Find Your Purpose By Following Your Heart
The animal loving, totally bohemian, so very emotional Cancer in me somehow managed to ignore my inner purring instincts and chose a fast-paced career that was completely ill suited for me. I went straight from college, to law school, to a big New York corporate law firm. I could only describe my career at a law firm as feeling like I was walking in someone else’s shoes, stiff plastic shoes that didn’t fit me at all.
Every morning I’d wake up and feel a pit in my stomach because I knew I’d have to put those blasted shoes back on. They weren’t my size or my style. And then I’d kick myself because my shiny plastic shoes were fancy, and those suckers were expensive! It was a constant battle: me versus the shoes, day in and day out for six years. I was proud of my law degree, but damn those shoes hurt.
Looking back now, I realize where I went wrong. I had never really taken the time to get to know a very important person in my life: Me. I was doing what I thought would make people proud of me. I was aiming for a status symbol instead of a soul fulfilling, identity-fitting, rock-my-inner-girl, running-through-the-woods-barefoot kinda purpose. I was not being true to myself.
About four years into my law firm life, I decided I’d start dating myself. Me and myself started off slowly: a day volunteering at an animal shelter here, a photography class there, a horseback ride here, a Spanish class there, a dog adoption. It was sweet. I courted my passionate side; I seduced my creative side. Soon I was discovering I might even have an activist side. Before I knew it, I was falling in love. The emptiness in my plastic shoe wearing soul started to feel some sparks.
As me and myself started to become one, clarity came with the speed of a sucker punch. I wanted to devote my life to animals. I wanted to make a difference. I didn’t want to negotiate commercial bank leases any more. But I had a whole lotta loans to pay and no clue how to jump my life train onto a different track.
Not too long later, I began planning my wedding and honeymoon. It was the first time we were taking two whole weeks off, and I didn’t want any ordinary vacation. I convinced my husband that we needed to volunteer with rescued elephants in Thailand. And so we did, for half of our trip anyway.
The week we spent at the elephant sanctuary was quite possibly the best week of our lives. I felt more alive and inspired in that one week than I had in the previous six years at my firm. My spark was “en fuego!” But I also learned the horrifying realities elephants face in the name of tourism. An unimaginable degree of abuse is behind the elephant rides, performances and paintings, which tourists find so entertaining but often know nothing about.
From that trip my dream was formed. I wanted to create a travel company that helped people go abroad to help animals and educated people on both the tourist activities they should avoid and the responsible ones they should engage in. A few months later – after the bubble burst and the economy crashed – getting laid off allowed me to work on just that. I handed in my overpriced plastic shoes and said goodbye to my blisters. From now on, I was gonna do me, and “me” was all about the animals.
It can be so painful to learn about the endless things we inflict on animals for our own, often superficial, pleasures. I wanted to challenge people to put animals above those superficial interests, because they deserve at least that much. There are so many ways to help animals and doing so during your travels can transform an ordinary vacation into the experience of a lifetime.
Instead of learning about animals through zoos, theme parks or circuses, learn about them through volunteer work. Instead of seeing them in unnatural environments like cages or tanks, see them on safari in the wild. While you’re at it, help your health, the environment and the animals by indulging in some yummy vegan dining. More and more vegan restaurants are popping up all over the world! We as tourists, as consumers, as humane people, hold an enormous amount of power, and that power can be exercised in every choice we make.
I don’t know why it took me so long to give this passion of mine the acknowledgment and respect it deserves. All I know is that I’m grateful I had a job that forced me to really figure me out. Now it all seems so painfully obvious. I’ve always felt a special connection to animals. As a child, I was extremely shy, but when I looked into the eyes of an animal I felt a sense of peace, acceptance and understanding that I didn’t always feel as easily with people. Animals were always in my life, so perhaps I took that connection for granted not realizing how truly valuable that part of my identity was.
One thing I’ve learned from my journey is that we all have a unique set of gifts and passions that give us our purpose in life. When you’re not being true to yourself, you’ll never have inner peace – your feet will always hurt when you’re trying to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Once you start living in accordance with your true self, the pieces of your life will fall together. Even things that appear to have nothing to do with each other will suddenly fit together like a puzzle. The Spanish and photography classes I took before even coming up with the idea for my company were the two things that helped me the most when I traveled to South America to scout out volunteer organizations. I’ve always loved travel, but ironically it’s the transactional skills I acquired as an attorney that are perfect for arranging itineraries abroad. When you’re true to yourself, suddenly all of your skills and interests work together as one big happy whole.
