Category Archives: Blog

The Side Hustle Best Suited to Your Personality


I don’t normally publish guest posts on my blog, but Tamari Lewin recently reached out with the idea to offer a list of businesses that fit different personality types. I thought a lot of people might find it helpful. While I don’t believe tests or types can tell you what type of work is right for you (only you know that), hopefully this list will get your creative juices flowing, give you some good ideas to consider, and inspire further brainstorming.

Written by Tamari Lewin

Are you looking to earn extra money? Do you want a source of income that plays to your strengths? How about earning profit off something you enjoy?

Well, you’ve come to the perfect place. Below, I compiled a list of three ideas for extra income that fit your Enneagram type, as well as an example of someone who took this side gig and made it into their career.

Check out the suggestions below and see if any of them could work for you!

Type 1, The Reformer

Side job #1: Freelance Book Editor

Why this could work for you:

You expect perfection both from yourself and from those around you. There’s always more to improve, in your mind, and you’re happy to show others where they’re still lacking. You have a strong inner critic, an eye for detail, and set high standards for yourself. How about directing those strengths towards book editing and have customers pay you to find their mistakes?

Take inspiration from: Rebecca Millar

Side job #2: Professional Organizer

Why this could work for you:

You’re organized, great at time management, and constantly looking to improve. You’re methodical and responsible and often build systems that create order in life. You’d be great at helping people organize their lives, workspaces, and homes as a professional organizer!

Take inspiration from: Kymberli Calloway

Side job #3: Resume Writer

Why this could work for you:

You notice the often-overlooked details. You strive for excellence. You value precision. You’re analytical, structured and have strong proofreading and editing skills (see above). Create the perfect resume for your customers and help them earn the income they deserve!

Take inspiration from: Greg Faherty

Type 2, The Helper

Side job #1: Wedding Photographer

Why this could work for you:

You’re good at working with people. You care about people’s needs and are eager to help them. You’re creative, dedicated, and warm. You like feeling helpful and needed and are a team player. Try working as a wedding photographer!

Take inspiration from: Derrel Ho-Shing

Side job #2: Part Time Kindergarten Teacher Assistant

Why this could work for you:

You’re warm, giving, supportive, loving, and friendly. You’re attentive to the needs of those around you. You appreciate building relationships and getting to better understand the people around you. What do you think of connecting with children and helping to shape their future as a teacher assistant?

Take inspiration from: Ryan Shaffer

Side job #3: Makeup Artist

Why this could work for you:

You’re artistic, have excellent communication skills and are attuned to the needs of those around you. You’re friendly, caring and a good listener. Become a makeup artist and spend time connecting with your customers and helping them feel beautiful!

Take inspiration from: Camara Aunique

Type 3, The Achiever

Side job #1: Social Media Manager for Small Businesses

Why this could work for you:

You’re motivated, efficient, and capable. You’re determined to succeed in your goals and are constantly working towards them. You’d be great at planning, managing and following through with a company’s social media plan!

Take inspiration from: Jonathan Miller

Side job #2: Interior Designer

Why this could work for you:

You’re in tune with the expectations of people around you. You’re good at planning, setting goals and following through with them. You’re competitive, have a strong sense of business and work well with others. How about working in interior design?

Take inspiration from: Sheila Bridges

Side job #3: Podcast Host

Why this could work for you:

You’re a natural performer, great at engaging others in conversation, and work well under pressure. Give yourself a chance to stand in the spotlight on your own podcast – challenge yourself to reach your audience and motivate them with your passion!

Take inspiration from: Ash Exantus

Type 4, The Individualist

Side job #1: Custom Jewelry Designer

Why this could work for you:

You’re creative, artistic, and unique. You’re able to visualize designs, enjoy creating them and want to stand out and be known for who you are. Display your creativity, depth and individuality in custom jewelry designs!

Take inspiration from: Katherine Kim

Side job #2: Songwriter

Why this could work for you:

You’re deep and sentimental, searching for the hidden significance in life and your interactions with others. Song ideas lie in the most unlikely places and there’s no one better than you to find them. Express yourself through your music. Show others who you really are. Start songwriting!

Take inspiration from: Ester Dean

Side job #3: Graphic Designer

Why this could work for you:

You’re creative. You want the freedom to express yourself whenever and however you choose. You surround yourself with beautiful designs. You understand people and what they’re truly looking for. How about graphic design as a side hustle?

Take inspiration from: Anthony Burrill

Type 5, The Investigator

Side job #1: Game Programmer

Why this could work for you:

You’re creative, persistent and enjoy learning. You’re good at mastering skills, prefer working by yourself and have the patience to sit on problems for hours until they’re solved. Why not program a game and sell it for profit?

Take inspiration from: Alex Balfanz

Side job #2: Freelance Writer

Why this could work for you:

You’re intellectual, curious, and insightful. You often have a strong vocabulary and good grasp of grammar. You value privacy and independence and often prefer working on your own schedule with minimal interactions with customers. These traits would make you a great freelance writer!

Take inspiration from: Ishena Robinson

Side job #3: Computer Repair Technician

Why this could work for you:

You enjoy researching subjects and are great at applying your knowledge to problems at hand. You’re independent and logical, with good troubleshooting skills. How about improving your competency and repairing computers?

Take inspiration from: David Kent

Type 6, The Loyalist

Side job #1: Virtual Personal Assistant

Why this could work for you:

You’re organized, attuned to details, and good at following instructions. You’re loyal, hardworking, and responsible and appreciate guidance from others. What do you think of working as someone’s personal assistant?

