Audrey, I can recommend a couple of books that can help.. (1) Zen and the Art of Making a Living-- Laurence Boldt It offers many tools to help clarify your purpose, talents and skills as you find what is right for you, in the context of your own values. Its a workbook. Probably available in libraries, career placement services, and even in vocational rehab centers, as well as bookstores. (2) Books by Barara Sher-- a career counselor, such as "Refuse to Choose", and "Wishcraft". Solid information, inventories and worksheets. Ask yourself what you love doing, even if you were not paid. That can reveal your heart desires and dormant dreams. If that doesn't come to you, flip it, and ask what hurt, pain or frustration you see in the world that really gets your emotional attention. This is along the lines of "whose pain do you feel". Be the change you want to see in the world kind-of-thing. Meeting with a counselor can help you get clearer about who you are, and how to take your dreams and heart out of the deep freeze. But i would start with going thru some check-lists and inventories you find in the books above. Monster.com has some resources, but given your presence here, I think its nice to use resources that support your values and practice. Good luck. k
--- On Fri, 2/11/11, Bill! <[email protected]> wrote: From: Bill! <[email protected]> Subject: [Zen] Re: Opportunity and Confusion To: [email protected] Date: Friday, February 11, 2011, 12:44 AM Audrey, I don't have any answers for you but do hope you take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity. In the long run it probably isn't as important on just what your specific choice is as you now think. The most important factor is that whatever you do you put your whole being into it. If you do that you can't go wrong. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "audreydc1983" <audreydc1983@...> wrote: > > Unable to find employment, as a last-ditch effort, I decided to take > advantage of the Vocational Rehabilitation program at the VA (Veteran's > Administration). > I qualified for the program, which includes payment of tuition, books, > supplies, and a modest monthly stipend - all to the end of getting me into an > entry-level position in a career field that is fulfilling, challenging, and > appropriate for my disability. (My knees are injured from my short stint in > the Marine Corps). The problem lies in finding out what I want to DO. > So - why am I posting this here? > I've realized that I never knew what I wanted to do. I never knew who I > really was, and what role I desired. I just floated by on the river of life, > and grabbed whatever happened to drift by. Jobs for me were always a means to > an end...money. Now that I have a chance to find a fulfilling job/career, I > find I have no idea what I want. I was lost, and I didn't even know it. > > Does anyone out there have suggestions on how I could reach a modicum of > clarity on this issue? I'm stumped. My natural instinct is to try to force an > answer - and when none comes, I get frustrated. I've tried a couple of tools, > the Myers-Briggs Personality test (INFJ), and the Temperament test (Theorist) > for some answers, but the "answers" were vague and elusive. > > I'm truly stumped. :S > > ~Audrey >
