How each of us defines our calling is truly something personal. To me, it’s following the very thing that brings you the most passion in life. Though I am unsure if it’s 100% accurate that “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” as even doing what you love is hard work, it does afford a sense of fulfillment day in and day out that is hard to match. And most fortunately, each of us can follow our calling.
What do we mean by “calling?”
A calling is the pull you feel toward a kind of work that lights you up in a way nothing else does. It’s the whisper that won’t quiet down, the thread you keep tugging at even when life gets loud. It isn’t just a talent you’re good at or a hobby you enjoy on weekends.
Or think of your calling like a map guiding you toward your life’s desired direction. Although the direction might not be toward a tropical island or amusement park, it’s the intersection of what you love, what you’re willing to put in the time for, and how you want to contribute to the world. Calling asks, gently and persistently: what work would you do if money, judgment, and fear weren’t the main obstacles? And once you hear that invitation, it can help you redraw your map.
Two quick distinctions to keep in mind:
- Talent is fuel. Calling is a direction. You may be naturally capable in certain areas, but a true calling gives your gifts purpose, an aim that feels meaningful beyond personal success.
- Love isn’t merely pleasure. A calling often blends curiosity, usefulness, and a stubborn sense of rightness. It’s the work that stays with you across different jobs, places, and phases of life.
Your calling is not a destination but rather a living conversation with your best self. It invites you to bring your whole self (your curiosity, your care, your stubborn persistence) into the work you choose. If you listen, experiment, and align your life around that pull, you don’t just do what you love, you become the person who can do it well enough to matter.
“Your calling isn’t something that somebody can tell you about. It’s what you feel. It is the thing that gives you juice. The thing that you are supposed to do. And nobody can tell you what that is. You know it inside yourself.”
Oprah Winfrey
It is likely that most people you consider to be experts in their profession or those you admire most have found and run alongside their callings. While they might seem to “have it all,” consider what it took to get there as well as what it takes to live in a way that continually aligns with that calling. While nothing in life is guaranteed, putting forth the effort while remaining consistent increases the likelihood of you ultimately finding your place as well.
What types of calling do people usually strive for?
Most people chase a few familiar kinds of callings: a career that feels meaningful, work that matches their values and makes a difference; a family or community role that gives them love and responsibility; creative or artistic work that lets them express who they are; service or helping others through teaching, healthcare, advocacy; or a leadership path where they can mentor others and shape something bigger than themselves.[1]
Some are pulled by spiritual or existential callings; questions about purpose, faith, or a sense that they’re meant to contribute in a particular way.[1] Often, people try to line up their day job with their deeper longings, so their daily grind doesn’t feel empty.
People seek callings because they want to know who they are, feel useful, and belong.[2] A sense of autonomy and competence (doing work you can master and choose) gives confidence; impact and legacy satisfy our desire to matter beyond ourselves.[2] Culture and mentors push certain callings too, so the pull can be practical as well as personal: security, status, or the ability to support loved ones.
Callings aren’t one-size-fits-all or permanent; they can evolve as life changes, and many people juggle multiple callings at once, choosing which voice to follow in different seasons.
As you read this, consider the following existential questions to get started:
- What problem or need in the world makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning and take action?
- If money were no object for the next year, what projects would you pursue, and who would you serve?
- Who do you admire for the way they do their work, and what about their approach resonates with you?
- When you look back 5 or 10 years from now, what kind of work would you want your life to reflect?
Answer each question authentically, as the point is to follow your calling. If you allow others to influence your direction here, you might find yourself back at the drawing board sooner than later.
Can you find your calling while in recovery from a SUD?
Of course, you can find your calling while in recovery from an SUD! Finding your calling while in recovery from a SUD is a powerful, hopeful path. Recovery can bring greater clarity, steadier energy, deeper empathy, and a renewed sense of what you want to contribute to the world.[3] It’s also a process that requires you to demonstrate kindness toward yourself and have a steady support system.
Here, it’s important to note that people have different life experiences ahead of recovery. For some, they might have had the seemingly ideal life that went astray. For others, they might feel as though they had little to offer throughout life and became even worse off ahead of finding themselves in recovery. In the latter case, this might be the first time in one’s life where they begin becoming who they always wanted to be, but thought they never could. This is extremely empowering but can also be met with some anticipatory anxiety.
Consider the following factors toward attaining one’s calling while in recovery:
- Clarity and time: Sobriety often frees mental space that was crowded with cravings, hurry, and self-judgment.
- Reliability and trust: Building consistent routines and showing up for yourself can widen your sense of what you’re capable of.
- Empathy from experience: Your journey gives you a unique capacity to connect with others who struggle, mentor peers, and contribute in meaningful, healing ways.
- Healing-led energy: As your body and nervous system settle, you may find new energy for projects you care about.
However, there are some important precautions, as focusing on the recovery effort should be the first and foremost priority.[4] Accordingly, one should always prioritize safety and stability. Here, one should adhere to the prescribed protocol as it pertains to treatment, medication-assisted treatment if prescribed, therapy, and sobriety support.
It is also important to avoid overcommitting early. Start small, test what fits, and respect triggers or difficult moments. It may help to work with a treatment team or sponsor as you explore possibilities, so you don’t navigate this alone.
Dos and don’ts when finding your calling during recovery
Insofar as following one’s life calling, there are various dos and don’ts for consideration, especially when tied into a recovery effort. Remember, recovery is a full-time job and must remain the focus. Everything else is secondary to recovery, though when one progresses into the maintenance stage, it becomes possible to stretch the focus out further with some thoughtful balance.
