Welcome and lessons from Paulo Coelho

     First and foremost, I would like to welcome you all to my site! Now, I woke up this morning and begun reading the book The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. As I read the introduction, the words could not have been more true to what I have going on in life these past few months. The eye opening sentence went like this: "We all need to aware of our personal calling". Unfortunately not all of us are able to achieve their calling. There are four obstacles highlighted by Paulo Coelho that prevent us from achieving it. 

     The first is our upbringing. We are told since childhood that everything we want to do is impossible. We are told that we have to go to school, go to college, get a "good" job and so on. Teachers or other educators tell us what is best for us. It makes a young kid question if their pursuit of their dreams is actually "acceptable". It is unfortunate and forced myself to spend 2-3 years stumbling through college doing what others thought I should be doing. I lacked the courage to do what I believed in. But that was then. The second obstacle is love. For many, we are afraid to abandon everything to pursue our calling. In our eyes, it is just too risky. We put others first and in the end, spend year after year doing something that doesn't satisfy your soul. A few words from The Alchemist "The Soul of the World is nourished by people's happiness". One way to be happy is to pursue your calling and live the life you want to live. The third obstacle is the fear of the defeat and potential road blocks that may occur along your journey. Believe me, you will live with more regret by not pursuing your dreams than pursuing them and failing. And lastly, there is the fear of realizing the dream that you fought to achieve is finally realized. You may wake up one day and ask, "Now what?" Or you begin to doubt and view yourself unworthy of your calling. 

     Every individual will face some, or all, of these obstacles as they pursue their calling. Keep in mind that you are not the only person in the history of this world that has faced and overcame these obstacles. So figure out your calling. Understand that there will be a struggle while pursuing your calling and live a happy life!