With exactly three weeks to go until the April 8th total solar eclipse, I wanted to revisit an old series on my blog titled - Lessons From the Sky.
What is your North Star?
Some of us define it as the guiding principle for our vocation - a mission to help others, serve the community, and create tangible benefits in the lives of others.
Some of us look at it in more material and financial terms - digits in the chequing account, air miles and exotic trips, or the number of foreign cars in the garage.
Others view it as the codes and values you live by, how you treat others, and how you navigate your surroundings.
Some of us drift aimlessly. Others are more calculated and clear in their intentions.
Regardless of where you stand, it’s an important concept everybody should reflect on.
When we’re young, we’re idealistic. We set forward on a path toward achieving our goals and accomplishing our dreams.
Unfortunately, nothing ever goes according to plan. We grow up. We land our first job. Responsibilities pile up. Bills need to be paid. On and on and on.
We lose sight of our North Star, especially during the daylight hours. When we’re trapped in our mundane responsibilities and obligations to show up to work and make ends meet. The irony is in the fact that our North Star is still present, it’s right there in the sky, but, we cannot see it. Our minds are overwhelmed by infinite distractions. Eventually, we lose our sense of direction and more importantly, our sense of purpose.
“Seeing at last, the star, you did not know you were following.”
David Whyte
When people speak of their calling, their destiny, their fate or purpose, they’re talking about their North Star. Seeking and walking on a path guided by your North Star is the discovery process of finding your innate talents and gifts to share with this world.
When we deviate from this innate path, it can become a silent source of stress. We know, deep in our hearts that we were not meant to go down this road, yet we continue, sometimes blindly without reconsideration. Sometimes, it’s the pressure of fulfilling our obligations and responsibilities. Other times, we feel immense guilt and debt to see things through, becoming prisoners to the sunk cost fallacy.
Reflect. Rediscover. Restart.
The beauty of the North Star metaphor is that it’s an ancient one. Imagine our ancestors conquering new frontiers and uncharted territories. To survive and thrive in those times, one had to be in tune with their environment and instincts — something we seem to be moving away from as we become ever more dependent on technology.
The solution? Rediscover your inner voice. Reflect on your place in this world by reconnecting with the night sky. Look up. The thing with stars is that they reappear during the vulnerabilities of the night. When the world becomes quiet, cold and calm, that is the best time to reflect, rediscover and reconnect. Take a silent moment to inject a dose of solitude and stillness into your life. It may be the medicine you need.
If you’re feeling lost, you might be surprised to find that you’re North Star is right in front of you. All you have to do is see the path forward, and take that first step.
Good luck. Much love.
SG
Hey everyone, Shawn here. If you, or anyone you know, is on medications and are interested in safely and effectively tapering off their medicine, please feel free to reach out to me by clicking on this link. As a deprescribing pharmacist, I specialize in building custom taper plans and protocols to help individuals come off medicines for mental health, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. You can book a complimentary consultation and get in touch by clicking on this link.
Build. Understand. Discipline. Stillness. “B.U.D.S” is written by Dr. Shawn Gill - a pharmacist and Father of two boys. During the day, he works as a deprescribing pharmacist, helping patients get off drugs, safely and effectively. At night, he writes this newsletter. B.U.D.S is a community that's focused on inspiring individuals to take account of their health and wellness, as well as reverse the over-pharmaceuticalization of our everyday lives. If you’d like to support this mission, please subscribe below. Much love.