"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." - Maya Angelou
Life gives us strengths, weaknesses, and an abundance of surprises. Have you ever found that life has handed you a strength that you do not like? Have you ever been so naturally good at something that you absolutely cannot stand doing? You probably hear on a regular basis how good you are at this task or role, but you instantly start to cringe at the idea of even performing it.
This talent can be academic, athletic, or any other area that you seem to naturally excel in, but just because you excel in something doesn't mean that you have to pursue it. If I have learned anything throughout my 20 years of life, I have learned that I definitely do not enjoy doing everything I'm good at because some of it just doesn't bring me joy. For example, I'm really great at math but I hate doing math. Some people love math and that is totally cool because it is one of their passions. The key word in that is passion; you can be the greatest at something but if you don't enjoy doing it, then what's the point?
That may sound a little crazy. Why wouldn't you take advantage of a God-given talent? It may be a talent, but if it doesn't make you happy, then why spend so much time and energy in to it? As I previously said, I am a math whiz but if I spent my whole life giving time and energy to math, I would be unhappy because it does not spark an interest in me. I do not yearn to do math or to learn it, so I know that it is not for me. The easiness is just a perk that has helped me throughout my life which is completely okay!
The moral of all of this is that you do not have to do something just because you are good at it. You do not have to jump at changing your major because a professor told you how great you are at their course and tried to convince you that you should be in their department (which happens all too often). If you are in a major that doesn't excite you, going to classes that bore you to sleep, and you skip class more than attend, you should probably sit down and evaluate if it is the right major for you.
Nobody can determine your happiness in life but you. When someone tells you that your dreams, aspirations, and all of your hopes are no good because you may not be "excellent" at something, you begin to lose who you are and begin searching through the millions of wants and desires in an attempt to rebuild or find the person you were "supposed" to be. Rejection leads to an almost constant yearning to fill the void that someone ripped open for you. Life isn't about appeasing those around you; it's about pleasing the inner mind and soul that encapsulates the person you were always supposed to be according to God's greater plan.
