When we think of currency, money immediately comes to mind. It seems to be the capital most prized in our society. As a creative artist, I've always struggled with this notion especially since I have felt extraordinarily blessed to have found a passion that motivated me in every way. And even though I've often had to butt up against misconceptions about the value of creative artists to society (especially in education), I have enormous gratitude that I was always able to make a living at something I love.
A Jungian psychotherapist introduced me to a number of concepts over the years that have stuck with me. One important one is the notion that we each have a currency that is a manifestation of our psychic energy. Currency is defined as a medium of exchange, one person trading one currency for another. For some who have spent their lives amassing wealth, the currency is monetary. For myself and many others, it is quite different.
Each of us puts forth our psychic energy in the world and this is what constitutes our value. Money holds more value in our society than most other currencies, at least so it seems. Teachers for instance, who are tasked with shaping the potential of future generations (a critical responsibility it seems to me) are paid disproportionately less than say business leaders even though sometimes teachers have even more education. It's just the way things are.
But what if value was determined by mastery in any field? What if we admired people for finding their authentic personal currency and becoming the best they could be in the pursuit of that thing whatever it is? Whether it is a stay-at-home dad/mom or an artist or a carpenter or a pet groomer. As long as they are passionate and accomplished at what they do, as well as having a sense of their place (value) in the higher order, I respect that. They have arrived in my book. But I think many people choose paths because they think they should or feel they have to just to make money.
I remember a wedding of the son of one of my good friends. Riding on the bus back to the airport, I struck up a conversation with a group of young friends of the bride and groom. They were six years out of college and a number of them were working in the financial services field. They lamented not having a life-- putting in long hours in order to work their way up the corporate ladder. I asked them what they'd rather be doing. One said he loved sports and would really like to be a coach, another was a dance major in college but gave it up for a more secure job at a bank, another imagined an entrepreneurial start-up but never took the risk. Following your passion was not a viable option to them.
Jung in his book “The Undiscovered Self” argued that many of the problems of modern life are caused by “man’s progressive alienation from his instinctual foundation.” The predominance of the persona (the mask), or the outward face we present to the world, has elevated insincerity to a way of life which goes unquestioned by millions in their everyday life. Jung also believed that "The form of the world into which [a person] is born is already inborn in him, as a virtual image" (simplepsychology.com). So just like our fingerprint, our psychic energy is already determined even before we are born. Michelangelo believed, "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." Just so, mining our true, authentic self is simply a matter of removing the layers to liberate what has been there all along.
Of course, the best outcome of all would be to pursue your passion and be compensated according to the life we envision. And it bears considering where our ideal life aspirations come from. Social media and advertising often promote values that aren't necessarily our own if we really search our heart of hearts. Certainly we aren't going to change the way we prioritize value relative to financial compensation. We can however, fight for a socially responsible minimum wage and incentivize even more companies to engage in profit-sharing and skill development to foster the best in people within their organization. We can also shift our own awareness of how we perceive others and ourselves as successful or not. But the most important thing of all is to identify just what is your personal currency. What are your unique attributes and what do you have challenges with? How can you feel the most fulfilled at your life's work by defining and believing in what you are really good at.
As a professor of Dance and Performance Studies in a major program I have witnessed and helped nurture students who choose their passion and ultimately find their life's path either inclusive of or in addition to it. Some go into the therapies, some find education and of course performance and choreography remain either a focus or an important avocation for many. I haven't heard from any who regret developing themselves as creative artists. As nice/necessary as it is to have money, it should be seen as a means rather than an end; if wealth is the overarching goal, much can be missed or sacrificed in realizing our true destiny.
In Sunday's Quick Read, I will give some suggestions on how to discover or fully embrace your personal currency. Whether or not you are happy doing whatever provides your livelihood at this time, this exercise will better elucidate the many dimensions of your unique talents in the world. As you continue with the activities of your week, start to notice the different personal currencies around you, and as you Mind Your Body, find gratitude for the magnificence of who you are.
"Do what you love and the rest will follow."
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