February 10, 2009
- “Follow Your Bliss… -
and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.” - Joseph Campbell
I ran head long into some trouble with this today. What happens when you’re wrong? Not wrong about your bliss, but when, while following your bliss, you make a mistake?
The lure of “follow your bliss” is that “doors will open” part. You build enough momentum, enough belief in your own ability to create open doors of opportunity, and then you hurt yourself when one doesn’t open when you thought it would.
Following your bliss is not a substitute for paying attention, nor for hard work. It’s just a sign pointing towards those things from which you could benefit, if you were to pay attention to them, and work hard on realizing them.
Thinking that you are “following your bliss” can sometimes make you a little full of yourself, cause you don’t need other people’s opinions if your bliss is telling you everything you need to know.
Joseph Campbell goes on to explain: “that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living.”
The problem with thinking that you’re on a pre-destined track, if that you might confuse your idea of what that track is with the actual track. Then, were the track to turn unexpectedly, you get derailed.
(disclaimer: This is NOT in regards to any conversations held on or about other people’s sites. This is entirely something I noticed in myself while on the job at the office today.)
(other disclaimer: I understand that the situation I am describing is NOT what Joseph Campbell meant when he told people to follow their bliss. I am a huge fan of Campbell’s work, and hold him in high regard. I am just talking about a potential pitfall of using that kind of work ethic. It’s something I very much need to keep in mind, myself, and so I think it’s worth sharing here as well.)
Well, I’m following my bliss and its opening doors. I know every blogger has to reach a balance of what from their personal life they want to share and what they don’t. So I don’t want to pry, but without knowing your situation I can’t really comment.
To me its kind of like, being a fish out of water and then following your bliss back to the water and being amazed how naturally it all comes to you. You find you are a great swimmer and feel really at home.
Or maybe its like being a specific breed of dog, bred to do a job, but you are raised just to be a pet. So you have all these drives and you don’t know what they are for. So it frustrates you until, you are introduced to some sheep and then you find out you are a border collie!
That’s what its like to me. As far as what forces keep us from following our bliss, there obviously are some, lots actually-I haven’t figured that out totally.
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 10:14 am
This is something I have been struggling with my whole life. In the end I (which is not really the end but I seem to have had a breakthrough) I got it down to a type of kinesiological testing. “Following your bliss” to me is when I feel most alive.
Literally having a spring in my step. Being more alert, being “bright eyed and bushy tailed”
And wanting to do it until you get tired. Then feeling happy when you are tired.
I think the main things have gotten in the way for me (things that I mistake for following bliss) are:
1.Trying to please people or fulfill obligations you think you have but really don’t. I mean some obligations are real, like if you are a parent, but other ones aren’t, like the obligation to be rich because your Dad is. Or have a fancy degree because all your siblings do.
2. Things that feel good because they provide temporary relief from phobias and stuff. This ties into various types of addictions too.
3. Things that feel normal because you are used to it. Even though, you might be used to being miserable.
So anyway, that’s what I have nailed down on this. To me bliss involves three things ART, Nature and Spirituality. I get too far away from that and I am not happy.
As you know I tend to ramble. Let me know if it bugs you.
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 10:33 am
Yeah, you’re a rambler alright, but there’s usually a point to your rambling, so don’t worry about it! Basically, if you feel you might be rambling a bit, then tone it down. I welcome your comments whatever they are, so long as you don’t think they’re rambling.
And here, you make an excellent point. Some “bliss” is not actually bliss. Something else I need to keep in mind!
I guess the point I was trying to make here is to remind myself that following your bliss does not mean you won’t be challenged. It’s not easy, wouldn’t be worth it if it was!
Comment by Ian — February 12, 2009 @ 10:53 am
I think I remember something about Yoga positions…its supposed to feel good AND difficult. If you are doing it right you know?
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 11:08 am
I guess I don’t so much ramble as I am long winded. But hey, so is Barack Obama!
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 11:09 am
Yeah, exactly. And what I need to watch out for is that I don’t end up following just the feel-good part, and trying to avoid the difficult part…
Comment by Ian — February 12, 2009 @ 11:17 am
I just took a quiz to see what my philosophy is and it came up 100 percent hedonist, 95 percent strong egoism, something else was high too, I forget…but anyway…
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
Wait, no, Hedonism, then existentialism, then strong egoism.
So, my philosophy, is not that its supposed to hurt, but that sometimes there are obstacles to overcome in following your bliss. Cost benefit analysis, how much pain is worth the pay off at the end.
But if it comes right down to it, if it stops being fun, move on. I this existentialism comes in, in not worrying too much about “shoulds” and oughts and because sometimes life doesn’t make sense, so why not try to have fun?
Comment by Ted — February 12, 2009 @ 9:40 pm