People talk about a “calling” as if we all understand what that is. Most of my life I have not understood this concept. But now that I am a wife, a mom, and the rest of life tugs on me, I am beginning to understand.
Have you ever been asked if you are introverted or extroverted? If you have, you may or may not know the answer to this question for yourself. The answer to that question might not be what you think. You could be an incredibly relational person but be an introvert. The answer has more to do with where you get your energy. Are you energized spending time with people or alone? A “calling” is similar.
Dictionary.com has it defined as:
a strong impulse or inclination
When trying to decide if you feel called to a specific job or task in life, you need to ask the question, “Does this job energize me or take from me?” If it energizes you, you’re in the right place. You have found your calling. If you find that it takes from you, then you might be gifted in that area, but it is not your calling.
What in the world does this have to do with family, food, and wellness? Well, whether I would think of it this way or not—family, food, and wellness are my calling. I have found my calling being a mom at home who makes meals for my family that feed them well. I have found my calling being a wife to an amazingly talented entrepreneur who has found his own calling. Living within your calling definitely requires just as much work, if not more than if you work at something that isn’t your calling. It simply makes doing that work actually fun. As someone wise once said, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Work just flows out of you.
For me, I love to learn about new recipes that taste great and nourish us, then try them out on my family. I have found this new life living with Paleo, AIP, and Low FODMAP challenging, but it energizes me. The same is true with The Graceful Table. It just flows from me to my keyboard.
When it comes to your own life, how are you feeling energized? There should be something in your personal life that you feel called to — what is it? If there isn’t anything, maybe you should take some time to reflect on what does energize you. Living life without a calling can feel a bit…empty.