How do you discover the True You? I’ve had several questions about this from last week’s True to You message. Many books have been written on this subject and it would take that to address all the aspects, but let me share a few clues.
First, know that this is a process. It takes time and focused reflection, connecting the dots from life experiences. It also requires that you listen to and trust yourself. Perhaps this story will help.
We grew up in the country with horses, cattle, dogs and cats and plenty of other animal varieties. Since I enjoyed caring for my pets, becoming a veterinarian seemed the perfect career choice. Letting me find my own way, my Mom encouraged me to ask our veterinarian what it took to become one. So I mustered up all my little girl courage and asked the vet just what it would take. 8 years he said! 8 years of college and I still had high school to get through! I was 12 years old at the time so it seemed like another lifetime before I could work in my chosen field.
Another factor weighed in that further dissuaded thoughts of veterinary school…the work environment. Even at that young age I already had a penchant for dressing as well as I could. Nice clothes are not what you wear when you are pulling an unborn calf in late winter in the muck and cold.
Had I not listened to these instincts, I would have struggled to complete the study required to obtain my veterinarian’s license. I have no doubt I would have been successful, but at what cost? I would have then found myself in a work environment where I longed to put on a nice suit of clothes and heels, resenting my clients, the animals that I love, for surgical splatters or a difficult birth on a cold night.
Unless you have done this type of exploratory work yourself, you may think that the daunting length of education and the penchant for wearing nice clothes are superficial reasons to choose against a career. These are precisely the cues to pay attention to when you are discovering the true you. These are also the cues that others (family, friends, etc.) will be dismissive about when you express your concerns. Hold firm, be true to you and know that you are the absolute best input you can get!