Take inspiration from: Suzie Evans Leitch

Side job #2: Private Investigator

Why this could work for you:

You’re dedicated, responsible, attentive, and perceptive. You’re a strategic thinker, able to think through the outcomes for most situations and be prepared for every scenario. Put your skills to use and become a private investigator!

Take inspiration from: Jay Rosenzweig

Side job #3: Creator of Online Courses

Why this could work for you:

You’re good at planning and researching, able to break directions into clear steps and methodical in giving them over. You’re gifted at thinking through problems and can anticipate questions and answer them before they’re asked. Why not choose a skill of yours and create an online course from it?

Take inspiration from: McCoy Buck

Type 7, The Enthusiast

Side job #1: Party DJ

Why this could work for you:

You’re friendly, easygoing, and optimistic. You’re always on the lookout for the next experience and enjoy action, crowds, and parties. How about getting paid to come to events, joining the fun, and managing their music?

Take inspiration from: Chris Devoe

Side job #2: Travel Blogger

Why this could work for you:

You’re spontaneous. You enjoy freedom. You thrive off new experiences, meeting people and exploring unfamiliar places. Start a travel blog and travel wherever you choose, try out new opportunities, and go on thrilling adventures!

Take inspiration from: Kate McCulley

Side job #3: Magician

Why this could work for you:

You’re energetic. You love being the center of attention. You’re a quick thinker. You are imaginative and extroverted and enjoy creating excitement for the people around you. Why not learn magic tricks and perform them for others?

Take inspiration from: Ran’D Shine

Type 8, The Challenger

Side job #1: Event Planner

Why this could work for you:

You’re decisive, confident, and resourceful. You enjoy overcoming hardships, managing people or plans and taking initiative. Dare yourself to plan perfect events, no matter the circumstances, and become an event planner!

Take inspiration from: Linda Alpert

Side job #2: Startup Consultant

Why this could work for you:

You’re hardworking, self-confident and devoted. You revel in giving advice, making decisions, and empowering others. You’re energetic, take action, and enjoy challenges. Why not use your skills to help people succeed in entrepreneurship?

Take inspiration from:  Jose A. Somalo

Side job #3: Motivational Public Speaker

Why this could work for you:

You’re enthusiastic, confident, and great at performing for audiences. You’re a natural leader. You have strong convictions, stand up for what you believe in and take pleasure in challenging others. How about becoming a motivational speaker?

Take inspiration from:  Eric Thomas

Type 9, The Peacemaker

Side job #1: Guitar Teacher

Why this could work for you:

You’re friendly, easygoing, and encouraging. You focus on the positive and are aware of what people around you are feeling. You appreciate calm, harmony, and music. You’re easy to be around and patient when teaching material, willing to give it over at the other person’s pace. Try teaching guitar!

Take inspiration from: Neli Harper

Side job #2: Relationship Coach

Why this could work for you:

You’re empathetic, accepting, and supportive. You want to build relationships, listen to those around you and give them your full attention. You make a good mediator, striving to peacefully work out disagreements, and you’re able to see multiple perspectives. How about helping others as a relationship coach?

Take inspiration from: Bryan Reeves

Side job #3: Nature Photographer

Why this could work for you:

You’re balanced, adaptable, and creative. You love being in nature and surrounding yourself with its serenity. You enjoy time spending time with yourself. You have the patience to wait for the perfect shot. Make an income selling nature photos!

Take inspiration from: Perri Schelat


Your ideal side hustle depends on you.

Above are a variety of options that keep in mind your personality, interests, and strengths. Try out the idea that most speaks to you or use the suggestions as inspiration to brainstorm your perfect side hustle.

No matter which job you choose, you’ll learn more about yourself, your preferences, and abilities. There are no right or wrong decisions in this.

Tamari Lewin is studying for her bachelor’s in computer science. In her spare time (though she doesn’t have much, between getting to classes and finishing her assignments), she enjoys writing. She has published several articles in magazines and online.

Photo by Braydon Anderson on Unsplash

Healing a World That’s Breaking Open Without Breaking Down


People, norms, and longstanding systems are cracking open and breaking down right now, one after another.

Most recently, the brutal murders of multiple black men and women have underscored the fact that racism is alive and well and continuing to cause immeasurable suffering.

My heart breaks for all the people of color who fear for their lives, or the lives of loved ones, because of how society sees them (or how it really doesn’t); those whose forebears were forced to overcome hundreds of years of genocide and enslavement that has never been fully recognized or repaired, and who carry the impact of this horrific trauma inside them without recognition or support; those who start out with less, are offered less, helped less, trusted less, rewarded with less, recognized less, and made to believe they are less; in short, those who have to live in a system designed to benefit others, often at their own expense, but who are told that everyone is treated equally, or if it not, that they are the ones to blame.

So What Can I Do?

First, I want to offer an apology for all of the things I did or said, didn’t do or didn’t say, out of ignorance or inattention, that contributed to suffering.

I care deeply about equality and justice and try to align my actions with my intentions, but I make mistakes and at times have not given adequate attention to the urgency of the issue.

I recognize that many of our societal structures are based on racism, fear, an attempt to dominate and control, and a false sense of separateness. I have a genuine desire to change them, for the health and well-being of everyone, and I know that if that’s going to happen, we’re all going to have to get involved and do our part.

But how do I know what’s mine to do? And how do I do it without becoming overwhelmed, giving in to despair, or burning out?

