“I was working in an elementary school as an assistant language teacher. Sometimes they let me do things that I could create, and the rest of the time I just did what they told me to do.

PBS series The Power of Myth, Campbell

ways to go. There’s so much more to education than just teaching.”

someone is likely to reach for a prescription pad. Some cases may be genuine; many may not. Several studies have suggested that in many cases ADD and ADHD are being diagnosed after the briefest of examinations.

Our own lives are all shaped by the crosscurrents of our personalities and the circumstances in which we live. The decisions you make and that others make for you all influence the paths you take or turn away from. Finding your Element means reflecting on your own cultural circumstances—on the opportunities for growth that you want and need now.

life is not linear; it is organic. My life, like yours, is a constant process of improvisation between my interests and personality on the one hand and circumstances and opportunities on the other. The one affects the other. Many of the opportunities you have in your life are generated by the energy you create around you.

Let’s start with your own assumptions. You

To find your Element you may have to challenge your own beliefs about yourself.

To find out what lies within, you also have to look outside yourself. You need to try new activities, visit new places and meet new people. You need to put yourself in the way of new opportunities and test yourself in different circumstances. If there are activities or experiences you have wanted to try, you should try them. If there are things tha