I have been asked this question over and over again... Why did I choose natural health path over a well established conventional pharmacy career? How did I know that this is my passion?
Years back, the main reason I chose to join pharmacy was my passion for herbal remedies and natural cures. I grew up in a house that honours nature. We rarely felt the need to consult a physician. Linden leaves and anise seeds teas were always available for common cold bouts, frankincense for productive cough, cumin and chamomile for spasm and colics, cinnamon milk for menstrual cramps, parsley for renal colic… simple remedies available in our kitchen were always there for the rescue and they never failed us.
My grandmother pantry and refrigerator were full of natural jams, home-made pickles, freshly prepared yogurt, green leaves, rose water, and orange blossoms hydrosols. I loved the fragrance of her spice rack and enjoyed the trips with my aunts to the old souks to stock on our precious herbs and spices.
When I joined pharmacy, I waited impatiently to learn more about these natural cures, to know scientific basics behind their miraculous efficiency and deepen my skills in healing. Unfortunately, after years of overwhelming herbal and chemical studies, I felt totally lost. What I didn't recognize at the time is that the way we studied and approached these remedies stripped them away from the true essence that I was drawn to in the first place; it took away their ‘soul’.
So, I followed this little voice inside me that asked me to learn more about herbs and spices; to prepare my formulas in the kitchen instead of the labs; to listen to body whispers and heed its emotional and spiritual hints... And, when I embraced back my passion for nature and soulful living, I still drew from the best from both worlds: Science with spirituality and research data with awe and wonder. And, here I am living my passion... Yet, believe it or not, I never knew it was actually my passion until I found myself immersed in it. I just followed a sign after another, took a baby step after another, learned a tiny lesson after another... Day by day, year by year, the road became clearer... I set up everyday habits to learn more about the holistic living and traditional healing remedies that have always fascinated me. I constantly made choices, decisions and set disciplines and goals that took me closer to what I dreamed about...
For me, following your passion doesn't mean waiting for some miracle epiphany or some wild dream to come true. Following your passion doesn't require you to give up your responsibilities nor ignore your duties... As Terri Trespicio says in her TED talk: "Passion is not a job, a sport or a hobby... It is the full force of your attention, an energy that you give to whatever is in front of you, and if you are so busy looking for this passion, you could miss opportunities that change your life"
You become who you want to become by setting everyday living habits that move you towards your dream. You become who you want to become by constantly making choices, decisions and setting disciplines into your life. Following your dream takes courage and dedication, yet in the same time, it needs flexibility, patience and tolerance. I love the saying by Mary Ann Radmacher: "Courage doesn't always roar... Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I'll try again tomorrow"
So dear friend, set on your journey... It is only in motion that you will gain clarity... No matter how small your step is, keep taking it... one step after another, one choice after another... You will soon reach your clarity and soon find and live your passion!
Years back, the main reason I chose to join pharmacy was my passion for herbal remedies and natural cures. I grew up in a house that honours nature. We rarely felt the need to consult a physician. Linden leaves and anise seeds teas were always available for common cold bouts, frankincense for productive cough, cumin and chamomile for spasm and colics, cinnamon milk for menstrual cramps, parsley for renal colic… simple remedies available in our kitchen were always there for the rescue and they never failed us.
My grandmother pantry and refrigerator were full of natural jams, home-made pickles, freshly prepared yogurt, green leaves, rose water, and orange blossoms hydrosols. I loved the fragrance of her spice rack and enjoyed the trips with my aunts to the old souks to stock on our precious herbs and spices.
When I joined pharmacy, I waited impatiently to learn more about these natural cures, to know scientific basics behind their miraculous efficiency and deepen my skills in healing. Unfortunately, after years of overwhelming herbal and chemical studies, I felt totally lost. What I didn't recognize at the time is that the way we studied and approached these remedies stripped them away from the true essence that I was drawn to in the first place; it took away their ‘soul’.
So, I followed this little voice inside me that asked me to learn more about herbs and spices; to prepare my formulas in the kitchen instead of the labs; to listen to body whispers and heed its emotional and spiritual hints... And, when I embraced back my passion for nature and soulful living, I still drew from the best from both worlds: Science with spirituality and research data with awe and wonder. And, here I am living my passion... Yet, believe it or not, I never knew it was actually my passion until I found myself immersed in it. I just followed a sign after another, took a baby step after another, learned a tiny lesson after another... Day by day, year by year, the road became clearer... I set up everyday habits to learn more about the holistic living and traditional healing remedies that have always fascinated me. I constantly made choices, decisions and set disciplines and goals that took me closer to what I dreamed about...
For me, following your passion doesn't mean waiting for some miracle epiphany or some wild dream to come true. Following your passion doesn't require you to give up your responsibilities nor ignore your duties... As Terri Trespicio says in her TED talk: "Passion is not a job, a sport or a hobby... It is the full force of your attention, an energy that you give to whatever is in front of you, and if you are so busy looking for this passion, you could miss opportunities that change your life"
You become who you want to become by setting everyday living habits that move you towards your dream. You become who you want to become by constantly making choices, decisions and setting disciplines into your life. Following your dream takes courage and dedication, yet in the same time, it needs flexibility, patience and tolerance. I love the saying by Mary Ann Radmacher: "Courage doesn't always roar... Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I'll try again tomorrow"
So dear friend, set on your journey... It is only in motion that you will gain clarity... No matter how small your step is, keep taking it... one step after another, one choice after another... You will soon reach your clarity and soon find and live your passion!
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