Passion. It's what drives us. Pleases our soul and fuels our hopes and dreams.
I look at today’s title and chuckle a little bit to myself. Shouldn’t passion be what gets you in bed?! It gets us in there at some point or another, but it should definitely be something that consistently gets you out of bed as well to do the soul fulling work you were meant to do.
For a very long time, passion alluded me. I didn’t have something that really inspired me. You know, something that captured my attention, kept my focus and was constantly at the top of my “to do” list. I knew something was missing but really struggled to find out what that “something” was.
I let it go for a long time telling myself that even if I found it, I would be too busy to pursue it, or it would be too silly or impractical. Also, you don’t see people just running around singing the praises of their passion to anyone who will listen, so maybe I wasn’t too far off base that passion was something that could wait.
Over time, it started to bother me. Why couldn’t I have a passion? Why couldn’t I be the person that ran around telling everyone what I was working on and hoping they would be just as enthralled with it as I was? I didn’t want to be annoying, but I did want something in my life outside of the day-to-day existence I was living. But how does that happen? How do you go about doing it?
The first thing I did was the wrong thing; I tried to force it. I tried to think about something, anything, really hard and see if it appealed to me. Watching television didn’t help either. While some of the things I saw other people doing looked mildly interesting, in the end it wasn’t for me. I was stuck.
In working with my own coach over the years, this was something we attempted to tackle on a number of occasions. She made suggestions, I gave things a try, we crossed things off the list and came up empty many times. You can’t just make passion happen.
However, you do have to keep trying. In my quest for passion, I found the most important thing you can do is let go. Eventually, the following process unfolded on its own and I let it lead the way.
1. Start by going back to basics.
Everyone grows up, but was there something you did as kid or young adult that really made you feel good, or special that you gave up? Why did you give it up? Was it not practical? Too expensive? Of all the scenarios I looked back on, there was a common theme of helping others. There was a strong message in that for me and I took notice.
If there is a sport, practice, hobby, profession or concept that still appeals to you, has no financial, physical, or other limitations to pursuing it, and those same butterflies come back when see it, read about it, or hear about it, why not go for it?
It boggles my mind that Tony Hawk is still skateboarding at his age (and we are the same age, ouch!) I mean, what must that be like? To have something so all-encompassing in your life that you discovered as a kid and still feel so passionately about. Sure, he’s experienced a lot in his life, both good and bad as a result of his passion. But maybe at its core, that’s what’s supposed to happen. You get to live a life guided by passion and the journey it takes you on.
Next I learned to…
2. Be open to new ideas.
If you keep your mind and options open, something you never thought might appeal to you could be just the thing you have been missing all your life.
I have a friend that’s close to my age (which you know now if you did the Tony Hawk research), who took up kickboxing about five years ago. I personally thought she’d lost her mind, but she was adamant that she was bored with her current workout and just wanted to try something new. She wasn’t sure about kick boxing, but she had tried a number of other things with no success. Did she like it? Yes she did! Fast forward to September 2022. She’s a kickboxing instructor that could probably take down a biker gang in an alley on her own! She lives, eats and sleeps kickboxing.
She moved a few years back and opened her own studio in her new hometown. I call her “The Crazy Kick Boxing Lady,” and she loves it. Did I ever work out with her? Nah, not my thing. But I’m glad it’s hers.
With that in mind, I made sure to…
3. Connect with something you care deeply about; passion is personal.
I was lost in my pursuit for passion. I was beginning to think I didn’t have any. However, one decision I made for my own personal health and wellbeing changed everything.
In taking control of my eating and approach to physical movement, I found my passion.
When I lost 50+ pounds, improved my health and changed my mindset, I knew I was hooked on personal improvement. And, as luck would have it, my coach mentioned health coaching to me in passing one day. I had no idea there was even such a thing as health coaching! I did the research, went back to school, became obsessed and haven’t looked back since.
What I love is that it’s my personal mission now to pass on this feeling to others seeking it. Finding my path was a sure sign of synchronicity. I was finally in the right place, at the right time, with the right suggestion based on my own actions and personal journey.
Now, once you find your passion…
4. Act with clarity as your guide.
When you are looking for passion, being open to new ideas and trying new things is very important. In the end however, you need to find something that is uniquely you.
Be clear on who you are and what your passion means to you. Don’t compare with others who have found their passion. Admire it, appreciate it, but never look at what someone else is doing and try to replicate it. There’s a reason they are who they are and there’s a reason you are who you are. You have different approaches and perspectives, experiences, and gifts. “Trying on” someone else’s passion might work for a while, but long-term you’ll find it difficult to sustain because the authenticity is just not there.
And finally…
5. Be fearless.
For many years, I came at life and change from a place of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of judgement and ultimately, there was no “safety” in the fear. I just was where I was.
Once you realize that it’s far better to stick your neck out there a bit rather than sit and watch the world go by, it’s a gamechanger. Pursue your passion with confidence and grace fueled by a desire to share it with others. Fear? What fear?
Quite simply, my passion for health coaching changed my life. It goes to sleep with me at night and gets me out of bed every morning. My “to do” list is always filled with the next thing I want to explore or share about it. That missing piece has been found.
Now, it’s your turn. Share your passion with me and how it shapes your life?
Still looking to find yours? I can work with you to help discover it.
Let’s talk about it.
Take care and be well,
Courtney
