When I grow up, I want to be....

Yesterday, I read this article which is all about your passions and how you can create a reality made out of your dreams.

'Yes, meaningful work really is within your grasp. It begins with asking what you do best, and then considering how you can engage your talents in daily work.

You can recapture that childlike creativity you may have lost. You can release the dreams and sense of purpose you had as a child. You may find your prayers invigorated, now knowing there is a day-by-day application of God’s design for your life.'

After I read this, I went away and started to think what I wanted to be as a child. I remember growing up, I used to spend a lot of time by myself because I liked the pleasure of my own company and could easily find things to occupy myself. Which hasn't really changed all that much! I used to spend a lot of time at my gran's house  where every single week I would take my beloved Mary Poppins VHS with me and we would always have tea and ginger biscuits for supper. I also thought about games I used to play and I remember telling some friends at Uni about this because I thought everyone would play it...but it seems they didn't. Either before or after watching Mary Poppins again, I would go to my gran's cupboard and get her old telephone out. I would also get a notepad and play Offices. I would pretend I was taking orders, calling important people and sorting things out in the business. Sometimes my gran would give me old things from my grandad's office that I could use because she did all his invoices. That was a real treat! When I did my work experience, for two weeks I went to my mum's office and loved it. I got to do alsorts of inputting and pretending that I knew what all these people were talking about. Later in life I became an administrator for a couple of jobs which I loved. Now, I am applying for alsorts of administration roles as I couldn't quite decide between that and youth work because unusually, I love both (which is quite rare!)

Thinking back to playing offices made me laugh because though it isn't what every 4 year old dreamt of - it's what I've ended up doing and being quite passionate about. Maybe I was born realistic or something because I can't remember ever wanting to be a superhero or a nanny who flies and jumps into chalk paintings. 

The second game I always used to play was teachers. I would get all my books out and make pretend book logs for all my pupils so I could check how well their reading was coming along. I used to mark all their work with a red pen and leave lots of corrections. I gave them merits and detentions. I was quite fair I think. This also made me laugh, because although I've not ended up in a school, (maybe I will!) I am an educator of sorts. My favourite part of youth work is helping the youngsters develop skills, self-esteem, confidence and the ability to question and make sense of the world around them. I have used my admin dreams to create projects and resources for them to use and then sit and go through it with them. I love that. 

Finding this article made me realise that the dreams you have as a child can absolutely become a reality, as mine have. Of course, I have other dreams such as becoming a mother and marrying a (tall) American cowboy. Or one day owning a café so that I can legitimately spend all day in one of those places. Or setting up my own project that works with young mums as that combines two of my passions - youth work and babies. Those are future dreams. Those are ones that I can make happen! That is exciting. I read another good article in this magazine that talked about 'Millennials' which I had never heard of but I guess i'm one of them and how their work ethic is changing. It said that 50% of millennials would rather have no job than a job they hate. It also described how life isn't all about work to this age group - that it's more important that they are making a difference rather than just working to pay bills. Now, this is nice if what you dream of doing pays well. I realise that not everyone will have this freedom to pursue their dream jobs as if in my case you have chosen a career path that doesn't always pay all that well. But is if you can afford to do it and can learn to live on a little then I think it is better to have a job that is rewarding and is not motivated only by money.

Far, far away...

I think sometimes as Christians we become obsessed with having to work somewhere that isn't our home. We look at people who travel off to Africa for a month or to some other country doing some 'crazy' gap year which leaves us, stuck at home in a seemingly boring job feeling inadequate. Like we aren't living the dream because we are here and they are there. But when these people are out in another country - what are they doing there? Teaching? Running summer schools?  Feeding the hungry? Can't we do that here, on our doorstep? The problem is, is that we're afraid of settling somewhere because we think we should be anywhere else, doing anything else and being anyone else. We can't deal with being normal - early nights, early mornings, routine, work, nights in etc. Just can't be our reality. But it is up to us to make the reality of life more exciting:

'We need to live an adventure in the everyday ordinary'

Of course, being 21 and a recent graduate I too am feeling the fear of settling because the world, right now is my oyster. However, in the place I am in - making everyday an adventure is something I am trying to do - to make the most of it and to enjoy this time as much as I can because any day now it could all change. What i'm saying is that we need to stop comparing ourselves and our lives to other people and to focus on what it is we are called to do and live that to the full. We can get involved in projects, groups, communities, volunteering opportunities in our own towns and make a difference there! That is exciting. Being normal is not a bad thing! 

What are your dreams? How can you incorporate them into your every day life? Who wants to watch Mary Poppins with me?

Much Love xxx