“The List”

As a result of several months of introspection and soul-searching for the authentic me and what I like and want most in my life, I learned a lot of things about myself.

After I made the list, I reread it and I was surprised.

I said to myself, “Wow! That’s me? I can work with that.”

I had undervalued the things I like and do well, for so long,  that it felt good to see them in black and white for the first time in the same place. I pondered why I had undervalued everything for so long. I came up with a plausible answer.

But more importantly, I had recovered some of the things that had been lost along the way. Now I needed to begin redirecting my life. I had a renewed appreciation of who I am.

“The  List”

I like ideas and concepts.

I like to conceive an idea or a thing.

I like the creative process.

I like working with my hands (very tactile nature).

I like organizing, arranging, mixing and matching.

I like beautifully displayed things.

I like using words, playing with words.

I’m athletic. My favorite sport is basketball.

I like being physical (interpret that how you must).

I like seeing multiple applications for one idea.

I like travel and new adventures.

I love music, singing, song writing, making and singing harmonies, playing an instrument, and listening to music.

I like rhythm (compelling rhythms that draw you in) and balance.

I like teamwork, collaboration and cooperation.

I like working alone without distraction.

I’m fascinated by endless combinations and possibilities.

I’m fascinated by the indomitable and triumphant human spirit when it is soaring and determined.

I like baking. I enjoyed making donuts for my Dad’s shop.

I love to eat good food, share good food, and look at good displays of food,

I love presenting my ideas and convincing others of the merits of my ideas.

I like languages, translating, and learning about proverbs, jokes and puns in the foreign language to see how they compare to English.

I like designing and building.

I like making furniture.

I like teaching.

I like hiking.

I like to lift weights as I’m parachuting to the ground from 10,000 feet above!…….(Just checking to see if you were paying attention)

I like swinging out on a rope and dropping into a pool of water.

I like human interest stories.

I am sensitive, compassionate, and empathetic.

I tear up for someone who triumphs over some obstacle.

I have a good body that has the potential to be a great body.

I like to fill my life with simple, joyous living full of good food, friendships, music, sunshine, rain, wine, sex, exercise and travel.

I like driving along all the back roads and byways.

I love the beauty in nature.

I like driving my purrrrty cat:

I like the joyous adventure of new and interesting ideas floating around in my head………………………(On page 109, in her book about scanners, called “Refuse To Choose”, Barbara Sher refers to this as a “great opportunity for a scanner’s brain to boogie!”)

But…..even after making the list, I still wondered, “What is my direction? What is the one thing I should be doing in life?  I like all these things. The answer should be obvious but it wasn’t.