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Writer's pictureNahaleh Doroudian
Mar 4, 20225 min read

Your Gifts Are Built Within You!

If you've been guided to my page then you already know the title of this post is 100 percent true. We are all born with gifts. Growing up I was always aware of the fact that I was different from so many others. If the people around me felt the same way, they never talked about it. As a matter of fact, neither did I. We grew up in a society that taught us to keep our thoughts and feelings inside. Not only did society have this impact on us, so did our upbringing in our home environment. I grew up being an extrovert, knowing that I came here to explore and challenge myself. I always stepped outside the box growing up. I literally had no fear, as most children do in the first few years of our lives. If someone told me I couldn't do something, I had to find out for myself why and did it. It was almost like I didn't believe or trust in my sources. I mean how could someone else know what was better for me than me?! Can you imagine a child thinking like this? Somewhere along the line, through many attempts from my parents, friends, family, teachers, strangers, I stopped being that curious, fearless child. I felt like someone had stripped my super powers away. I felt withdrawn and became quiet. I spent many years trying to figure out who I was and what my purpose of being here was. I always knew that I had unique talents, especially in the arts and music. My life was writing poetry, singing, dancing, painting, sketching and reading all in private. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I used to tell them "a doctor." Coming from an Iranian family, that was always the correct answer. Well, that or lawyer, engineer, pharmacist or dentist. Basically all the jobs that I knew were NOT for me. I knew how to play their game by giving them the answer they wanted and not the answer I wanted. How could I tell them I wanted to be a back-up dancer for Paula Abdul and then years later for Beyonce. How could I tell them I wanted to be a dj, or an artist, or even a yoga instructor? These passions were considered hobbies and could never bring in enough money or a substantial life per the people I surrounded myself with. That is, however, all false. I came to realize this way later in life. Becoming aware of all of this in my 30's was still early enough to make the changes I needed in my life. I began to follow my bliss and all the things that sparked joy in me. This included going back to painting and sketching. I remember watching my favorite movie, "The Notebook" and the main character Allie played by one of my favorite actresses, Rachel McAdams, and seeing how she loved art and painting like me! She even told her partner that she wanted her own room to paint in the house he was going to renovate. It was like the movie was foretelling my future, except my room would be for painting, meditating, reading, or whatever else I needed. I would call it my Zen Room. This movie also came out during the years I was actively painting and sketching. I knew back then that all of these passions I had, when I immersed myself in them, brought me peace and joy. Then life happened and all of that got put on a long hold. I began to listen to society's and family pressures that made me feel like nothing could come of this "hobby". This was not how one becomes "successful" or "purposeful." When I started my true, active, spiritual journey in my mid 30's, I knew it was time to work on releasing what everyone thought of me and stop doing all the things I felt pressured to do. I realized that success was following my true passions, regardless of what anyone thought. Our main purpose in this life we live is to find our happy and find relief as much as we can. I learned that it's ok to talk about my beliefs in God, Angels, Spirit Guides and even Mermaids. What does it matter? As long as I lived a life of being the best version of myself. As long as I could offer kindness and love to the world, I was completing my purpose. I also had to follow my passions, because it brought me joy and love within, and that would be the only way I could be of help for anyone else. I also learned that I had never lost my gifts. They had only been held captive by the forces around me. Once I released my gifts from captivity, they came flowing back. I came to live in the beautiful city of San Francisco at one point in my life, and during a visit back, I was guided to a beautiful garden in the city of Saratoga, called Hakone Estate and Gardens. I had always been fascinated by many different cultures, but the Japanese culture fascinated me the most. That's probably also why I pursued becoming a Reiki practitioner. So when I find Japanese Gardens during all of my travels, I feel so much life, beauty and love all around me. When I entered the Hakone Garden, I had taken my sketch pad and a black ink pen. I was nervous and almost afraid to even put the pen on the pad. I hadn't sketched or even painted in almost 7 years. I found the exact view I wanted to sketch, sat down, and started with the easiest part of the setting. The next thing I knew, I had completed my own version of the garden in 2 hours. All my fears, doubts, and blocks of loosing my gift disappeared. It was truly remarkable. I was lost in my own world, far away from where I was. It was so remarkable that I want to let all those who have the same doubts know that it also exists within them. You may say "I don't have any gifts" or "That's not for me." I disagree. If you don't believe you have many gifts, believe that you have at least ONE gift and work on fine tuning it and bringing it out. Once you bring out your main gift, other gifts will follow. As you continue to use your gift(s), you will see a gateway open that leads you on your path, and then another gateway, and another. The only way to allow other gifts to shine is to follow your passions and follow your bliss. I always like to share one of my favorite quotes by a mentor of mine, Joseph Campbell. He says, "Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be." Now go, put yourself out there and see what the Universe brings in. I promise you won't be disappointed. I believe in you.




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