Darling, you’re so much more interesting when you’re in process.

For the past few years, I have just wanted to make sense. After all the all-over-the-place-ness, I have just wanted to arrive at the destination of a job title, so that when my mom’s friends ask me what I do at dinner parties, I could tell them something they would understand. After years of living in ashrams and working in cafe’s and constantly moving to a different place, all I have wanted to be is normal. To be stable. To be successful. And while I think those things are incredibly important, and while I am not advocating to “follow your heart” with complete disregard for financial stability, your personal relationships or your place in the world (I have done that, don’t do that)—I don’t think those things should be the goal. For, after having traded in the hippie skirts for work-appropriate-attire, after having gotten the job title, I haven’t found the success I’ve been seeking. And that’s not because there’s anything wrong with working for a company you respect, or for wanting employer-provided-healthcare. It’s because, through all this, I haven’t been putting my talents to use. I have arrived at the destination of a job title, and yet I haven’t gone anywhere with it.

I think as we consider the question of “what do I want to do with my life?” it’s important to not think about the job title and all that could come with it, but to instead consider all the actions in a day that would make up the noun of it. So, when I was a barista, I really made drinks and made delightful small-talk with strangers turned into neighbors. When I work as a customer service representative, I really answer emails and phone calls and try to get angry people to be less angry, and confused people to be less confused. And, as an artist/entrepreneur/writer, I make beautiful things, I talk to people about the beautiful things they’ve been through to get where they are, and I try to share those things with the world.

When considering the question of “what do I want to do with my life?” I think it’s imperative to consider the wild possibility that maybe, just maybe, that thing that we actually want to do might actually be able to give us all those things I thought I was looking for, and more. Maybe, by digging deep into ourselves and taking the risk to actually develop our talents and follow our joy, we’ll be able to serve others better. We’ll be able to bring them joy, and a product or service they can really use. We’ll be able to be normal, and stable and successful, while still being ourselves, and isn’t that so much more interesting than a job title?

Stay tuned for next time, when I share the story of my upstairs neighbor Julie, who also happens to be the woman behind Aloha Lovely, an island-inspired lifestyle brand and clothing line. She has taken these questions in stride, and has learned how to weave her talents into her working life in a way I’m sure you’ll be inspired by.