STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Elle · Hermes

Do you think everyone has a calling in life?

halleybird · Hermes

I do think everyone has a calling, but I think that calling is only sometimes work-related. My grandma, for instance, was a school secretary for 17 years or something, but after she retired, she became a CASA volunteer and has probably saved hundreds of kids from abuse.

My point is, not everyone's "job" is their calling. Most people change jobs 4-5 times during their career. For now, I'd just evaluate the things that make you happy and go in that direction. As for college, it isn't necessary, but it does give you more options.

What are your skills? What do you like to do in your free time? What issues make you passionate? Those are the questions to start with.

I don't know if I will be a teacher forever, but I do know that whatever I do needs to involve writing, and it needs to contribute to the public somehow. So I may have different careers (I've had 2 so far), but they have a common theme.

kenzie · Chanel

I think everyone has a calling (or callings). And not everyone's job functions as their calling. I certainly hope my job (or any of my previous jobs) were my calling. If they are/were, then that would make for a pretty depressing life.

I think that callings can take on various forms from hobbies to volunteer work to motherhood or fatherhood and yes, jobs. My 'calling,' for instance is anything artistic (from performing to designing to writing). But I don't have a job doing that. Someday, I hope to. I think that I would be happiest (and possibly most people would be happiest) if they follow their calling, whether that leads them to full-time parenthood or to a tribe in Africa.

Finding your calling is usually rooted, in my opinion, in what your passions are. Passion is what drives you to do what you do and once you discover what you are most passionate about, you can't help but pursue it in every way that you can.

-- Edited by NylaBelle at 18:47, 2005-07-11

member · Hermes

I've been struggling w/the same questions for at least the past year. My job is not something I love, it's definitely not my calling, but I'm clueless as to what I'm meant to do. I have the same problem as LMonet - I don't know if it's really worth 4-6 years of my life to go back to school, especially since I don't even know what it is I really want to do. I don't know what I would love to do and be really good at. It's so confusing.

joy0302 · Kate Spade

I am with you guys. I have a job that I really like, but it is something that I just fell into, not a "calling". I have been going to school at night for interior design for several years now, something I have always loved. The only problem is that after looking at what is available out there I am becoming discouraged. I don't want to quit school after putting in so much time and money but I am starting to think that it is going to be REALLY hard to find a job when I graduate.

It is very confusing!!

honey · Gucci

i think there are two types of people careerwise -- those who are destined to do specific things and those who just kind of fall into something and end up really enjoying it. i believe i fall into the former category and even though at the moment i have a specific idea, i do know that an integral part of my destiny is working for myself. i really can't stomach the idea of working for someone else unless it's part of my career path.