I'm struggling with which is the "right" way to be right now. Someone devoted to service or someone who devotes time and effort to self?
As I've alluded to a few times, I recently finished a huge service commitment, serving for 2 years as the President of a local Board of Trustees.
I hope that I accomplished things for the organization. I hope that I'm leaving it better than when I left it.
There's no doubt about it - I'm taking things from that service as well - a better ability to lead, better people skills, a finer sense of issue spotting than I already had.
I'm happy I did it. Both for me and for the organization. A place I feel strongly about.
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A few months ago, I started reading the book, The Artist's Way. It's all about pursuing your passion and finding your creative "way." It has an accompanying journal and exercises that you do with each chapter.
It states, over and over and over, that God actually wants you to devote time to self and pursuing your own passions (or whatever higher power you choose). He doesn't want you to sink into a land of denial where you do everything for others and nothing to further your own dreams and goals.
The author argues that many artists actually do this as a way to avoid finding their true talent, opportunities and potential. Essentially a self-sabotage of personal achievement because of fear and self-doubt.
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Yet I sit in church on Sundays and hear, over and over and over, that service is the path to true happiness. That when you're serving others you are actually creating a better, more meaningful life for yourself.
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I hear both of these messages, but I can't reconcile it.
Do we pursue our dreams or do we serve others?
Do I close myself off to the many service areas I continue to be involved in so that I can further my creative self?
Do we find a balance? And while I know that's the right answer, what's the balance?
Is it a percentage? Is it what feels right? Is it "a little more me" (for the first time in years) and a "little less for them?"
I don't have answers today. And that's frustrating. I like answers.
Service makes me feel good. It's incredibly rewarding.
But service to the point of denying personal growth isn't rewarding. It's limiting. And unfulfilling. And can breed resentment.
So I ask you - do you serve others? Is service an important part of your life? How do you find the balance between service and self?
And note: I'm not talking about family today. I'm talking about the time we reserve for our "selves" that's not already devoted to family time.
Not a lot of hours.
How do you do it?
Linking up with Shell and Pour Your Heart Out.