First of all, if you’re prone to depression, psychotherapist Marty Cooper has some wise tips in his latest newsletter.

Here’s what I’ve learned from my years of dealing with depression and anxiety, along with nearly a decade of helping clients stay engaged in a process that can feel paralyzing:

1. Find Your Smallest Meaningful Action.

My own inaction has often come because what I wanted—ending racism or transforming society—felt so big and intractable, so complicated and entrenched, that I got overwhelmed.

I either believed I didn’t know what to do or convinced myself that only a Herculean effort would be enough to make a difference.

I was wrong on both counts. As a result, there were times that instead of doing something meaningful, I didn’t do anything at all.

We’re all falling apart right now, in ways big and small.

In addition to feeling the fear and sadness caused by Coronavirus and the grief and rage of racist patterns coming to the surface, I’m watching my father struggle with Alzheimer’s and experiencing its widening ripples of pain and loss.

As a result, I—like everyone else—am stretched thin at the moment. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, to give up.

If we want to stay engaged, we need to ignore all the things we think we should be doing and find the smallest meaningful action we feel called to take that gives us something to build on. Then we do it again and again.

For me right now, that means learning more about antiracism, even if it’s only for ten minutes at a time. (One resource list breaks down what you can do in 10, 25, or 45-minute increments.)

It also means addressing the topic directly and publicly in this post, knowing that it will be imperfect. It means looking for antiracist organizations to contribute to. And it means committing to taking action for the long haul, and going at a pace that allows me to do that.

2. Feel Everything.

One way of looking at emotions is as the way in which the world transforms us.

It’s easy, when we’re overwhelmed or overloaded, to push off difficult emotions, like those triggered by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, or the thousands (millions?) of stories of racism that are emerging in their wake.

I should know. I spent years avoiding so many of my emotions that I began having panic attacks. Even now, when I feel much more easily, I can resist difficult feelings for days or even weeks at a time.

But these days, feeling our emotions isn’t just important; it’s revolutionary.

When we’re willing to feel deeply, to give time and space to be with the intensity, messiness, and at times excruciating pain of emotions, we’re reconnected to our big, beautiful hearts; our infinite compassion and empathy; and our inner wisdom and guidance. Emotional interference is cleared away, and the energy that was bound up in resistance, avoidance, or denial is freed. We once again hear what the world is calling for from us and have the energy to say yes to it.

In other words, we’re transformed.

I find that anger, resentment, and rage are often an invitation to find my voice, to rediscover my power to value and stay loyal to who I am as well as my unique truth, guidance, and gifts. Sadness and grief remind me that I’m connected to others and the larger web of life; they call on me treat others as the exquisite souls they are, extensions of myself no matter how different we may seem. Fear helps me see when I’m forgetting how big I really am and reminds me again of my connection to others, my inherent need to ask for help.

The world is working on all of us right now in big and unknown ways, stirring up large emotions so their energy can transform us. If we can stay open to them, be with them, and feel them, they’ll help us become the people we need to be so we can respond to pain and suffering with neverending love.  

3. Remember Who You Are (Who You Really Are).

In an interview on Brene Brown’s podcast, Ibram X. Kendi used a brilliant metaphor to describe how we all learn racism.

In our society, he says, racism is always raining down on us, and so we’re all getting wet. When someone points out that we’re covered in water, we can get defensive and deny it, or we can accept it and thank them for their honesty.

I love this metaphor because it removes the judgment that gets in the way of acceptance and ultimately action.

When we’re identifying with our small selves—our personalities and egos—our worthiness is always under threat. We judge everything, including ourselves, as good or bad, right or wrong. We hate to admit to any flaw, foible, or limitation because if we do something bad, we must be bad, and bad people are unacceptable, unlovable, and unworthy.

We all do it, and I’m no exception; it’s why I still get caught up in patterns of perfectionism and defensiveness.

But we aren’t our small selves. Our true nature is larger than our personality or ego and isn’t good or bad; it’s beautiful, loving, and infinite, and nothing we do can change that. When identifying with this larger self, we understand the truth that we can be flawed—in fact, as humans, we will be flawed—and still be worthy.

When we remember how big and beautiful we are by nature, we can work against our racism without working against ourselves.

We can listen to voices that are raw from pain, hard as they may be to hear.

We can let go of the need to be certain, to be blameless, to get it all right.

And we can do it all out of compassion, to care for others and, by extension, ourselves, so that we may fully express the love that we are.

Additional Racial Justice Resources

Poppy Bud Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Poppy Flower Photo by Victoria Tronina on Unsplash

What’s Helping Me Most Right Now

You may have noticed I haven’t sent anything out for a while.

Or maybe, like me, you got a bit overwhelmed by all the COVID-19 updates, and one less email was a welcome reprieve.

Either way, I hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well, and finding some gifts along with the rest.

In that spirit, I wanted to share what’s helping me right now in case it might support you too.

As COVID-19 began to spread, the world locked down, and people became more isolated and upset, emails piled up in my inbox offering virtual support groups, meditation sessions, pay-what-you-can sales, and more. I felt like I should do something too, but none of my ideas felt right, and all I really wanted to do was support my clients, do what I could for my elderly family members, and—in what time I had left—work on my novel.

I’m deep in the editing process, inspired by an advanced writing class I took, and filled with ideas for changes I want to make. The work is painstakingly slow, but it’s also fun, creative, and deeply satisfying.

I wanted to edit my novel every moment I could, but thought I should be creating an offering like all the other business owners I saw around me. I felt anxious and guilty, as it seemed a little irresponsible, if not selfish, not to.  

