What wakes you up every morning? What gets you really excited?!
Everyone has a dream or something that really excites them. The problem is that vision is quickly lost, especially when you get caught up in the day-to-day stuff either for work or being a parent. The focus is no longer you but everything else, meaning everything else gets priority and if you happen to have time, your passion appetite may get fed here and there.
Many people also don’t know what their passions are, which is sad because this means they are just going through the motions in life.
When you are passionate about something, you put your all into it and life is exciting because you can’t wait to get to the next step! You work so hard, giving it your 110%+ on something that may mean nothing to someone else but you. This is tremendously important because this passion is what wakes you up in the morning full of energy. No matter what happens in your day, you’re laser-focused to make things right so you can keep working away. To get to this point you have to know what excites you and drives you. In order to know that, you have to explore.
Explore and get past your comfort zone!
You have to try new things, and I’m not talking about anything that harms your body or drugs or anything like that. I’m talking about traveling, dancing, new food, new sports, new books, art classes, etc. I’m not a classical music person, but I learned in college that I enjoy listening to classical music or spa music when studying because it helps me focus more. I also enjoy watching those old cartoons that only play classical music and have no dialogue. Had I never tried studying with classical music or watch those old cartoons with my mom, I would have never taken any sort of liking to classical music.
I’m also afraid of heights, but I love zip-lining! Rock climbing is ok to a certain level..lol. but I enjoy the socialization and watching how far people go up. It pushed me way past my comfort zone, but had I not tried either, I would never be able to say what I like and don’t like.
Don’t let your fears get in the way of your growth!
Following your passions will help you stay on track with your life purpose. You may not know what your purpose is exactly, but if you follow your passions, you’ll fall into your life purpose. If not, then you’ll end up doing something for the sake of doing, something very easy to fall into with work and even being a parent. My favorite reminder is Oprah’s life story. Had she just continued to work for the news, then she would have never fallen into what she is known for worldwide today. Not following your passions leads you to work in something that will make you miserable. Many times you look at things and say, “well I’ve already put so much time into it”, or “I’m too old”, or “I’ve spent too much money not to make it work”, or even “if I don’t then who’s going to put food on my table and a roof over my head for me and my family”. I’m not suggesting you quit your job; I am suggesting you find, try, and do things that energize, that excite you! Maybe something crafty, or something for the community, or something simple like writing. Whatever it is, you have to follow it because you never know when an opportunity will arise that will use your passions on a higher level to serve those around you.
Life Purpose
Stay true to yourself and your passions will energize your life, otherwise, life will drain you. Not only will it help you enjoy life on another level, but it will also help you appreciate people, situations, and other experiences a little more. This is what directs you to your life purpose. If you feel full and energized about life, then you’ll find yourself living your life purpose. If not, then you get a sense of being lost or just moving forward like a robot, checking in and checking out with your day to day stuff.
I find it hard to believe that the only thing anyone was ever put on earth was for simply being having children to be a parent. Your life is more than that, but you’ll never know if you don’t follow your dreams, or follow your passions; whatever gets you excited like a little kid waiting to get their ice-cream! Let that inner-child come out and lead you sometimes.
This is Part 3 in my Life Lessons series. Read Part 1 on Finances HERE or Part 2 on Communication HERE.
