Follow your Jealousy

I’m currently trying a new thing where I read a non-business book every single week. Honestly, it’s taking me about 2 weeks to get through one but I admire my optimism in telling you it’s one every week.

I recently repicked up Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert which has always been a favourite.

Creativity has always been important to me and I remembered finding absolute joy when I first read this book.  If you follow me on social media, you know I’ve taken up painting and trying to be more creative in my day to day.  

Reading through I found a section that may people relate to. How do you know what you should do with your life? The advice, much like all the other advice I’ve ever seen about this is about you should be doing the things that bring us joy.  

For the first time ever though, this made me laugh a little… because now time has gone on and I’m further in my career, this doesn’t land as well with me.

The things that have bought me joy have often been things that making a career or a regular hobby out of would be extremely challenging.

A better barometer for me has always been following what I am JEALOUS of.

I’m not talking about the kind of detrimental jealousy where you want to take things from people, but more that little piece of you that wants that that thing as well.

Maybe it’s the holiday to Italy.
Maybe it’s the boxing class they just started.
Maybe it’s the cooking class or that they sold everything and are living out of a van for a year.

Those things where you hear yourself wish it was you – that is the magic you should be following.  

And let me clear, you shouldn’t know how or where it is going to work for you. You don’t need to know exactly what it will look like – but I would wholeheartedly argue you owe it to yourself to find out.

When I was 11, my Aunt published one of her first books and I remember thinking ‘I want to write a book!’ It seems like an impossible goal at the time. I had no idea what that meant or what it was about at 11 years of age, but I always remembered it was something I wanted. It would take 20 years but I got there.

In the wake of CV19 and the Great Resignation coming, a lot of us are asking ourselves the simple question – “What do I want?’

If this is sounding similar, I urge you to step back and think about your jealousy. Those little voices that have been screaming quietly in the background that you should be thinking about.

What is that thing? Follow the jealousy. You’ll feel better for it.