Finding Your Fit

During my visit to Playa del Carmen, Mexico last April, I began most of my nights with a glass of wine at a local bar, di Vino, located on the corner of 5th Avenue and calle 12. It was usually the place to meet up with friends to start the evening. If truth be told, we met there specifically because of our favourite bartender, Juan. You can read my previous blog post on Juan - who he is, what he’s accomplished, and why he’s so special.

So an update. Juan began his response to my “como estas?“ one night in the way only Juan can: “Have you ever waken up in the morning and the sun is shining so much brighter, the birds are singing so much sweeter, and life just seems so much richer?” Honestly, I thought Juan had the “don’t worry, be happy” mantra figured out already. Always smiling and happy, how could Juan be even more happy? Juan didn’t let me in to his secret to his new-found happiness that night, but the following night he spilled the beans. Seems that Juan had started a new part-time job that involved selling. It was a new opportunity, a new challenge. He was loving it. “You know,” he said sort of sheepishly, “I think I’m a really good salesperson.” He said it in a way that said he hadn’t known. “Of course you are!” I responded, surprised he didn't know this already. “Why do you think I come to this bar? Why do you think people from all over the world stop in here? It’s because of you.” About a month ago I saw an update on Facebook from Juan that he would be soon leaving his job at di Vino to “share the love worldwide.” I wondered if he realized he was already sharing his love worldwide, each time he served a drink to a Mexican local or to the tourists from all over the world?

There were two things I took from Juan during this trip. First, when you are presented with a good opportunity, take it. I got the feeling Juan didn’t know at the beginning of this new venture that he would be successful, but I bet he suspected he may be. Go ahead and take that leap you've been pondering and see what happens. Life really is sweeter when you're doing what you are meant to do. And secondly, often our gifts to the world are so natural to us and so a part of who we are, we are unable to see them as being special. Juan was surprised that selling came so easy to him, but it had been easy to him all along, just in other ways. Consider your gifts and contributions (who you are) as being special and unique to you, and use them to make a difference in your life and the lives of others. In seizing opportunities and using our gifts, we find our fit.