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Fulfillment

“Finding” fulfillment is misleading

“Finding fulfillment in motherhood” is not just part of the title element of this blog; it’s part of MamaBlogga’s mission. However, I know that using the word “find” is misleading.

It makes it sound as though one day I’m going to wake up and feel whole, completely satisfied in my life as a mother. It makes it seem like there’s something waiting out there for me. It makes it’s seem like one Christmas morning, I’ll unwrap a present and be able to hold up my fulfillment for everyone to see—”See? I finally found it! It’s my fulfillment!” In this analogy, it’s a tangible thing, something that I’ll earn or discover one day, never to lose again.

Last week I was in Target and saw an inspirational poster that read, “Life isn’t about finding yourself; it’s about building yourself.” That really struck home with me. I realized that life isn’t about finding fulfillment either.

It’s about building fulfillment. It’s about accumulating a type of accomplishments—relationships—that might not win you awards or paychecks, but will sustain you like nothing else can.

And it’s something I’ll have to work to build every day.

Have you started building your own fulfillment?

14 replies on ““Finding” fulfillment is misleading”

I totally get what you are saying. It’s about the process, not the product. It’s easy to focus so much on the end result that we miss the details of the journey. And with something like fulfillment, there really isn’t an end result. Highs and lows, to be sure, but it’s not a destination.
Great post!

Exactly! Thanks!

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Thanks! Hope to see you around in the future (even if I’m not always this deep)!

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I LOVE this quote! Within the past year, I left my corporate job in public relations to pursue a job that was much more personal to me. In 2004, my son was born premature, and had to stay in the NICU for almost a month. The situation changed my life forever. I wanted to find a way to help other parents, and I finally did! I am now a NICU Family Support Specialist for the March of Dimes. I work inside a NICU at a hospital here in Phoenix, and I get to work with the parents of preemies. The work is wonderful, and fulfills my soul’s need to be of service. Thanks for sharing this quote. Let me know if Target had Choxie on sale. Love that stuff.

Didn’t notice the Choxie (I’m afraid to try it; I think “choxie” probably sounds too close to “chalky” for me). That’s awesome that you’re finding fulfillment in your work. I’m always amazed at the turns life takes.

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You’re only missing one? Wow, you’re ahead of the game.

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Jordan,

Well said. I couldn’t agree more.

I think people often confuse the word “pleasure” with the owrd “fulfillment.”

Once can look for pleasure and try to find pleasure in daily life. They can try to discover pleasure in all that they do.

I see personal fulfillment as something distinctly different. It involves many things, including building relationships that we have with others, learning and growing, self-actualization and self-definition, reaching one’s highest potential and levels of creativity, and simply being contented with where you’re at and where you’re going. All of these things take initiative, action, and expansion on one’s part.

There’s some good feedback here.

One of the things that I try to teach my daughters is that you can’t always control what happens to you. You can control how you react to it.

It’s kind of like the old is your glass half empty or half full question.

You bring up a good point. It’s kind of an elusive, always to be nurtured thing. Finding fulfillment.

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