Tips for success
Consider the following to maximize your calling while in recovery:
- Stabilize and align with recovery supports: Keep regular meetings with your treatment team, attend support groups, and continue any medications or exercises that support your sobriety. Create a simple relapse-avoidance plan you can rely on during stressful times.
- Ground your sense of self in values, not just outcomes: Spend a few minutes each week journaling about questions like: What matters most to me? What kind of person do I want to be in five years? How do I want to help others? Note moments when you felt peripherally “in flow” or useful—these are clues about your calling.
- Inventory your strengths, interests, and lived experience: List skills you’ve developed in life, work, school, and recovery (empathy, listening, problem-solving, persistence, creativity). Note issues you care about (mental health, housing, education, veterans’ services, climate justice, youth empowerment, etc.). Look for overlap between your strengths and these needs.
- Start small experiments that fit a recovery-friendly lifestyle: Volunteer for a few hours a week with a cause you care about. Try a low-stakes project related to your interests (writing blog articles, organizing a community event, helping a neighbor). Explore entry-level roles in fields you’re curious about (even if pay is modest at first).
- Build skills and a credible path: Choose one or two skills to develop that align with your interests (communication, coding, counseling basics, event planning, peer support). Find mentors or peers who can offer feedback and consider formal training or certifications that accommodate your recovery timeline.
- Design your life around recovery and growth: Create a simple daily routine that supports you (regular sleep, meals, exercise, time for reflection, and time for skill-building). Choose environments and relationships that reinforce your sobriety and your aspirations.
- Consider recovery-informed paths that can become a vocation: Roles that match your experience and empathy may be a good fit, such as a peer support specialist, recovery coach, counselor aide, case manager, outreach worker, community organizer, or nonprofit staff. Look into a volunteer-to-career ladder as well as starting with general roles in nonprofits or healthcare that value lived experience and can offer growth.
- Build a support network and accountability: Stay connected with mentors, sponsors, recovery groups, and trusted friends. Use accountability partners to check in on progress with experiments and goals.
- Prepare for stress and cravings: Have a set of coping strategies ready (talking with a sponsor, reaching out to a support person, a mindfulness exercise, a walk, a grounding technique). Plan for triggers in advance and know who to call or where to go to stay safe.
- Track progress and stay flexible: Keep a simple log of experiments, what worked, and what didn’t. Allow your calling to evolve with your recovery. It’s okay for it to shift as you grow.
Things to be mindful of
With these ideas in mind, make every effort to stick to the following don’ts:
- Don’t use your calling as an excuse to skip or shortchange your recovery plan. Your recovery must come first to stay grounded.
- Don’t overcommit or take on too much too soon. Excess pressure can trigger stress and cravings.
- Don’t neglect your recovery supports. Keep attending meetings, staying in touch with a sponsor or therapist, and following prescribed treatments.
- Don’t isolate yourself. Stay connected with trusted peers who understand recovery for accountability and encouragement.
- Don’t tie your self-worth to achievements or others’ approval. Your recovery identity matters more than external validation.
- Don’t enter environments, relationships, or social circles that tempt you or enable old habits.
- Don’t use substances as a result of stress, emotions, or celebrations. Find healthier, recovery-aligned strategies.
- Don’t neglect sleep, nutrition, exercise, and self-care. A healthy body supports a clearer mind and steadier recovery.
- Don’t rush major life decisions. Stabilize first and seek guidance from your support network.
- Don’t pursue perfection or endlessly compare yourself to others. Be patient with your own pace and practice self-compassion.
- Don’t hide slips or lie to your support system. Honesty is essential for growth and safety.
- Don’t ignore underlying mental health or trauma concerns. Seek integrated care and address them alongside SUD recovery.
If at any time your focus on your calling compromises your recovery, then things have gotten off track. This is the time to take a pause, be honest with yourself, ground yourself, and reach out to sober support as needed.
Risks
Pursuing your calling while you’re in recovery can feel energizing and give your life a fresh, meaningful direction. But it also carries real risks. Taking on too much too soon can spike stress and cravings, and new commitments might pull you into environments or people that tempt you. This may lead you to neglect recovery supports, sleep, or self-care. In addition, tying your worth to progress or others’ approval can make a slip feel catastrophic or tempt you to push through unhealthy boundaries. [4]
To navigate this, pace yourself and keep recovery front and center. Set clear boundaries, involve your sponsor or therapist in decisions, and choose roles that fit your current stability. Maintain your recovery routine (meetings, check-ins, medications, and a solid sleep/food plan) and have a safety plan for cravings.
Stay honest about slips and adjust course rather than all-or-nothing; if something feels risky or misaligned, pause and reassess. Your calling should enhance your recovery, not derail it.
Takeaways
Though there are some general considerations to remember when working to maximize one’s callings during recovery, it’s important to remember that the pathway is your own. While recovery can be an intense experience, it can also be empowering. With respect to finding oneself in an overall better place that moves beyond merely abstaining from a particular substance, following one’s calling can add new value, purpose, and direction.
It can take an experience that seems daunting to one that is fulfilling. Remember to proceed with balance. If you find yourself off track, reach out for support, whether to a professional, sponsor, or trusted & loving other. Believe in yourself and proceed with confidence. If you want this, you’ve got it, but you must keep going. Best wishes!
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