Once I started following my heart, I found my purpose, and now my faux leather vegan boots fit me perfectly. How do your shoes fit?
Liz Longacre is the founder of Your Time Travels, a travel company for animal lovers. Whether you want to volunteer abroad, go on safari, enjoy amazing vegetarian/vegan resorts, or travel with your own adorable pets, her company can get you there! Visit her blog here.
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60 Comments
Thanks for sharing your story, Liz! By letting your light shine, you’ve inspired me to do the same!
Just fabulous, I have been eyeing some of your amazing looking trips.
What a wonderful post! Very inspiring.
Wow, what an inspiring story, beautiful writing – I really needed this today! Thanks for sharing with us!
Susan, Tina, Sharyn, Juli & Cristy, thank you all so much!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found some inspiration in it!
Liz, LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE your post (and your story)! Filled with inspiration! Many words of wisdom. Thank you for sharing…xx
Meredith, thank you, thank you!!! I had SO MUCH FUN writing it!!!
Liz:
Such an inspiring post! So many of us follow the traditional road to success failing to ask, “is this road for me?” You asked the question and now you are on another road, to a fuller more meaningful life.
Beautiful post. I especially love your take on fancy shoes.
xoxo Alison
Hey Liz – I loved discovering your history. It’s funny because when I met you I never really imagined you as a lawyer, so this makes total sense to me. I’m so happy you’re finding your purpose and following your heart. :)
Liz – Fab post darlin, spoken form the heart and truly inspirational.
Today my heart aches & I’m furious at the news of the millions of pigs being buried ALIVE in South Korea because of a ‘swine flu’ epidemic and so I needed this post to remind me that there are still some compassionate, animal loving people in the world, doing their bit to treat animals humanely and with respect. Thank you so much xxx
What an amazing and inspiring post! I know what you mean about things coming together when you begin to live authentically and follow your true self!
What a wonderful thing you are doing.
Yvonne, yes! It helps when you’re forced to ask yourself that question. Sometimes being unhappy at something is WAY better than being indifferent.
Alison, thanks lady!!
Nathalie! Yes, I’ve heard that before, it was SO not me. 6 years of not being me!
Genna, my heart is breaking with you. It never ceases to amaze me that we are capable of things like this… all we can do is continue to spread messages of compassion and hope people listen.
Melomeals, thank you!! It is amazing how things come together. Authenticity is freaking awesome!!
Thank you for the beautiful work you have created Liz. I too absolutely love and cherish all life–especially animals and have been thinking of volunteering with a horse rescue in my city. This is exactly the extra courage I needed to pick up the phone and give them a call. Thank you. You just helped more lives. BIG Hugs and all the best!
beautiful words, inspiring story, and a welcome prompt towards a soul searching exploration – much like ALL of your wonderful writing and posts. thank you again for sharing and representing a beacon towards the lives we can all live. i hope to live up to your example and to find the time and humanity to help animals around the world with more of your help.
keep on truckin’
Such an inspirational post! Liz I admire your courage for taking your dream and making it into a reality! You truly are one of the women I look up to and admire! …..Almond Milk….(Wink)
This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I have been feeling lately that something has been missing from my life. I kept thinking of the 10 year old me and how different I am from her now because I’ve been following what is expected of me. Thank you so much for the push to change my life.
Beautiful, beautiful post, Liz! Truly, very inspirational. AND I am so honored that I got to meet you and now are friends. I will keep your words close to my heart during those times when I feel I can’t go on working towards my authentic self; following my dream: “When you’re not being true to yourself, you’ll never have inner peace…” I will always remember to follow my heart. Thanks, Liz!
Thank you, Liz. I can so relate to the shoes metaphor. I picked up a card at my favorite card shop recently. It says: I used to be driven. But then I pulled over. I keep that card on my desk to remind me that everything I do going forward has got to be FUN!
Beautiful post Liz – thank you for sharing! This reconfirms my decision to court myself this year and really explore my creative yearnings. I’m currently studying the lesser-known teachings of yoga, rededicating myself to learning Spanish and am about to start taking piano lessons!
One thing that I always wonder when I read stories like this is – Would this person be who they are today if they wouldn’t have initially hopped on the “wrong” train? Could this person have accomplished their dreams had they not had those early, difficult experiences that forced them to examine their inner-selves?
Thank you all SO MUCH!!!
Connie, JC, Lana, Mimi, Lisa, Sue Ann, Ashley, you are all amazing!! One of the best parts of my journey has been all of the inspirational life lovers and game changers I’ve met along the way. I find inspiration in all of your stories!
