Tiny Wisdom: Follow Your Bliss

“Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.” ~Joseph Campbell

Recently I’ve been feeling this need to grow and expand. I’ve been doing the same thing here for about three years now, and I’ve identified a long list of things I know I don’t want to do—but aside from writing my next book, I haven’t felt a strong pull in any other direction.

Then this weekend I had an idea for a new creative project—something that has absolutely nothing to do with Tiny Buddha. In fact, it’s geared toward young girls, and it’s more silly than spiritual.

Although I love this site, and I’m going to continue writing here, this new idea ignited a different type of passion and enthusiasm in me. It was a reminder that I am more than any one role I play. I am more than any one project.

Suddenly I realized: I’ve been focusing like a laser on what else I might be able to do for and through Tiny Buddha, when it would have been far less limiting to ask myself what energizes me in general.

Essentially, I assumed progress needed to happen in one specific way, instead of opening myself up to new possibilities based on what makes me feel passionate and excited.

Can you relate to this feeling? Have you ever felt confident you should be doing one thing, and in the process closed yourself off to what you could be doing?

Have you ever felt so attached to possibilities in one venture that you closed yourself off to something else that might be even more fulfilling?

I suspect we’re more tempted to do this after we’ve put a lot of time and effort into something.

If you’ve spent years building a business or working toward a degree, focusing your energy on something else might feel like derailing yourself or starting over.

But when we’re willing to let go of how we thought things had to be, we’re often better able to create how we really want them to be.

It may look nothing like we first visualized; or we may follow our instincts and find they lead us right back where we started. The important thing is that we stay open to them.

Happiness isn’t a destination, but we’re best able to experience it when we follow where it leads.

Photo by John_Brennan