After church this morning, I had an "ah ha!"/ lightbulb moment. You know when all of a sudden it's like a lightbulb goes on above your head like in cartoons and you have such clarity about something. I realized that what I was doing for a living right now (teaching communication & public speaking as an adjunct at various area community colleges) was not something that I was just doing to pay the bills and was getting in the way of what I really wanted - it is exactly what the universe has given me in order to help me on my desired path. I didn't realize this before now because it seemed like a strange, crazy way to get what I want. No one that I know of or could imagine would ever get to where I want by route of the path that I seem to be taking.
I love when the universe shows me that it's got my back and it's working for me. I need that confidence once in a while to keep my analytical mind with remnants from the society in which I grew up that was overly practical and didn't encourage imagination and taught you need to choose a path that is logical and has stable income, etc... I've realized long ago that this kind of thinking limits people from actually getting what they want. They worry so much about the logistics of how something can be done and needing to know everything there is to know about it instead of just taking steps to start inquiring about how to get started and then actually DOING it and trusting that you'll get the guidance you need for next steps along the way. (this is a whole other topic worthy of a book-length blog for another day)
What IS it already?
So, you're probably wondering what is this crazy, unique route the universe has led me on. My desire is to travel around teaching, motivating and inspiring others to follow the law of attraction to get what they want and to achieve ultimate happiness/satisfaction in life and also incorporating my love for singing. I always knew I liked teaching and discovered almost 10 years ago that it was teaching at the college level that I really liked. This is why I went to grad school because it's required to teach at the college level. I didn't realize then that mostly the only teaching jobs that are open for someone with a masters degree in communication are teaching public speaking. This class is a common core requirement of most associates and bachelors degrees. So, when I first started teaching college for a living this past spring, I was happy to take whatever I could get. I kept thinking though that teaching public speaking was not related to what I really wanted to do and that maybe this was just giving me teaching experience. I really know nothing about public speaking. Don't tell my boss or my students! ;) (Actually most communication grads don't study public speaking in grad school but have to teach it). I took one class in it 15 years ago while in undergrad. I had to learn what to teach from reading the textbook that was given to me and the handy teachers guide.
An aside: Talk about taking a leap - agreeing to teach a class you know nothing about. I knew that this was part of my path and had faith that I would learn what I needed to learn to teach it. Just like anything in life, there were tools given to me to help me along the way. Thank God for the teachers instructional guide! ha ;)
Herein lies the irony. In order for me to be a successful public speaker, I need to learn how to be one. They always say you learn more by teaching someone else about it. Who would have thought I would learn how to be a good public speaker by teaching others how to be one! The universe is much more savvy and mysterious than I give it credit for. I may be the only public speaker to have learned my skill this way.
It is true. I am learning more and more about public speaking the more I teach it. The more I see public speakers, the more I connect the concepts, theories and applications that are in the textbook to real life. This is an important step in progressing on my path: watching people doing what I want to do. Lucky for me, I found a place where I can witness a good public speaker in action every week. Every Sunday in fact. I refuse to go to a church where the speaker - or pastor/minister/priest, whatever you call yours - does not actually inspire, touch and motivate me to better my life. However, it's also a great learning tool to watch someone doing something poorly so you can pick out what it is that's not effective about what they're doing and learn not to do that.
Interestingly, going through this learning process myself, has also taught me HOW I learn which in turn makes me a better teacher! I will apply these learning concepts in my classroom and when I'm touring around as a public speaker teaching others.
You see how the universe will give you what you desire in ways you may never imagine? Don't doubt its mysteriousness. Know that everyone's path is unique and therefore you can't compare yourself to others. Even if someone is working towards something similar to you, their path and progress will probably be completely different than yours. The way others have been successful at something doesn't mean that has to be the way you will achieve success at it. Think outside the box.
Trust the universe and the strange, unique path it sends you on as long as you keep using the law of attraction.
