have faith that you will be guided.
3. Be patient and look out for signs or guidance from the universe.
4. Take action on the guidance
How the signs may come varies from one person to the next as the avenues through which the Universe can communicate with us are endless. Here are few ways through which you may receive guidance.
You feel an intuitive nudge towards a certain activity.
You may receive guidance through a friend, family or a person in your life.
You may come across something in a book, movie or the internet that piques your curiosity.
You may feel inspired towards something.
You may receive guidance through recurring dreams.
The guidance may not always point you directly to the answer, however, following up on the guidance and exploring it further may lead you to it.
Overcoming fear
Many of us may already have quite a good idea of what we like and enjoy, but our fears, doubts and inhibitions may keep us from pursuing them.
Singing was something I liked and enjoyed as a kid, and it made me feel good. But as I grew up, I became very self-conscious about it. As a result, I never spent much time and effort on it and chose to suppress the intuitive urge to sing.
It was not until I began playing the guitar that I became comfortable with singing. The more I sang, I realised it was not just something that I liked, but it was something that I loved doing.
The love I had for singing eventually helped me to overcome my fears as I realised that it didn't make sense not to do something I found really fulfilling and enjoyable.
Take money and career out of the equation
Seeking answers with the assumption that “what we love” should tie into our career and provide us financially, often blinds us from seeing things that have been right in front of us all along.
Travelling and music is something I have always loved, but this never crossed my mind as I sought answers with these preconceived notions.
If we cannot see the possibilities of any monetary benefit, we may easily dismiss what we love thinking it’s not worth our time and effort. On the other hand, the only way to truly know if it can be financially rewarding is only by investing our time and energy in it.
Follow your curiosity and intuition
Following the trail of your curiosity and intuition can lead you to discover answers.
In hindsight, I could have found many of the answers a long time ago, if I’d taken action on my intuitive nudges earlier.
Our intuition may nudge us towards a particular activity through feelings of joy, excitement or pleasant sensations in our gut. It may also communicate with us through a strong urge to express ourselves in a particular field or one in which we are talented.
However, while you make the decision to follow your intuition let go of attaching any specific expectations. Be willing to follow its nudges with an open mind since expectations can often set us up for disappointment.
Look towards your natural inclination & tendencies
I have always had a natural tendency to pick up and read books and magazines wherever I went whether it’s in a hotel lobby, a cafe, or at a friend or relative's place. Going to libraries is something I have always been fond of as well.
In college, I had lots of free time, thanks to the fact that attendance was not compulsory. This gave me the time to read, and I ended up reading almost a 100 books during my three years in college. It was only over time that it became evident to me that reading is something I love doing.
Looking towards your natural inclinations and tendencies can help to shed clarity on what you love doing. However, sometimes you may need to spend more time doing the things you are drawn to before you finally realise it may be something you love.
Let your feelings be your guide
There are no rules to follow while you search for what you love. Simply look at what makes you feel good. We tend to naturally love to do the things that make us feel really good.
Perhaps you don’t know anybody else who enjoys the activities that make you feel good. However, you are the only one who can judge by how it makes you feel.
In my case, spending time in solitude is something I have found I love because it somehow makes me feel good and relaxed.
One thing leads to another
In my life, by indulging in the activities that I love has led me to discover more of the things that I love and bring me joy.
My love for reading led me to discover that I was spiritually inclined. Reading also provided me with the inspiration to travel solo, which I found to be incredibly fulfilling. Solo travelling, in turn, has made me realise that I deeply love connecting with people.
Though my love for guitar has waned over the years playing the instrument led me to sing and immerse myself in a diverse range of music that I love.
Don’t limit it
It’s been more than 7 years since I’ve began seeking answers and even now I’m finding new things that I really love.
There’s no end to the search as we can keep discovering new activities that we love over time. Therefore while seeking answers, always keep your mind open for new things that you may love.
Self-inquiry
Looking into your own life and doing a little self-inquiry can go a long way in helping you find what you love.
Long conversations and connecting with people is something I have enjoyed since school. In fact some of the happiest times I’ve had over the past few years have all been the times I’ve spent with friends.
After solo travelling for 3 months across India, I found my most favourite moments weren't really about the places I visited, but the times I spent with the people I met during the trip. It also made no difference as to whether I knew them for two days or even two hours for that matter. I found it incredibly fulfilling and gratifying connecting with people. It was only in hindsight, I realised what had always been so evident.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to do your own self- inquiry that can help you find what you love.
Grab a pen and a paper. And take time to go through each question until you can come up with a minimum of 3 answers for each of these questions. Write whatever answers come to your mind without filtering what comes through.
What do you really enjoy doing?
What excites you?
What activities make you completely absorbed that you forget about everything else?
What are you curious and fascinated about?
What do you feel no resistance towards doing, something that you could be doing for hours at a time and still engage you?
What makes you feel really alive?
What are you instinctively drawn to?
How would you spend your time if you had only two weeks to live or if money was no object?
What did you enjoy and love doing in your childhood?
What makes you feel good?
What have you known in your heart that you are really good at or talented in?
What do you have an intuitive urge for?
Final Thoughts
Finding what you love to do is easier than you think.
The moment we stop thinking of what we love in terms of a career option, we open our minds to consider all kinds of possibilities we may have never considered before.
Once you start seeking, you are halfway there as one of the main reasons people don’t find what they love to do is because they never actively seek it.
Chances are you may have already spent time doing many of the things you love to do at some point or the other, but just haven't considered them as something you love.
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