Until I decided to follow my own advice.

When a client feels energized and excited to create something, I always encourage them to do it. Nothing calls us by accident, and I’ve seen over and over how, in the words of Rumi, following the strange pull of what we really love never leads us astray. In fact, in my experience, saying yes to what’s calling us is really the only way to unlock joy, purpose, and the greatest gifts we have to offer the world.

I plan on publishing my novel, but I have no idea if I’ll do so traditionally or through self-publishing. I don’t know how it will sell or how many people will read it. I’m wildly uncertain if writing will ever make me much money or if I’ll ever write a bestseller.

What I do know is that writing makes me come alive, allows me to create my vision in the world, and right now, with a few exceptions, is all I want to do.

Joseph Campbell wrote that saying no to the call is a standard part of the hero’s journey. It’s certainly familiar to me. The thing we don’t talk about much when it comes to finding passion and purpose or doing what you love is this:

You have to say yes to the call before you know exactly what it is. Only by saying yes will the calling become clear.

So that’s what’s helping me most right now: Saying yes to my desire, my purpose, what connects me to my deepest self and the beauty of the world around me, and trusting that good will come of it.

My questions for you are:

  • What are you inspired, energized, excited, or longing to do?**
  • What’s calling you, in a hesitant, hard-to-hear whisper or an ear-piercing, undeniable scream?
  • What do you tell yourself you should be doing instead?

**If inspiration, excitement, and energy feel like foreign concepts right now, if you’re feeling checked out or overwhelmed, or if you’re having a hard time focusing, then welcome to being a human during a very difficult time. You’re probably either grieving, or your nervous system is overwhelmed (often manifested as anxiety or depression). Both are natural and common responses to the disruption, uncertainty, and suffering happening in our world right now. If you’re feeling this way, my questions to you are:

  • What would feel good to you to do right now? What nourishes or sustains you? What reconnects you to yourself and your inherent strength?
  • How can you create enough safety for yourself to feel all the wild and messy emotions that are coming up for you (and all of us) right now?
  • How can you slow things down or be more gentle with yourself so as not to overload your system?
  • What do you tell yourself you should be doing instead?

I’d love to hear your responses in the comments below. I’ll read and respond to any you want to share.

And if I can help you during these challenging times, please reach out by filling out this form.

I love helping people find their path through uncertainty, whether they’re wanting—or needing—to make a career change, struggling to adjust to a new reality, or dealing with larger-than-usual amounts of fear, anxiety, and overwhelm. This is a unique time, and we’re all in the process of learning how best to respond, so if you let me know what you want and need, we can work together to design a coaching engagement just for you.

Most of the people I’ve worked with have been at a crossroads: they can’t or don’t want to do what they did before, but they’re not yet sure where to go next or how to get there.

The world is now at a similar crossroads.

My hope is that we’ll collectively find the courage to use this disruption to choose a better path by listening for what’s calling us, clarifying what matters most, and bringing more of ourselves—our joy, creativity, compassion, and loving kindness—to all that we do.

A muddy baby turtle we rescued from a road. He’s inviting you to go slowly, embrace the messiness, and stubbornly bring more of yourself to the world.

Additional Resources

I know I’m always hungry for help, and I was reminded recently that there are a bunch of resources out there that I’ve made or contributed to that might help people, but they aren’t easy to find.

So here’s a list of guest blog posts I’ve written, articles I’ve contributed to, and resources I’ve created, now all available in one place. I hope you find something that helps you:

Photo by G-R Mottez on Unsplash

Find Your Calling in the Call of the Wild

I was walking through the winter woods in Colorado last year when I realized that every creature in the forest plays an important role.

Plants take up nutrients from sunlight and soil and transform them into flowers, seeds, and leaves that nourish insects and birds. Insects and birds, in turn, feed larger animals who make their own contributions, helping to maintain balance, creating carbon dioxide for the flora, and eventually returning their bodies to the earth so that plants can make the nutrients available once again. Even rocks play a part, providing shelter and eventually wearing down into mineral-rich dirt that gives plants a place to grow.

Each creature fulfills its purpose naturally, without trying, just by being who it is and doing what it’s designed to do. They don’t have to strive, self-improve, or set New Year’s resolutions to play their role.

The squirrel may not be intending to safeguard the future of the forest when he buries an acorn and forgets to dig it up, but he nevertheless does. Similarly, the bee may not know that all life depends on her, but she still ensures the reproduction of plants when she gathers her pollen.      

It occurred to me that humans are designed to do the same thing.

We come into this world with bodies wired to serve a purpose just by being who we are.

But we learn at a young age to analyze and doubt, to ignore and deny, to strive and override. And then we forget.  

Humans, after all, in our ongoing quest for control and predictability, have largely removed ourselves from natural cycles.

We’ve created our own ecosystems that either exclude other species or attempt to bend them to our will. Though we’ve gained a lot from our efforts, we’ve lost far more, including the intrinsic, effortless purpose that comes from playing our native role in the natural world.

As a result, most of us wander through our lives unable to see what function we serve, but like everything else on this planet, we’re wired to serve one.

This missing sense of purpose is like a phantom limb that causes us excruciating, if unacknowledged pain.

After talking with hundreds of diverse people who long to find more meaning in their lives, I’ve come to believe that this collective estrangement and thirst for belonging affect just about everyone, though not everyone has the luxury to feel it, and some are more sensitive to it than others.

