When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Clara Barton was a copyist at the patent office in Washington D.C., hired back by President Abraham Lincoln after an earlier administration cut women from the workforce. But it was when the night soldiers of the 6th Massachusetts Infantry were attacked by Southern sympathizers in Baltimore, Maryland, that she found her true calling.
After caring for the torn bodies and broken spirits brought to a makeshift hospital in the then-new U.S. Capitol building, the woman who became known as the Angel of the Battlefield made it her mission to hand-deliver thread, needles, thimbles, scissors, and compassion to the Union forces’ battlefront hospitals.
From that thread grew the fabric of a nation. Twenty years later, she founded the American Red Cross, known to this day for being there around the world when disaster strikes.
While we’re not pushing you to grab a flight to Afghanistan (though there are ways we can support our troops there), we personally know the importance of living a purpose-filled life. What’s your calling in life? Or maybe more importantly, how do you recognize it when it comes around?
God knows it’s not always easy; just ask the OolaSeeker. It took a fall to rock-bottom to realize he wasn’t on the right path. The OolaGuru shares several times in the Oola books and at conventions that his own journey to an OolaLife is still a work in progress. There, do you feel better now? Then it’s time to find out how to turn your thread of a dream to the rich tapestry of a life in balance.
• Here is where faith – one of the 7 F’s of Oola – comes in. You are destined for greatness. You are here for a reason. And believing in a higher power, you can step out in faith, following your passion despite the protests your mind sends your way. Clara Barton probably didn’t leave her government job because she thought she could make more money on the battlefield. She followed her heart and used her head to effectively serve her purpose.
• Ironically, as so often happens as you seek an OolaLife, you’ll find your purpose makes a big difference in the remaining key areas of life – fitness, finance, family, field, friends, and fun. With a newfound thirst for life and feeling engaged in all you do, you’ll attack every aspect of your life with renewed energy. You’ll probably discover that it’s not a single “Eureka!” moment but the fusion of many interests and skills. Finding your purpose isn’t about limiting yourself to a single passion; it’s channeling the passion unleashed by finding your purpose into everything you do!
• Still feeling a little unsure? As gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson put it, anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing. Visualize yourself in your new role. Tap into your childhood dreams. Ask yourself what you would do if money was no object. Test the waters in a volunteer setting. Take action, even if it means creating your own opportunity. Set your OolaGoal and each night, write down the baby steps you will take the next day toward making it your reality.
We know all about following your calling, no matter how ambitious it sounds. That’s what has us on the road this summer, traveling cross-country in our OolaBus as we collect a million dreams. Each place we stop, we hear from people just like you who are standing at the cusp of realizing their potential or living the life that comes from a solid sense of purpose. Through it all, remember …
Be grateful, have faith, and go get your OolaLife!