What are you passionate about?
I had a really interesting conversation today with a woman who related to me that her young (18 yr old) daughter went away to a spiritually centered “camp” where they looked deeply at existential issues. Her daughter called home one night crying. Through her tears the child was finally able to tell her mom the “problem”. Her mentor had told the young woman/child that she needed to figure out what her passion was and she was distraught because she did not know and felt she had to figure this out. She asked her mom, how she came to know what she was passionate about and when this happened.
Her mother related to her that she never really tried to figure out her passion. Instead she came to know what passion was when she gave birth to her, this daughter, her first child. She said that was when she finally understood what it was to be passionate about something…that you are truly passionate when you completely give yourself over to something or in this case someone, when you lose yourself and become part of something bigger. Wow! As I listened to her story I knew that my Higher Power was sending me this very clear message through this woman’s story. Passion is when you completely give yourself over, when you lose yourself while giving to this entity that is related to you but bigger than you. Amazing how the Universe keeps on giving me these gifts of clarity!
What are you passionate about, and if you don’t know how do you figure it out?
(first posted 4.30.09)
When I was younger…through my thirties, my passion was my career. It wasn’t a conscious choice. I worked to build my business with singular focus. Work came before any other activities…of course. Was this a passion or an addiction or an act of God? I always felt my career was less my choice and more imprinted in me…a family genetic imperative. Thirty years later, I have the experience to work at a more leisurely pace. This is good as it is a requirement of a chronic health issue which inhibits acting on passion as much as I would like. Given a choice, I would prefer to play in my recently discovered talent of painting and creating…to wander in imaginings, to dance, swirl and laugh colors. I would rather open my heart and touch yours with kisses unconditional love. I am tired of pushing this unwilling body…. In this morning’s vision, I am taking off in high flight..free of gravity.
What a wonderful story…Finding my passion took over twenty years. I–like many of my friends– tried to live my father’s dream for quite some time. To be sure, it’s a wonderful feeling to have one of your children follow in your footsteps…I know, because my eldest son seems to be gravitating toward my profession–the world of organizational development…helping organizations become places where people are unleashed to pursue their passions.
What’s the secret to finding your passion? For the lucky ones…it emerges naturally…more often than not it comes from a prolonged journey. Mine was the latter. So what can we do to help ensure we find our passion…what’s the right road to follow? For me, it was having the courage to try different paths…overcoming the fear of starting over. Only recently have I discovered what a blessing my prolonged –and oft times painful –journey has been. It has taught me the value of what some people call the “beginners mind.” The mindset that says you always have something to learn… even when you are at the top of your game.
I am so thankful that I did not give up and remain stuck in a career that provided little more than a paycheck. It feels great to have opened the door to a world–where virtually every day I get affirmation that the journey has been worth every painful step along the way.