I find it reassuring to understand why I’ve always felt a longing, a lack of belonging, and a deep grief at not knowing how to take my place in the family of things (to quote Mary Oliver).

And I’ve found that alongside the ever-present grief, there’s always something else: A knowing. A quickening. A gift.

Because though we can and do lose touch with our wild purpose, it’s always there, under the surface, trying to get our attention.

Sometimes it speaks to us through a vague longing and loneliness. Other times it calls to us with a lack of energy and motivation, a growing dissatisfaction or unease, or an inability to continue pushing on as before. It can even appear as physical ailments, anxiety and depression, or other “disorders.”

We rediscover our wild purpose by learning to inhabit and listen to our bodies once again; by following our instincts; and by reconnecting to ourselves, other people, and the natural world.

There’s a pull in all of us, quiet but persistent, and when we put our fears and egoic concerns aside long enough to follow it, we rediscover our role in the ecosystem of life.

We don’t have to do anything to fulfill our natural purpose; we simply need to relax enough for it to emerge on its own, becoming more of who we already are over time.

The wilds are calling all of us home. The question is: will we listen?

Questions to work with:

  • What’s wild that wants to move in me?
  • What makes me feel more connected to myself, to other people, and to the wider living world? How can I deepen these connections?
  • What am I already contributing to other beings that comes so naturally that it doesn’t even seem like a gift to me?
  • What are my heart, body, and instincts moving me towards or away from?
  • What ideas am I rejecting because they seem scary, uncertain, impractical, or illogical?

Take Your Place in the Family of Things

I love helping other people rediscover and fulfill their wild purpose. If you’d like help, please reach out. I offer an online course about finding your calling that’s currently available on a sliding scale as well as one-on-one and small group coaching.

If you liked this post, please consider sharing it using the social media links at the bottom of the page.

Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash

What Cicadas Can Teach Us About Growth

I’m still not totally sure why, but I’ve been struggling recently.

Not externally, with how things are going for me right now, which is actually amazingly well given what’s going on in the world. 

Rather, I’ve been struggling internally, with strong waves of emotions that at one point got so intense that I wondered if I was getting depressed again. Depression is rare for me these days, but it does happen, and though it isn’t enjoyable, I’ve also learned that it isn’t the end of the world.

As I sat with my emotions, however, it occurred to me that what felt like depression was really just me panicking over feeling such strong sadness and longing and grief without knowing why. And then, like a falling leaf that lands inexplicably in your hand, the thought arrived: I don’t have to.

As in, I don’t have to panic; I can just feel.

So I did, and the wave washed over me, and after some tears I felt calmer and clearer, though no more insightful than before.

Then, a few days later I went on a walk with my aunt.

She reminded me that sometimes we feel emotions most intensely when we’re breaking through to something new.

What she said reminded me of a video I’d seen of a cicada emerging from its shell. It’s something I’d never thought much about: the fact that these large, flying insects in the treetops that seem so confident in their noisy song all begin as mute, wingless nymphs that spend their time hiding underground.

In the video I saw that documents one such transformation, the cicada has an intense look of concentration on its face, as if it’s using all of its focus and effort to bring its body out of the old form and into the new.

The cicada looks bewildered as well, like it’s not quite sure what’s going on, and when it finally emerges completely, it appears to be clutching the shell from which it emerged for dear life.

I’ve seen cicadas in the morning after emerging from their shells at night, and they’re motionless and nearly helpless for a time, perhaps because they’re still working to integrate the incredible transformation they’ve just been through.

I find it all strangely reassuring, with a few important insights to offer:

1. Growth is hard. For everyone.

Transformation is scary, bewildering, and disorienting. It doesn’t help that we don’t often get to choose when it happens.

2. We’re not left alone in our struggle.

We can be sure that in any given moment, there are millions of other beings out there who are also working hard to expand or emerge alongside us.

3. We’re built for it.

We often forget this last one, believing that we’re supposed to be succeeding, achieving, or enjoying instead. But the one thing that every living thing on this planet has in common is growth. We’re designed for it, so we can trust that no matter how awkward, messy, or overwhelming the process is, we can handle it.

I still don’t know where my expansion is headed. But I do know from previous experience that if I can stay with the discomfort long enough, new worlds will open up.

Speaking of change…

If you’d like help on your own journey, I offer individual and small group coaching. Find out more here.

Photo by Benoit Gauzere on Unsplash

12 Clues You Can Use to Find Your Calling

For most of us, the idea that there’s one career out there that we’re meant to do is a shaky proposition at best.

In many ways we’re right to be skeptical. I’ve already addressed some of the biggest myths about finding your calling, but it bears repeating that your calling isn’t necessarily just one thing; it can take many forms and change over time; and it certainly isn’t going to make all your problems go away.

Still, I do believe that, as Rumi eloquently put it, “everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.”

Many of us doubt this seemingly too-good-to-be-true promise because we think that if we’re meant to do some type of work, it should be obvious by now. But that’s not the way the world works, especially these days.

In a culture that encourages us to disconnect from who we are and what we most deeply want, the work that calls us isn’t written across the sky. Instead, it shows itself in scattered bits and pieces that require interpretation and are easy to miss if you aren’t looking for them.

To help you know where to look, here’s a list of twelve forms these clues can take:

1.    You loved to do it as a child.

For many of us, our calling expressed itself much more naturally when we were kids. Still, that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to recognize: I loved to write stories when I was young, but it still took me almost twenty years to realize that writing was a part of my calling (to find out why, see #11 below).

