Let your fulfillment be your compass
Guiding myself through what makes me happy.
It occurred to me today that I like to do what I like to do. Don’t we all? I’m not a selfish person in that respect, though you might be thinking that. There’s many avenues to this and in how I get fulfillment in life and work, I use this as a compass with how I set forth in my day. Admittedly, there is some cross over between life and so called work. I would say at times there’s only life and my creative pursuits are very much ingrained and innate. For the purpose of this blog, however, I have broken the following down into two parts.
Part One: Fulfillment in Work
What makes me happy at work, is simply being creative. Whether that’s through clever thinking or creative mark making, my vocation as a creative profession brings me so much joy that it’s seldom squashed. I have been drawing since I was a boy and the fact I get to this for a living as an adult, is an absolute blessing. I don’t take the chances I’ve had and the luck I have created for granted. The fulfillment of a creative life I get to do, always leaves me wanting more. It’s a drive and a compass navigating me to god only knows where and boy I am 100% along for the ride. It’s been super fun for the last 20 years so more of the same please.
By day I am a graphic designer for Plymouth Citybus. Beyond the great work I get to do are the people I work with. I was explaining to my 11-year-old daughter the other day, that the sweet spot for a good job is not only fun work, but also, getting to do said work with lovely people. I’m very lucky to have found that. I have had it at pretty much every job and studio I have worked in. There have been one or two occasions where a job didn’t have that sweet balance, so I quit and moved on. My inner compass was pointing somewhere else and you always have to listen to your inner compass. No fulfillment, no stay.
Part Two: Fulfillment in Life
What makes me happy in life is people. Other people do matter a lot of the time. Yes, people do come and go and do change. Friends can become strangers and strangers can become friends. Some are here for a lifetime and some for only a chapter or two in your life. For the select few we get to share our experiences with though, there’s a fulfillment there that you can’t always get on your own. It is not about using people for your own gain, to make you happy and then discard when you’re done. It’s more of a case that your inner compass can draw you to certain people along the way and it’s always worth embracing those who come at whatever time of your life. Sometimes you just fit with an individual and that’s worth holding on to I say. Sometimes, however, these connections break down and your compass starts pointing elsewhere. That’s ok too. It’s life and I’m all for whatever changes life has installed.
Whether it’s short lived or long, I get a kick out of being around people when there’s a good connection. I enjoy helping people also and trying to make people happy. I’m not necessarily a devout people pleaser, but I think helping others in terms of talking and understanding and being empathetic, is a real pull for me. I think in all honesty, I’m looking for the same things in return there.
On reflection, the crossover between life and work is where I like to live and travel through my days. My ingrained creativity of life (that I'm fortunate enough to earn money from) and my want to understand people and be understood in return, is where my compass points. In any case wherever your own compass points, look perhaps where the journey will bring you the most fulfillment and joy. That’s what it’s all about. Plus also be kind and don’t be a dick!
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Thanks for reading.
Pete :)
