I've always been fascinated by the Renaissance, one of the most creative periods in human history. A sense of new possibilities filled the air as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, St. Teresa of Avila, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, John Milton, and countless others were inspired by a sense of vocation.
Renaissance theologians taught that God gave all men and women a set of unique gifts (or talents), calling them to live with a sense of vocation, to make their own personal contribution to the world. In what we now know as the "self-fulfilling prophecy," our expectations dramatically shape our experience. Because generations of Renaissance men and women expected to discover their vocations, in remarkable ways they found them. Becoming artists, scholars, scientists, saints, and leaders in many fields, they brought joy and meaning to their lives, making unprecedented creative contributions to science, religion, politics, and the arts.
The Renaissance holds valuable lessons for us today. We, too, can bring greater joy and meaning to our lives by discovering our gifts-our personal talents and strengths--and finding ways to use them. Research in positive psychology has shown that everyone has a set of five "signature strengths," and that using them regularly makes us happier, healthier, and more successful (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005).
In the Renaissance, Michelangelo, Milton, St. Teresa of Avila, Galileo, and their contemporaries began discovering their gifts in childhood, following their curiosity, learning what they were good at, what they loved to do. As a boy, Michelangelo annoyed his father by drawing pictures instead of pursuing his studies. Young John Milton wrote poetry and dreamed of writing a great epic. Little Teresa loved reading saints' lives and set up a hermitage in a nearby orchard. At thirteen, Galileo saw a comet blaze across the sky, arousing his lifelong curiosity about the cosmos.
What did you love to do as a child? Draw, paint, tell stories, play a musical instrument, explore the wonders of nature? You can find greater energy and inspiration by reconnecting with your gifts--signing up for an art or writing class, picking up that musical instrument, or making time for gardening or hiking. You can also discover your signature strengths by taking the VIA-IS on-line survey at www.authentichappiness.org.
Our world today is very much like the Renaissance, filled with unsettling challenge and change. Yet as in the Renaissance, our greatest natural resources are within us. By connecting with our gifts and discovering our own sense of calling, we can bring greater joy and meaning to our lives and create new possibilities for our world.
What are your gifts and how can you begin using them today?
References
Dreher, D. E. (2008). Your personal renaissance: 12 steps to finding your life's true calling. New York, NY: Da Capo.
Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N, & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410-421.
