Passion is rarely a fixed state, and feeling passionate about something can wax and wane throughout life.
However, staying connected to your passions can maintain your emotional well-being, improve your relationships, and give you a deeper sense of purpose. This can be especially important if you’re navigating difficult life circumstances. Passion acts as an anchor, as something to hold onto, during the changing seasons of life. If you’ve been in a rut or feeling relatively apathetic, it may be time to prioritize rediscovering your passion.
Embrace a Curious Perspective That Focuses on Passion
Having an abundant, passionate life may seem unfeasible, especially during life’s harder moments. If you struggle with depression or other mental health issues, the idea of finding passion might even seem more far-fetched.
But discovering or rediscovering passion first starts with curiosity. Can you be curious about the role passion could play in your life? Can you be curious about what hobbies, activities, or relationships might pique your interest? Can you be curious about the possibility of being even just slightly more open to new experiences?
It’s important to remember that passion doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing journey. Even dedicating just a few minutes a day or a couple of hours over the weekend can make a big difference in helping you feel rejuvenated.
Think About What You Once Loved
Young children are inherently passionate without even trying. They are engaged in the present moment as they move through their days, taking in as many sensory experiences as possible. They have a zest for life without quite realizing it.
While you can’t physically go back to childhood, you can mentally return to those creative activities or hobbies that once excited you. Maybe you loved playing a particular sport. Maybe you enjoyed spending hours crafting in your room, devouring books, or tending to your pets.
Although you may not share the same passion today, there’s a good chance that whatever made you feel excitement when you were younger draws some parallels to what your main interests might be today.
Think About How You Wish You Spent Your Free Time
If you had enough time or enough money, how would you optimally like to use your free time?
Sometimes, the inner work of finding your passion comes down to focusing on what you already enjoy doing (but may not realize you care so deeply about). Other times, it’s about tuning into those things that have always been on some bucket list. What activities have you always wanted to try? What kind of class were you interested in taking at some point? Which skill set do you wish you could have cultivated?
Answering these questions may deepen your insight into where your true passion lies. You may need to spend some time experimenting with new things, but it’s worth the effort.
Make Room For Your Fears and Discomforts
Although it can be exciting to pursue your passions, it can also be unnerving to step out of your comfort zone, especially if you tend to worry about failure or rejection.
Even when the change is enjoyable, any form of change can feel initially destabilizing. However, it can be beneficial to simply accept the emotions for what they are. Embracing a mindfulness practice may help- this simply entails acknowledging your present feelings without trying to change them.
Connect Your Passion With Others
Sometimes passion is best when it’s shared with loved ones.
For example, you might find yoga to be that much more enjoyable if you find a class with others who are equally passionate. Or, you may decide to pursue a certain hobby with a friend or spouse- this can be a way for you two to connect in a new way.
Furthermore, don’t rule out people at work. Many people with the same career (or adjacent careers) end up having similar interests, so it’s possible that you can extend your passionate pursuits beyond your place of business.
Therapy to Find Your Passion and Embrace More Wholehearted Living
We often lose our sense of passion when we get bogged down by the hustling motion of daily life. Depression and other mental health conditions can also make it challenging to pursue passion.
But amazing things can happen when you pursue what electrifies you: you may notice changes in your relationship, career, self-esteem, and overall mood. This is because feeling authentic with what matters to you can create
If you struggle to understand your true feelings or needs, it can be beneficial to seek guidance from a supportive therapist. Human beings are drawn toward embracing passion and honoring personal growth, but it’s equally easy to spend your whole life feeling like you don’t quite know where to start.
Whether you’re standing at that starting line or in the middle of your journey, I am here to help. Together we can discover your passions, needs, and what brings you positive energy.
Please feel free to contact me to schedule an initial consultation.