In addition, you might need to interpret your childhood joys. For example, if you liked to explore the woods behind your house, get curious about what exactly it was that you loved: Discovering new paths? Being in nature? Learning about the wider world? Moving your body? Experiencing beauty? Making up stories about what you saw? Sharing your discoveries with others?

What matters isn’t so much what you did, but what about it touched your heart and soul, your sense of possibility, or your experience of who you are.

2.    You feel energized after doing it.

This one is more straightforward: Which activities leave you feeling more energized than when you started? What can you do for a long time without getting tired?

 If you’re not sure, keep an energy journal for a few weeks, pay attention to your body as you do various activities in and outside of work, and note how each impacts your energy—both its quality and its quantity.

3.    It brings you joy.

This is another intuitive one, but a lot of people can’t find their calling because nothing they’re doing makes them feel joyful. If this is your situation, you can try two things: first, engage in some new activities, and secondly, expand your definition of what joy is.

For some people, joy feels like happiness. For others, it’s more like love, fulfillment, excitement, strength, relaxation, ease, energy, or freedom. Similarly, while joy can be intense, it isn’t always, and especially in the beginning stages it more often shows up as a vague and only slightly more positive, promising, or expansive emotion than what you were feeling previously.

Follow your ambiguous feeling of somewhat improved well being doesn’t sound as romantic as follow your bliss, but it’s practically the same thing.

4.    You want to learn about it.

When my husband tries to explain to me how a machine he built works, my eyes glaze over and I have no idea what he’s talking about. But when I’m reading about human growth and development, the words enter my brain quickly and easily make sense.

You aren’t born already skillful at your calling, or being an expert in it, but if it’s not easy to learn, it’s at least enjoyable.

5.    It makes you lose track of time.

This one is pretty self explanatory as well, though it’s important to know the difference between flow and compulsion.

Flow, your true calling clue, is “the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity” (according to Wikipedia). Compulsion is the somewhat addictive territory we all sometimes find ourselves in when seeking endless approval, dopamine hits, or distraction on social media, video games, or television.

The difference isn’t what you’re doing but how engaged you feel while doing it—in other words, whether you’re checked in or checked out when you lose track of time.

6. You’re excited to talk to others about it.

You know how sometimes when you meet someone the conversation is halting and awkward as you try to find common ground or else feign interest in the weather? And other times, when you realize that you share a hobby or interest, time flies by as the conversation seems to propel itself forward of its own accord without any effort from you?

This may be obvious, but in case it’s not: Whatever you find yourself talking about in the second scenario is very likely a key part of your calling.

7.    It’s how you make sense of the world.

My mother always said that as a kid, if I could just name what was going on and find an image to describe it, I could make peace with it. Like the time when I was five and my mother and I kept getting into big fights and power struggles. One day I informed her that the problem was that I felt like I ought to be king, and she ought to be my servant. Apparently I felt much better after that, having put my feelings into words, though I’m not sure that my mother shared my relief.

Words and metaphors are my cup of tea. My husband, however, prefers to see how things work directly in order to figure them out. He observes people’s actions when he wants to understand them, and when he needs to learn how to do something, videos are his go-to form of instruction.

You can learn a lot from how you most easily perceive, process, and make sense of information. For example, which senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, or smell) are you most attuned to? Are you more literal or symbolic? Linear or associative? Do you think in words, sounds, images, feelings, sensations, or something else?

Like the other clues, none of these are likely to point you towards any one job, but taken together, they can help you find a direction.

8.    Others associate it with you.

It took me a long time to realize that nature is a big part of my calling. Interestingly, others seemed to figure this out long before I did. For years people commented on my love of animals or gave me paintings, sculptures, and knick knacks depicting them. What was clearly obvious to them didn’t become apparent to me until some time later, however, when I realized that of the many things I care about, animals and nature are perhaps closest to my heart.

9.         You’re jealous of others who do it.

I was listening recently to the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression and heard several comedians say that before they began doing comedy, they would watch stand-up and either feel jealous of the people on stage or else critique them harshly, thinking, “I can do that.” This often happened years before they began doing stand-up themselves.

Most of us have our own version of this, and we can learn a lot from it. Jealousy isn’t so good at illuminating the truth about others, but it can point us towards our own unacknowledged longings quite effectively.

10.     You talk yourself out of it.

When I was twelve, I wrote a novel out of pure love. Yet for the next twenty years, I somehow convinced myself that I wasn’t really a writer.

Similarly, when I was twenty-five, a mental, emotional, and spiritual breakdown made me pay more attention to my thoughts and feelings, identify my patterns, and—with lots of help—find ways to change them for the better. I realized pretty early on that I enjoyed and had a knack for this type of work, and yet I told myself that I wouldn’t want to earn a living doing it because helping people heal would carry with it too much pressure.

Why would I go to such lengths to avoid doing more of the things that brought me joy? In short, because I was scared; because I wanted it so much, and because it really mattered to me, it felt like there was more to lose. As Stephen Pressfield says, “The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

If you’re like me, you won’t recognize the fear directly, but if you find yourself talking yourself out of something, there’s a good chance it’s because you’re scared, and that means…

You can be sure that you have to do it.

11.     It keeps popping up.

I don’t believe that we only get one chance to do the work that we’re here to do (which is lucky, given that we just saw how tenaciously many of us resist it).

I first found evidence to support this belief when I met a woman who was worried that she’d make the wrong choice and miss her dream job altogether. The idea actually made me laugh, because even if she’d let go of her calling, it had clearly never let go of her.

