What is your passion?
If that's got you thinking then you are looking in the wrong place.
Why? Passion is something which comes from the heart, not from your head. We all have things we know we enjoy but our passions ignite emotions within us that transcend simply liking or enjoying something. Passion is ingrained in our body and our soul; it lights a fire within us creating a sense of purpose, satisfaction and connection with ourselves like nothing else. We just need to find it.
When I asked the question "Do you know what your passion is", this week on Instagram a whopping 50% of people came back and said "No". You might be surprised it's so high but this really reflects the conversations I have with so many of my clients. If you are nodding your head right now, fear not because the chances are, you do in fact already know what your passion is, you just need to CONNECT with it.
So what gets in the way? Well let's start with perspective. If you begin the journey to connect with your passion with the mind set that "it's not realistic" then you are setting yourself up for failure. As an example, you may feel that your passion is clothes, you love fashion but your finances are limited. Does that mean you should simply give up on your passion? Take a step back and look at how you can connect with your passion in a realistic way. You could have a go at making your own clothes, start thrift shopping or upcycle. You could start drawing your own designs, or immerse yourself in fashion books and magazines, follow fashion leaders on social media or watch fashion inspired programs or films. Look for the ways that you can connect with that passion and bring it into your daily life in a way that works for you.
Perhaps at this moment you literally have no clue what lights your fire. Trying looking at your bookshelf or your film collection, is there a common theme. Think about what you loved as a child. What do you love talking about, what do you do that you just lose track of time. These are all great clues as to what your passion is. It's the same with your hobbies, they may not be your true passion but they can certainly give a hint as to what might be. What specifically do you love about them? For example if you play a sport, is it the sport itself or is it being outside or being part of a team. Think deeper about what it is that you love and you might just uncover your true passion.
Getting out of your comfort zone is another great way to find out what excites you. Trying something new will give you the opportunity to really connect with what excites and motivates you. Think about it, if you do the same thing day in day out and feel no passion, you will never give yourself the opportunity to figure out what ignites that spark of passion in you.
If you are still finding it hard to make the connection, try thinking about your perfect day. What would you be doing, where would you be, who would you be with. Remove all the practical limitations that your life may currently present and just allow your imagination to run wild. As you think about this perfect day, connect with how you feel, where do you feel it? Is your heart singing at the idea? Are you experiencing a feeling of purpose and true joy? Guess what you've found your passion!
So often the answer to what is your passion is right in front of you, you just aren't seeing it. You need to cultivate a belief in yourself, a belief that you have the right to experience passion in your life. Stop allowing the excuses and the should's and could's and accept nothing less for yourself than a life filled with passion.