The American Dream

For a long time in our developed society, we have been programmed to believe that our path in life is linear.  There is only one golden yellow brick road to fulfilment and success.  If we checked off the boxes on that yellow brick road; we will lead a good life.  We will be happy or at least satisfied.  This was the simple navigational guide.  Our companies, education system and government… were designed to support this narrative and guide us through life.  Sometimes the path looked more like this with hills and valleys.

Born→Primary School→College→Linear Career→Marriage/Kids→Retire→Die

Don’t forget to accumulate lots of stuff while you are during the above♥

Was everyone happy? No!  However, the majority of the population knew what was expected of them.  So there had to be something wrong with you if you did everything on the list and was still not happy.  Per my parents; what does happiness have to do with anything.  Believe in God, get a job (college was a privilege), care for yourself and family, deal!  That should make you happy.

Find Your Passion & Than Choose Your Own Path

Well mom and dad, I want to do more than just deal.  I drank the Kool Aid (cherry).  I bought into the “Find Your Passion” movement.  I want to travel through life on MY yellow brick road not THE yellow brick road.

I expected at this point in my life that I would have it all figured out.  I would know my ultimate truths and would be actively living them daily.  As much Oprah and Brene Brown I listen too, I should have an honorary doctorate in my truths by now.  Unfortunately, I do not.  Scratch that – I know my core truths.

• My core truth is that I am a creator
• I want to bring significant value to the world
• I want to help others realize their greatness too

Wow, I said that out load!  However, I have been afraid to acknowledge and live that best life.  Creators and people who bring significant value to the world are super heroes to me.

When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a dancer.  Dancing was my happy place. I came alive on stage.  I am an introvert and as a child I confused that with being shy.  I was not shy.  I also had a speaking impediment.  Dancing was my creative outlet and the way I communicated to the world.  I told life stories through my dance and through the bond of human emotion people understood what was being said.  I did not have to verbally speak.

I was the youngest of six kids.  I was the first child with the opportunity to graduate from university.  My parents sacrificed and worked really hard to give me this opportunity.  I took many dance classes in College but I could not bring my self to major in dance.  I majored in business.  It was my choice.  I just could not justify having my father who had to drop out of college to support a family and my mother who did not graduate high school during manual labor to pay for a degree in Dance.

This was just one of many choices that veered me from my creative path.  Or so I thought.😌  These choices do not change my ultimate destiny.  They just interrupt how I am getting there.

This post is titled Part 1 because it is Part 1 of many.  How many, I don’t know yet.  As many as it takes to get this thing right.  Or right for me.  What did Trump say, he did not know that Healthcare was hard.  Well, this whole live your life purpose is hard too.  I want to use the “Follow Your Yellow Brick Road’ series as a place to explore how to live my Purpose in this capitalistic Digital Age always connected world.

I hope you stay with me on my journey.  If you already got this Purpose thing figured out.  Please leave a comment below and share.  I would love to hear your thoughts.