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8 Ways to Discover Your Passion and Live a Life You Love
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Do n t w o rry a b o ut w ha t the w o rld ne e d s . As k w ha
t ma k e s yo u co me a live a nd d o tha t, b e ca us e w ha t the
w o rld ne e d s is p e o p le w ho
ha ve co me a live . ~Ho w a rd T hurma n
I didnt spend two years and $100,000 for a masters degree in
counseling from an Ivy League university so that I could be
miserable and hate my life 50
hours a week, but thats what happened.
After a few years in the trenches of the non-profit world, my
job had become so emotionally draining that it was taking a vicious
toll on my health and causing
gripping anxiety attacks. I felt exhausted more often than not,
and I was scrambling to find scraps of happiness in my previously
joy-filled life.
When I took the time to listen, my inner monologue sounded
something like this:
Yo u k no w yo u re no t d o ing w ha t yo u lo ve . Yo ur li fe
la ck s a d e e p e r me a ning , a nd yo u ha ve no id e a w ha t
yo u re re a lly p a s s io na te
a b o ut. Wha t in the w o rld a re yo u d o ing w ith yo ur li
fe ?
I wanted to do more, but I had no idea which path I wanted to
take. I felt confused, stuck, and worst of all, embarrassed by my
lack of direction. I was
treading water as I waited for a sign as to what my next step
should be.
As the months continued to pass, I became more aware of how I
was wasting time. I saw my life passing me by, leaving me only with
regrets and what ifs.
F ina lly, I w a s b ruta lly ho ne s t w ith mys e lf a b o ut
my unha p p ine s s a nd I e mb a rk e d o n s o me s e r io us s o
ul-s e a rching . I a s k e d mys e lf
Home Posit ive A rt icles 8 Way s to Di sc over Your Passi on
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11/27/13 8 Ways to Discover Your Passion and Live a Life You
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to ug h q ue s tio ns a nd le a rne d w ha t i t fe lt lik e to
b e a uthe ntica lly me . I d is co ve re d tha t my unha p p ine s
s w a s ro o te d in my la ck o f
p a s s io n a nd I s lo w ly b e g a n ta k ing co ntro l.
Six months later, I launched my own coaching business. A year
later, I quit my job, reclaimed my life, and I have never been
happier.
But that doesnt mean everything fell into place perfectly.
Even though I had been building my own business for several
months before I left my job, I was still scared. I didnt know if I
would be able to support myself
financially or if my business would be sustainable.
In order to build up my savings, there were months of saying no
to happy hours and weekend brunch dates, moving in with a friend to
decrease my rent, and
cutting corners to save every dollar possible.
F o llo w ing my p a s s io n w a s e mo tio na lly cha lle ng
ing a nd a le a p o f fa ith, b ut I ne ve r w o rr ie d a b o ut
ma k ing the w ro ng cho ice b e ca us e
I k ne w I d id n t w a nt to b e unha p p y a ny lo ng e r , a
nd tha t w a s mo re imp o rta nt to me tha n a ny p a yche ck
.
It is terrifying when you feel like your life has no purpose or
direction, but finding your passion can change all that. Finding
your passion is like finding your
personal road map. When you know what your passion is, you feel
motivated, inspired, and so much clearer about what your next step
should be.
8 Ways to Discover Your Passion and Live a Life You Love1. Slow
down.
When we slow down, we are able to tap into the best version of
ourselves, which is most often when we find the answers weve been
searching for. This might
mean practicing yoga, going for daily walks, or setting aside
time each day to meditate. Slowing down allows you to quiet the
outside voices and listen to
yourself.
2. Change your story.
We all tell ourselves stories about who we are, what were
capable of, and what we deserve. If we can identify our
self-limiting stories (Im not good enough;
I dont deserve to be happy, etc.), then we can begin writing new
stories that are grounded in confidence and courage, and map out
actions that move us from
one to the other.
3. Own your uniqueness.
We are here for a reason. No one else has your unique blend of
talents, wisdom, strengths, skills, and creativity. We all have
something great to offer, and
learning to accept and own what makes you unique is crucial to
sharing your gifts with the world.
4. Cultivate confidence.
If we are continually telling ourselves we cant, then we will
never believe we can. There is a chance you may fail, but it will
be impossible to succeed if you
dont believe in yourself. You can create affirmations, focus on
the things you want, or make a vision board that shows your future
success.
5. Find the themes.
Recognizing the recurring themes in our lives creates a pattern
for us to either follow or change. What themes or lessons seem to
constantly surface in your
life? What are you drawn to again and again? What areas of life
seem to be full of discomfort and pain? What areas are full of joy
and light?
6. Write.
Ideas flow more freely when we write without an agenda. New
inspiration may appear unexpectedly and it becomes easier to
connect the dots. Spend a few
minutes of quality time each day with a pen and paper allowing
yourself to process your thoughts without influence from the
outside world.
7. Focus on the fun.
Too often we get wrapped up in the expectations we set for
ourselves. We focus on the details and the to-do lists instead of
what is most important. What do
you love to do? What makes you smile? If money were limitless,
what would you be doing today?
8. Push past fear.
Its so seductive to tell ourselves thats well go after what we
want when we have more experience, more money, or more time, but
the truth is, that will never
happen. We must identify these excuses as masks for our fear.
Its only when we get clear on our fears and recognize how it is
holding us back, we can begin