Are You Occupied With Your Occupation?

Sometimes we wind up working somewhere we never dreamt of. Sometimes we find ourselves in a profession we did not choose, performing tasks we never imagined we would while our true talents and passions lay dormant!  This is okay. It is okay to work while we wait, to work while we search, to do something we may detest (as long as it is not in opposition of our morals or integrity) while we look forward to doing the things we love.

Part of discipline, part of being an adult, part of being a responsible individual sometimes means that we sacrifice our wants for our needs. It means that we grit our teeth and bear it while we look for a way out, while we save, while we fulfill our obligations. It means that we pay the bills while we try and figure out how to make our dreams a reality. It means we search for any odd job to do while we wait for the one we want to become vacant. It means that we stay in school (because being a student is an occupation in and of itself) and see our course through in anticipation of the opportunities that may occur as a result of the said degree/effort.

The important thing is not what you are doing, but it is what you are doing about what you are doing. When you detest your vocation, search for a new one. If the job you want does not exist, begin to determine what industry it would fit into and create opportunities to create your dream job – work towards making it a reality. Write down your dreams and figure out ways to turn them into achievable goals, write down your goals and tick off the steps as you achieve them one by one.

If we are at a dead end job that does not mean our world has ended. That does not mean we ourselves must be dead. We can be alive on the inside, plotting and planning and even using the resources at our disposal (be it fast office internet, networking opportunities, or even just a desk and time on our hands) to work towards what we really want to spend our time achieving.

It is of primary importance not to get overly occupied with our current occupations. Not to lose sight of our visions, to sleep on our dreams, to forget that we ever wanted to do something beyond our current existence. It is important to live in the present and make the best of it, but never forget to work towards our future.

I know a girl who works as a technical assistant by day and a seamstress and designer by night, a friend who is pursuing her masters while baking and decorating desserts between papers and tests. I know a man who is a computer analyst from 9 – 5,  a world renowned blogger and amazing photographer from 5 – 9. One must realize that it is possible to have work and happiness simultaneously and they need not always be embodied within the same activity, and it is okay nay best to learn to experience these things separately while you wait for the two concepts to be married together.

Do not get overly occupied with your occupation. Do not think that just because you are at a certain stage in life, you are destined and doomed to perform there for life. The old adage says ‘as long as there is life, there is hope,’ and it is entirely correct. As long as you are alive there is always hope that your situation can change. There will always be a chance to do and achieve and become some version of what you anticipate for yourself.

There are many a seen and unseen reason for why you might be where you are. It might be to test your faith, which in and of itself builds perseverance. It might be to just get enough years work experience to qualify you for the position you crave. It might be to teach you patience or technical skills that you are unconsciously assimilating in your current place of business.

Let us encourage one another not to get too occupied with our current occupations.

What is your current status? Are you where you want to be? Are you stuck in a waiting room? Has that current or past seemingly “dead end” job provided valuable lessons, money in the bank or has it just been a complete waste of time? Are you currently living your dream? If you are, would it have been just as beneficial if it had happened sooner?

Please share your thoughts and stories on the situation, so together we can learn, grow, be encouraged and gain the courage to dream and achieve even while we work and believe.

Photo credit: events.leagueofblackwomen.org