This woman loved animals and photography and had thought about becoming a pet photographer when she was in her twenties. Deciding that was too impractical, she opted instead to get a graduate degree and landed a job at a local university. Ten years later, however, she was surprised to find that she had very little free time because her friends had seen some photos she took of her dogs and were overwhelming her with requests to take pictures of their own pets. In other words, despite her best efforts, she’d come full circle back to her calling.

Since then, I’ve had many other clients who have had the same idea arise again and again in various forms over the years, but they were never quite sure that it was right for them. So they went through the coaching process, taking the time to identify their power, passion, and purpose, brainstorm possibilities, and explore different options, only to land on the very same idea that kept popping up previously.

If you’re too stubborn to recognize an idea that’s calling you, don’t be surprised if it grabs hold of you and refuses to let go, usually by finding a way to get your attention over and over until you finally see that you need it as much as it needs you.

12.     It feels worthwhile regardless of the outcome.

There are many good reasons to care about outcomes: our need to provide food, shelter, and clothing for ourselves or our families, for example; our legitimate longing to be recognized for our talents; or our desire to have a powerful positive impact on the world.

But there are other, equally compelling reasons to do things simply because we want to, regardless of how they turn out: namely, because we won’t experience joy, freedom, or a sense of belonging if we don’t.

 Here’s what I mean:

  • I choose to have chickens regardless of how many eggs they lay (which is not as many as you might think, by the way) because I love the little brats so much;
  • I help others reconnect to themselves and hear their wisest inner guidance regardless of how much money I make doing it because it feels natural; and
  • I commit to writing stories regardless of whether or not lots of people like hem, or even read them, because it brings me so much joy.

Do I hope that someday I write a bestseller, make tons of money coaching, or have chickens who don’t stop laying eggs every time the temperature, their mood, and the planets and stars aren’t perfectly aligned? Of course I do.

Will the form these activities take shift based on the practical realities of my life? You bet.

But will I stop doing these things just because the outcomes aren’t guaranteed? Not a chance.

I hope that you too can find something that’s worth doing no matter how it turns out. Even better, I hope that you give yourself permission to actually do it.

Find Help to Find Your Calling

If you’d like help reading the clues and following them to work you love, I offer individual and group coaching programs at various levels of investment that can help you identify what you’re meant to do in the world and start actually doing it. Click here to request a free Clarity Call to talk about your needs, learn more about these programs, and find out if we’re a fit.





Today you get to choose your own adventure.

Here’s how:




Adventure #1









How Adventure #1 Turns Out:



Adventure #2

There’s a joke that goes:

Question: What do all your problems have in common?
Answer: You.

There’s another joke that goes:

Wherever you go, there you are.






What’s the next baby step that I’m being called to take?


How Adventure #2 Turns Out:



Adventure #3





What growth or expansion am I being invited into right now?




Internal changes are what make the external ones possible.



How Adventure #3 Turns Out:




Want help finding answers to your questions?


You can also read the first chapter here for free.

Photo by Dardan on Unsplash

The Only Question You Need to Ask to Find Your Calling (and How to Discover Its Answer)

dog raising paw only question you need to ask to find your calling

In my last blog post, I wrote about the essential first step of any heroic journey: admitting that you have no idea where to go next.

Simply accepting this reality can open up a lot of new possibilities, and a way forward often emerges naturally if you accept it for long enough.

But what if it doesn’t? What if you’ve let yourself off the hook for knowing what to do and waited patiently but your path still isn’t getting any clearer? How can you find a way to bridge the seemingly unbridgeable chasm of the unknown?

In the case of career change, the long answer is that you can work your way through a 5-step process I developed that gives you pragmatic ways to identify your superpowers, passion, and purpose; discover diverse possibilities; and explore so you know which one to choose.  It’s a powerful process, but I have to be honest: there is a shortcut.

I don’t tell many people about this shortcut because most wouldn’t want to take it even if they could.

It requires giving up control (or the illusion of control, as my 12-step friends would correct me, and they’d be right). It also requires a somewhat advanced familiarity with your Inner Wisdom and a trust in the world that I know from personal experience is hard to come by.

But you can only get familiarity and trust with practice, and the only way to practice is to make many messy attempts, so here it is, the only question you need to ask to find your calling:

What wants to happen?

The beauty of this question is that it addresses not only what you want, which is incredibly powerful in and of itself, but also what the world needs, and therefore what’s possible and practical. (There’s another benefit as well, which I’ll get to in a minute.)

Here’s how to do it:

1.    Listen In

Ask the question, get really quiet, and see what words, images, or ideas arise, paying close attention to how your head, heart, and body respond to each. You might also consider different possibilities and see which feel most aligned with your Inner Wisdom.

2.    Act

Follow through on the ideas that bring up the most positive head, heart, and body responses or to which your Inner Wisdom says yes. Know that these actions are valuable experiments and will help you find your way regardless of what results.

3.    Listen Out

Observe the results of your actions and then reflect: How did that go? Which actions created energy in you and in others? Which gave you satisfying outcomes? Which took on a momentum or life of their own?

The answers to these questions can help you identify what wants to happen in the world—in other words where there’s a need your gifts can meet, a problem your creativity can solve, or a way to work with reality rather than fight against it.

4.    Listen In Again

Ask what wants to happen again, but this time in light of what you found in step #3. If you’re not sure, try making a list of all possible options, then feeling into which bring up a sense of energy, ease, or excitement.

Act on those and then repeat the process.

I first tried using this question two years ago, with surprising results.