May we always continue to push our own personal growth and support one another! I fully believe everything falls into our lives for a reason and helps guide us to our true self.
Sending you all so much love!
Liz, what an incredibly poignant writer you are. It’s inspiring to hear about your journey, your awakening and your purpose. Thanks for sharing those things with all of us. Girl this is paper-editorial worthy – submit it to Marie Claire! And it’s perfect for crazy sexy life. Because you’re living it! Congratulations and thank you for paying it forward.
Jen, your comment just made my day! I love writing, so glad it’s resonating! Submit to Marie Claire, never thought of doing that, food for thought!! Thanks girl!!
I love that you did the leg work, looking inward and experiencing something you knew would be good for yourself, your husband and the elephants, and THEN the universe/God/whatever gave you what you needed: A lay off!
Lauren, it’s amazing how the universe lends us a helping hand like that! Something wonderful, just disguised as something negative :)
INcredibly Inspired. WHAT a gift you have in writing, thank you for reminding me to Do ME! To be ME! The better I do that the better I can make a real difference!!
Beautiful. Just like you.
Alisa, YES!! There is no better you than YOU!!
Hannah, thank you, so sweet :)
Such an amazing and beautiful story – thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you Christa!!
wonderful story lady. so many will be able to see life through new eyes. bi hug to you love. xo
Beautiful, Liz, both you & your faux leather vegan boots!
I would absolutely LOVE to volunteer with animals abroad someday. When I’m ready, I am calling YOU!
xo
Gini
What a beautiful story about listening to one’s own soul. For too long we walk a path picked by someone else. Thank you for sharing your story.
Hilary, thank you! Big hug back to you!
Gini, YAY! I’m here as soon as you’re ready!
Cynthia, thanks so much for reading, I loved sharing it.
Liz, what a great story yours is. I related to so many parts of it but most especially the connection you always felt with animals. I’ve had the same experience! We can learn so much from the many great creatures around us. Thanks for the post! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Best of luck with everything you do!
This is beautiful. I love the idea of dating yourself, of courting your inner passions. Lovely.
Beautiful post Liz! Thanks for sharing your story with us :-)
Wow, just… wow! All I can do is smile after reading this. What an amazing story! Thank you so so much for sharing it with us! I feel the exact same way: I want to help animals in any way I can! I recently started a blog hoping to do a little bit of that, but I want to do so much more… like the work you’re doing! I hope to go on a volunteer trip this summer, I just need to find an affordable one. I may not be wearing the perfect pair of shoes just yet, but I think I’m at least wearing the right socks for right now! Thank you, again, Liz… so inspiring!
Thanks so much ladies!!
Maureen & Eva, sounds like we have similar animal loving souls! We can all play unique roles in helping to spread messages of compassion! Eva, you can definitely volunteer affordably, it all depends on what you want out of your trip. Ask me any questions if you need help!
Jennifer, glad you liked it. It was some of the best dates I’ve ever had! ;)
Rachel, thanks girl! Glad to share it!
Liz, what a great story! Loved it….it’s so easy to relate to. I’m so happy for you!!
Thank you so much Talene!!
This post really clicked with me!! Your experience with elephants sounds maginificent!
I just graduated from college and all I want to do is PAINT. Weird, since I graduated from business management…. i’m trying to figure out what’s next..
LOVED LOVED LOVED the article Liz!!!
Well done its really inspirational and the shoe metaphor is just so fantastic!
Liz! Thank you! I’m in college right now myself going through a “who am I?” crisis at the moment and trying to focus on discovering me! I feel so much pressure to fulfill everyone else’s expectations of me, but what I really want to do is so different! How do I just do what I want to do!? I’m hoping to figure it out soon, but this article really helped. I’ve felt the same connection with animals too! Either way, thank you for shining some light on this, it’s helped more than you know!
Awesome post Liz, gave me chills!!! So happy you’ve found your passion and built such an amazing business from it. I loved the part about dating yourself!
Liz….You are amazing girlfriend! Why in the hell do so many of us get sold that same pair of shoes? Baffling. Your story is inspiring and I would love to take my son on a trip in the near future.
Your voice is authentic and your story is inspiring…I look forward to more!
xo, Tina
I love this…I think we have all walked at least a mile in your shoes…and if we walked even a mile in our animal companion’s shoes, how amazing it would feel for us all. Compassionate and authentic living is sexy, stylin’ and always feels wonderful!
Geez Liz this is just about the best blog post ever. I love you! I am going to change my life TODAY!!
January 13, 2011