Question:
When you are making a career change and you experience challenge after challenge, how do you confidently know whether the difficulty is a ‘test’ or a sign that this direction is not right for you? (one of the questions from our live Facebook chat last week.)
Paul Hamid Werder, faculty of UOS and business consultant: The first question is to ask what is really in your heart? That really does trump all the other questions. The Sufi heart-centered practice of Remembrance will help you know what is in your heart. Once you know what is in your heart, you will know how to look at this career choice that is presenting all these obstacles and challenges.
I do know for a fact from my own personal experience that when we follow our hearts there are numerous difficulties. Sometimes I describe it as if my vision pours me through a sieve time and time again because I need to shed the aspects of myself that are not consistent or conducive to that vision. It could very well be that the heart really wants to go in this direction and the obstacles are the things that need to be shed so that you can fulfill that vision.
It’s also very possible that this is not what your heart wants to do and there’s some other reason that you are pursuing this career choice. It’s not my experience that the divine will make things tough on us when we’re not following our heart in that way. In other words, instead of seeing the difficulty as a sign of not doing something, start with going to your heart and asking the divine again and again what is there until you are certain what your heart is really wanting you to do.
Stay tuned for other great questions and answers on the topic of work and spirituality from our live Facebook chat.