At the time, I had lots of goals and ideas about growing my coaching business. The problem was, no matter how hard I worked or what I tried, my business seemed to stay about the same size. In the meantime, the stress from striving so hard and failing to meet my objectives was weighing on me and beginning to trigger my anxiety and depression.

At some point it occurred to me that I might enjoy my life a lot more if I got curious about how big my business wanted to be instead of fighting an uphill battle to try to make it the size that I wanted. So I asked the question: what wants to happen with my business? And then I listened for the actions that felt energizing and satisfying and didn’t force myself to do the ones that weren’t.

It was scary, I’ll admit. I worried that my business would want to be so small that it wouldn’t generate enough income. But I’d developed enough trust in myself and the world by that point to know that if that were the case, I could find other ways to make money.

As it turned out, I didn’t need to, as that ended up being my best year to date, both in terms of how I felt and the money that I made.

But there’s one more reason this question is a useful one:

By its nature, it’s an antidote to anxiety.

When we’re anxious, it’s usually because there’s an outcome we want (to run a successful project, for example, or to land a particular job). At the same time, we sense on some level that we don’t have enough control to guarantee that this outcome occurs.

This gap between what we want and what we have power over is what generates anxiety.

Asking what wants to happen is a way of letting go of our death grip on the particular outcomes we desire, or more accurately, the specific ways we think that our happiness is going to be achieved. We get to see that a successful project, a particular job, or even a bigger business are not the only things that can support our well-being.

In fact, with enough practice, we come to understand that there are many ways to take care of ourselves and find what we’re looking for in any situation, so we don’t have to hold too tightly to any one of them.

As the list of desirable possibilities expands, the anxiety gap shrinks.

And as I said in my previous post, we don’t even have to know what all those possibilities are, because when we ask what wants to happen, we invite the world to reveal to us the best one for our current situation, and it’s often even better than what we had in mind.

Want help finding your own answers?

Pathfinders Group Coaching, one of my most powerful and cost-effective programs, is still open for enrollment.

Designed for people who want to identify the work they’re meant to do in the world and start actually doing it, Pathfinders guides you through a 5-step process for finding your calling and helps you build the skills you need clarify what wants to happen, all alongside a group of supportive, insightful peers who are going through the same thing you are.

If that sounds good, then click here to schedule a brief, no-obligation call to learn how the program works and find out if it’s for you.

You can also read the first chapter here for free.

The Magic Words for Unlocking Happiness (at Work or Anywhere Else)

Quick announcement: Pathfinders Group Coaching is now open for enrollment. Designed for people who want to identify the type of work they’re meant to do in the world and start actually doing it, Pathfinders of one of my most cost effective programs. Find out more and get the details here.

First of all, happy new year! I hope your transition to 2019 was a good one.

Mine, to be honest, was a little rough.

Between holiday preparations, surprises at work, the inevitable glitches of a house renovation, dentists, car maintenance, back pain, and an increasingly intense campaign I’m involved in to protect my city’s trees, I was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

Lying awake in bed one night, I was so wound up thinking about all the things I had to do that I couldn’t sleep. I know by now that such worrying isn’t helpful, so I naturally responded by obsessively creating a list of things I ought to do to calm down, forcing myself to do them, then criticizing myself when I realized that my compulsive problem-solving was making me more uptight and miserable, not less.

Only when the tension got so intense that I could barely stand to be in my own skin did I get desperate enough to admit that I had a problem and no idea how to solve it.

And then, of course, as soon as I did, my misery immediately disappeared.

There’s something magical that happens when we release ourselves from the expectation that we ought to know how to solve all our problems.

It opens us up to find freedom, acceptance, and—paradoxically—the answers to our dilemmas.

When we think that we should know something, our minds are so filled with thoughts, worries, and doubts that there’s no space to notice the solutions that are right in front of us. Only when we give up on knowing are we free to see the clues, ideas, and resources of which we previously weren’t aware.

I talk to a lot of people who are disappointed or even depressed about their work.

They can’t manage to stay satisfied with a job that may be well-paying but is ultimately unsatisfying, ill-fitting, or even agonizing. And yet because they have no idea what would be better, they give up and keep going back to a job that they know isn’t right for them day after day, month after month, and year after year.

The thing is, these folks aren’t actually stuck. They just think they are. They haven’t yet found the power of the magic words:

“I don’t know.”

We’re often told that you have to know where you’re going if you’re going to get there. While that’s true at times, it never is in the beginning. In fact, not knowing your way is a critical first step to discovering it.

In the beginning, every hero’s journey is more about asking than answering, listening than knowing, and seeking than finding. Curiosity is far more useful in the first few steps than confidence.

If you’re unsure how to let yourself not know, try repeating the following phrase to yourself and see what happens:

“I have no idea what to do right now, and I don’t need to.”

You might also sit in a quiet place and get curious as to what not knowing feels like. Admit that you’re clueless and then notice what you feel in your belly and chest. If your heart starts racing and your stomach tightens up, that’s not the feeling of not knowing; that’s the feeling of thinking you should know when you don’t. Repeat the phrase above, focusing on the second part, and try again.

You might find that not knowing isn’t as uncomfortable as we tend to think it is. Wobbly, sure, but also exhilarating; far from empty, it’s actually filled with possibility.

In my experience, the answers always come in time. But only to those humble (or desperate) enough to admit that they don’t have them.

In my next post, I’ll share some ideas for how to get answers once you’ve admitted that you don’t know or need them. (Life is full of paradoxes, no?)