Who Do I Talk to About My Vocation?

In my final piece on discernment and vocation, I want to address the “who” in the process. When discerning our calling in life, it is important to remember we don’t have to go through the process alone. There are so many people ready and willing to assist in exploring where our greatest gifts meet the world’s greatest needs. 

In my opinion, Spiritual Direction is the best option when it comes to discussing what our futures may hold. A spiritual director is a person who acts as a guide and advisor for all matters related to spirituality and personal development. The relationship between director and directee opens the directee to hearing, seeing, sensing God in all aspects of life. Adopting the Ignatian principle of “seeing God in all things,” spiritual directions allows us to more clearly decipher where God is present in our everyday lives. The more aware we are of God’s presence, the more likely we are to feel God’s guidance, granting a deeper understanding of where God may be calling us. Spiritual directors are meant to walk with us as we make big decisions, search for meaning, and journey on in our lives. Welcoming a spiritual director into our discernment provides us with another person to bounce ideas off of and seek advice from; by posing questions we may have for God to a spiritual director, we may get a small glimpse into God’s response to our path. 

Other professionals can be helpful in exploring our vocation. Therapists and counselors are professionally trained to aid in transitions and struggle. Seeing a therapist can be an excellent tool for evaluating what makes sense in our lives regarding life state, relationships, careers, and moves from one place to another. I find that discussing important decisions with my therapist puts my mind at ease; she often points out things to me that seem as if they should be obvious, but because of my own perspective on the issue, I overlook them. Her expertise and observations help me to become so much more aware of how different areas of my life fit together. Awareness is critical when discerning our vocations, as it allows us a wider point of view. Therapy as a tool permits us to have compassion for ourselves along the journey.  

The people who know and love us best are great resources when we are in need of a safe place to examine where we might be called. Our friends and family often recognize our gifts and talents in a different way than we do. For example, I see myself as a fairly “intense” person. I am loud, at times brash, rarely willing to lower my voice, and constantly pushing people to think in different ways or try new things. I once asked my two best friends how they would describe me and both said “passionate.” The quality I have traditionally seen in a negative light, my intensity, they viewed as a great strength, my passion. This passion extends to the people I love, the causes I care about, my work, my studies, my faith. What I viewed as off-putting, they viewed as uniquely my personality. I am grateful I asked what at the time felt like a silly question; if I hadn’t I would never have learned to view this characteristic as a gift. The people who know us best often have ideas for how we can best serve the world; ask what they see for the future and maybe we can open our eyes to a new possibility. 

Finally, prayer can of course be a useful resource for discernment as well. Talking to God is, surprise, a great way to figure out what God may hope for us. Prayer takes many forms, but I find meditation and contemplation to be the most useful for the purpose of discernment. Clearing one’s mind and spending time in quiet contemplation creates a space for God to enter our reality. Utilizing resources such as Lectio Divina, Ignatian Contemplation, and Taize frees us from distraction and noise that can inhibit our ability to hear God’s voice. Making time to pray with important decisions, especially regarding our vocation, is important to truly uncovering our calling.  

Remember that ultimately, this is your life, your calling, and your gifts and talents. The way in which we live out our vocation is a choice; we must be fully alive wherever we end up. The insight gained through the process of discernment grants us a deeper understanding of ourselves and where our greatest gladness meets the world’s greatest need.