There is great advice for self-improvement all over the web. Many of us have heard time and time again “Do something that makes you happy.” Or “Find a job that you love!” While that might be great advice, how to do it seems a bit more elusive. As I started to learn more about blogging, all the advice said to write about something that you are passionate about. That started me thinking, “What am I really passionate about?” I didn’t know! I thought at first I would just mimic other bloggers that I admire and follow, but let’s face it; there are tons of amazing bloggers out there! It’s a bit intimidating starting out. While listening to someone elaborate on it, she said “Blog about the thing that you just can’t shut up about!” That was my starting point.
My old Webster dictionary defines “Passionate” as “A. Capable of, affected by, or expressing intense feeling. B. Enthusiastic.” I started asking myself “what am I really enthusiastic about?” What are you really enthusiastic about? What can you NOT stop talking about? What really lights a fire under you and makes you feel alive? Each and every one of us has a purpose and a calling. What is yours? Where do you shine the brightest at? We all have different gifts and just because your gift is not like your friend’s gift, does not mean that it is not a good gift. It takes all kinds of gifts, and those gifts are best when they are shared.
I knew all that, but I still didn’t know the answer to the original question, so I went for a walk. For some reason, that helps me to think more clearly. I thought back to the time when I was most enthusiastic. For me, I was in my early 20s and I was teaching. I loved it, it made me feel alive, but for me, it was mostly about trying to make a difference in the lives of my students. I wanted to show my students love. I wanted to be an example. I wanted to be a good role model. I wanted to help be a force for good in their young lives that were often times less than perfect and chaotic. I wanted to make a difference in the world, one person at a time. I still want that, but it has been a long time since I actually felt like I was doing it very well to any degree. That, my friends, I think is my passion. That is the driving force behind my blog, that is what motivates me and what makes me feel alive.
Friends, ask yourself, “What makes me feel alive? What do I really want to do? What makes me happy?” Take a good long look at yourself, examine yourself, and really think about the question. You may not be in a position to do it for a job. It may not be something that you can do to get a paycheck, at least not right now. But chances are, there is some part of that dream that you CAN pursue right now! Sometimes hobbies can turn into jobs, sometimes they can be a side hustle, sometimes, they just stay hobbies, and that’s ok! Whatever level that you want to pursue your passion at is ok. It’s YOUR passion after all.
Perhaps, though, you are reading through this and you think, “Ok, this all sounds great in theory, but there is nothing that I can think of that just really lights a fire under me. There is not all that much that I get excited about anymore.” If this is the case for you, then ask yourself “Why do I feel this way?” What has robbed you of the joy in your life? Are you too tired to enjoy it? Perhaps you are too busy? Perhaps you have too many irons in the fire, too many bills to pay, too many worries to be concerned with things like finding your passion. You have time to do the things that you make time for. We each have an allotted amount of time. Like money, we choose how to spend it and what to spend it on and how much of it to spend. Each of us has a gift and a purpose. Will you find your passion, and choose to spend some of your time pursuing it? Or will you choose to only survive? That is the beautiful thing: It is your life and your choice. It is entirely up to you.