The uncommon path: loving what you do in a disconnected world
When common isn't normal
There exists a peculiar paradox in our modern society: what is common is often mistaken for what is normal.
Millions wake each morning to dedicate the majority of their waking hours to work they don't truly love. They've been conditioned to believe this sacrifice is simply "how life works."
Yet this commonplace resignation is far from our natural state—it is not, in fact, normal at all.
I was once reading about someone who said his work days were about 16 hours long, and he was a workaholic—except his work time was actually considered his "me time."
When your work is an extension of who you are, there is no separation. Your art, your craft, how you serve is not separate from anything else. It's all you, expressing your essence in the world.
It's fascinating that in Portuguese, work translates to "trabalho," a word derived from the Latin "tripalium"—an instrument of torture composed of three sharp wooden stakes.
Originally, "trabalhar" (to work) literally meant to be subjected to this torture, primarily inflicted upon slaves and the poor who couldn't pay their taxes.
Over time, the concept evolved to encompass productive physical activities, entering French as "travailler," initially meaning "to feel pain" or "to suffer," and later, "to do an exhausting or difficult activity."
Isn't it telling that the very etymology of work carries the imprint of suffering?
And like that we go, we live, thinking that it is ok to be disconnected from what we love, believing that what we love should be reserved for hobbies—something we can do when we have a little bit of time left.
We live in a world fundamentally disconnected from essence.
From early childhood, we're trained to follow predetermined paths that promise security, status, and acceptance. The message is clear: fit in, follow the script, and you'll be rewarded. But what is this reward?
Often, it's merely the temporary rush of dopamine when we acquire something new—a better title, a larger home, the latest device—fleeting satisfactions that rarely light up our souls.
Society has mastered the art of manufacturing desire while simultaneously numbing our ability to recognize what truly fulfills us. We scroll through carefully curated lives on our screens, chase trends that expire before they arrive, and measure success by metrics that have little to do with our authentic joy.
All while that quiet voice within—the one that knows what genuinely excites us—grows fainter beneath the noise.
The truth is both simple and revolutionary: when you love what you do, work becomes more than labor—it becomes an expression of your essence.
The boundary between "work" and "life" blurs because both flow from the same source. This isn't idealistic fantasy; it's how humans are designed to function.
To reclaim this connection requires courage.
It means questioning whether your discomfort with your current path is not a personal failing but actually wisdom—your essence signaling misalignment.
It means recognizing that what lights you up isn't superficial but essential.
Most challengingly, it means normalizing what is actually normal: that humans thrive when their daily activities reflect their authentic interests and values.
The revolution begins not with grand gestures but with small awakenings. Notice when you lose track of time because you're so absorbed in what you're doing. Pay attention to what makes you forget to check your phone. These moments are breadcrumbs leading back to your essence.
Perhaps the greatest act of rebellion in our disconnected age is to reconnect—to refuse the common in favor of the normal, to choose the authentic over the expected, and to remember that a life aligned with what truly lights you up isn't a luxury.
It's your birthright. And when you feel that burning desire in your heart, that excitement about your vision that only you can feel, that's not just a nice feeling—it's guidance. It's showing you the path home to yourself.
With Love,
Carolina
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Hi @Carolina Wilke - I loved this article!—for obvious reasons, given my passion for all things health and wellness—so thank you for sharing it. It’s full of pearls of wisdom.
The part that gave me pause was this line:
"When your work is an extension of who you are, there is no separation. Your art, your craft, how you serve is not separate from anything else. It's all you, expressing your essence in the world."
I felt the truth of that in my gut—and yet, I also sense a pull to set my own craft down for a while and return to a quieter place, one that existed before the work began. There’s something in that tension I want to explore further.
For me, that’s often where new pearls begin to form—out of some mild irritation, if you will. Thus, the pearl here for me is that your work has spurred a desire for more contemplation within me. And for that I am truly grateful
Again, thank you.
Namaste,
Bronce
Beautiful reflection to come back to the space that exists right before creation! That’s where we find infinity possibilities! I am curious to what will unfold to you 💕