Find Your Passion, Live Your Authentic Life
I have recently been in awe of two Takaka locals and their achievements – Sam Miles scaled Mount Cook and Claire Prebble had her costume design skills used in the smash hit movie Avatar (which I am yet to see), and both are younger than me!
I suppose hearing of these triumphs reminded me of the scope and heights of what we can accomplish if we want. I think finding your Passion (with a capital ‘P’) is key- whether it be mountaineering, costume design/creation or something else- singing in a band, practicing Qigong, baking cupcakes, belly dancing, creating Zucchini sculptures or even growing a particular variety of orchid. It seems to me that if you can identify your Passion and pour your energy and time into that area, you will grow and thrive and progress and achieve sparkly things, if only joy and fulfilment from doing that which you love.
I am unsure what exactly my Passion is yet.
However I seem to have a lot of things I like: writing poetry, reading novels, taking photos, cooking and baking for loved ones, dancing with abandon, eating cheese, eating chocolate, watching movies…but these could just fall under the ‘likes’ or ‘hobbies’ headings- perhaps I am yet to discover my Passion. Or maybe I just don’t know which one IS my Passion yet. Whatever it is, I am certain that doing that thing feels good, time slips and slithers away without dragging and I think there must be a sense of fulfilment there. It is a falling into the ‘flow’ or something; it is just easy to do it. It energises instead of depletes, because you are nourishing your authentic self when you do it.
So…I think the next step for me is to widen my horizons and try new things, but also spend a little more energy doing the things I already like, to see if I can find that timeless feeling there, an easy enjoyment and sense of awakened energy, of Passion. I have felt hints of it, and when I find it again, I will do more of that thing! I will feed it and see what unfurls and grows out and up into my life. I will tend to it and see what I can achieve. Publishing a book of poetry and photography perhaps? Getting training and work as a chocolatier or cheesemaker? A Film-maker? An Editor? I could be the Crazy Dancer Lady At All The Parties, wiggling and giggling and completely fulfilled!
Really, life is too short to spend doing things you are only half-interested in.
Discover your Passion: Live it! Explore it! Indulge it! Pursue it! Feed it!
And watch it grow.
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Tags: dreams, Emotional sustainability, Happiness, optimism, personal sustainability
You are on to it Hannah. Great to see you writing ideas to inspire people to find their Passion/s and good luck finding yours ! And what a great online magazine this is….so positive! ……….April
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Great peice Hannah! Very inspiring, particularly the last comment…
Really, life is too short to spend doing things you are only half-interested in.
Discover your Passion: Live it! Explore it! Indulge it! Pursue it! Feed it!
I just have a question, something that bothers me each and everytime I set out to ‘find’ my passion. How do you find the time to find your passion??? How do you not get bogged down in everyday life? My time is spent making lunches, driving to ballet, swimming lessons, work, housework, making dinner blah blah blah etc. DOnt get me wrong, I love taking care of my family and working to contribute to the mortgage etc….but where in all of that do I find my passion?? I’d love to know how others do it cos Im buggered if I can see past the vegemite sammies and toilet training (once again, Im not complaining about looking after my family here, just curious)
I certainly dont mean to rain on anyones positivity here, thats not my intention…just wondering how others do it??
Peace!
xxx
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Thank you April for your lovely feedback!
And to Sara- thank you for your response. Sadly I don’t have the answer for you
I suppose it might help to know that I don’t work fulltime, I have no children, I don’t have a student loan or mortgage or even a credit card…
My interest in discovering my Passion came from a conversation I had with someone who had overcome his Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by doing exactly what I’m talking about- his theory was that if you can find the thing that really lights your fire, that stimulates you to get up everyday, something that you can pour and pour energy into without feeling dragged down or held back by it (you may still feel exhausted by it!), then you can overcome illness and adversity or achieve greatness, whatever greatness looks like to you (not necessarily climbing great mountain-tops or having your work featured in worldwide-hit movies!). In his case I think it was breeding bulldogs.
This is something I listened deeply to as I’ve been trying to overcome illness myself at a time in my life when I ‘should’ have been out in the world just starting my working life. I have had it at the back of mind since that conversation in winter last year. Hearing about these Takaka locals reinforced to me that if you can find that thing, and are ABLE to devote time to it, you might accomplish some amazing things. As writing is something I love to do (I think it miiiiight be a Passion), just having my words out HERE is a huge achievement for me.
I understand your point- that people out there living in the ‘real’ world might not have the same ability to discover those things- certainly children and time-consuming jobs/careers would hamper someone who is, like me, yet to discover their passion. People with chronic illness too, may feel it an impossible task when they do not even have the energy to make a cup of tea (I’ll just add here that I read of a woman who was bed-ridden with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome but who loved to write and actually dictated a book).
So might you know the feeling I’m talking about? From back before career and your children required so much time?
Maybe it requires thinking differently too, perhaps there is something new in your life that has arisen SINCE you had children that really sparks something in you?
I guess what I’m getting at is that IF it is possible, try and discover the things that you really love and do more of them. If you can. These people I mentioned are young, younger than me, at a time in their lives when anything really IS possible (from a mind-set point of view. Of course anything is ‘possible’ at any moment).
I personally have found it a useful concept to consider at a time in my life when things have been feeling really hard. If nothing else, I wanted you to think about the things you love, and trying to make them a priority if that is posssible.
Be well!
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Hey there Hannah,
Thank you for your response. You certainly have given me quite a bit to think about. I do agree with you in the sense that perhaps thinking differently may be the key to finding time to devote to whatever my passion might be. With such a tight schedule I just assumed its much easier to get into a strict routine and go with it…this way avoiding any chaos and never letting the ‘ball drop’. But really, what kind of example is this to my kids…if I cant enjoy lifes simplicities (is that a word?) and show them examples of the pure joy that is indulging in ones passion!?! And really, if someone overcoming an illness can find the time and energy, then certainly, with my healthy state so can I.
Thanks Hannah, I really have enjoyed reading your peice and response. Certainly, with me, you’ve achieved your goal….because you’ve got me thinking and with a bit of luck, finding the time to do something I love, whatever that may be!
All the best
Sara
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Thank you Sara!
You helped me realise too how easy it is to wax poetic about all these lovely things without founding them in cold hard reality…for some of us it is easier to play and discover and put ourselves first in the experiences of making life better or more fulfilling.
I have to say- you sound like a really dedicated mother and family member, which is nothing to sneeze at. I would still encourage you to set aside some time to pursue something that only you enjoy though- I’ve watched my own mother, as I’ve gotten older (and wiser?), and often thought it would be so wonderful if she could have prioritised herself more. I don’t like the word ‘indulged’ here, because it sounds guilt-inducing, but I wish she HAD indulged more of life’s pleasures for herself. I wonder now if she even knows the things that used to spark her inner fire, and whether she could devote some time and energy to that without feeling like she’s letting someone down by taking that energy away from them.
Anyway, once again thank you for your thoughts- it has been good to think a little deeper about the things I am sharing out here
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