#52: Rachel Lee left behind her passions for financial security but surprisingly rediscovered...
Instead of regretting her choices to put her passions aside, Rachel sees those years of working and mothering as providing fertile ground for her creative endeavors to bloom when the time was right. Rachel still works in financial services and has a counseling degree, writing degree, and now a platform based on an irreverent sense of humor about death and dying.
Rachel was brought up to believe the money would come if she pursued her passion, but this wasn't the case for her and may not be the case for you.
Sometimes you'll have to choose financial security over your personal interests and passions. You'll have to leave them behind for a while so you can pay off debt and have a reliable income. Rachel looks at the time she stepped away from her creative ideas as the fertile material that sprouted the seeds of creativity she's experiencing now. Life is what happens to you when you're looking for life.
Even if you have to have a non-passion-inducing job, carve out time for yourself to pursue creative outlets or your passions.
If you're feeling underutilized at work like Rachel was, sign up for a class in something you find interesting or something you used to be into when you were younger. Rachel signed up for writing classes and found she was on fire.
Your loved ones might have a hard time accepting this new version of you, but if it feels in alignment with your true self, you know you're on the right path. Rachel says you also have to relax into your expectations of your partner, they didn't know this version of you, and it takes time for them to adjust to this new you.
Rachel describes when she finally showed her true self to the outside world. She felt like she'd unzipped the suit she'd had on for years. She felt like she was letting her 16-year-old self out, the part of her who was creative and irreverent. Rachel says if you've lost yourself or don't recognize yourself, it's time to let that part of you come out of hiding. Reclaim yourself.
A platform is simply doing what you care about doing. For Rachel, it was giving herself permission to write, speak, and use the subject she knew a lot about from her personal experience. It allows you to write, speak, or doodle when and how you want to.
Know yourself and listen to what feels right and what doesn't. For Rachel, social media isn't her thing. She gives herself permission not to post on social media. She gives herself permission to post a podcast when the urge strikes her.
According to her, let yourself do things you never thought you would like Rachel with cartooning despite having very little drawing talent, according to her.
Take your secret expertise, the thing that people come to you all the time for, and see if you can grow it. Any of us can use our own experience to help others. Rachel had 7 elderly relatives, 5 who died and two alive in their 80's. She had to become an elder care expert.
Outsource the things that don't give you joy. This leaves you with more energy to focus on what you love.
Relax into your confidence of your unique skill set, your unique voice, and your unique experiences.
Rachel was kind to share her handout on how to find your secret superpower, Embrace Your Amateur Expertise
https://this-is-getting-old.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/irreverent-eldercare-insights/id1554765102
