mdolla: How I Found My Passion to Make Everyday of My Life Exciting

Did you know that a recent survey^[1] reported that more than half of all Americans are unhappy in their workplace? Do you often ask yourself, ‘what am I passionate about?’ Most people do. The dreams we have as children, even as young adults, often get derailed.

The good news is that changing the course of our lives, choosing a different path, is always an option. Change is terrifying and seemingly impossible to most people, but the reality is that we don’t have to make grand gestures or a complete 180 degree turnaround to start something new; to take that first step towards re-discovering what we are passionate about, what feeds our soul, what makes us the best possible version of ourselves and what allows us to live a life to its utmost potential, contribution and fulfillment.

Take the Following 5 Actions to Find out What You’re Passionate about

There are a number of suggestions ^[2] about how to find what you are passionate about, especially for when you are feeling lost and don’t actually know what gives you joy and inner peace. These are excellent ways to explore your interests and abilities, maintain your well being in all aspects and find the confidence to try new things, take risks and even learn from failure.

Identify Your Talent. You Always Have One.

Can you do something well? It doesn’t necessarily have to be something you have done before or practiced as a child like playing an instrument or a particular sport. It may be something more aligned to your personality, experience and interests as an adult. Perhaps you are very funny or are good at making people laugh and smile, you may be an excellent speaker and feel confident speaking in large groups or in front of a crowd.

Through life and work experience, you may have discovered new skills or perfected potential that you wouldn’t have considered when you were younger. You might be good at motivating others, or have suddenly discovered that you are excellent at taking a fantastic photograph. Think about things that have stood out, that you know you do well, that other people tell you you do well and that you know you have a natural ability to improve on and perfect.

Find The Cause Of Your Genuine Happiness.

Keep it simple. What are the things that truly make you happy? They could be aspects of your life that are already present, like caring for your children or pets, tinkering with your car, going fishing, decorating your home, buying and styling new clothes, brewing beer, tasting wine, cooking a meal or tending to a garden.

Seemingly mundane and every day activities that give us pleasure could open a window into our passions. If you pay close attention to the things you get excited about, you could make a self discovery that you hadn’t considered previously.

Think Outside The Box: How Can You Positively Influence Others?

It is easy to think that everything has been done before, that nothing you desire is new or innovative and worth getting excited about. So, why not redirect desire outwards? Instead of only considering what makes you happy, why not think about what can make the people around you happy?

How can you contribute to your family and friends, your community or humanity in general? You may love to play guitar and be really good at it, but have you considered how a beautiful song can make someone feel? How music can change a person’s day or perhaps see them through a difficult time in their lives? Considering not only what we can take, but also what we can give can not only be a source of fulfillment, but also a source of empowerment.

Shared Passion Is Always Possible.

Discovering your own passions through the things that other people are passionate about is a source of connection that is unsurpassed. Have you ever been to a concert with thousands of people all experiencing the same euphoria and celebration and felt the power of universal passion?

Maybe you’ve been involved in a collaborative project or pursuit and shared common interests and expertise with others that allowed the exchange of mutual benefits and support. Sometimes simply doing what others are doing and enjoying is an easy way to learn about yourself.

Look What Your Close Relatives Excel in (And You May Be Equally Good at It!)

Look for the common threads in your lineage, your cultural background and your familial and kinship past. There may be hidden talents, passions and abilities that have been lost or curtailed over time that you can take responsibility for re establishing.

There’s an old mythical saying that some things are simply ‘in your blood’. Why not test that theory? Was your grandmother a keen artist, or your grandfather a master craftsman? What are the people of your ancestry known for and could you do it too? You may tap into a pool of passion that you hadn’t yet considered, but that has been at the tip of your fingertips all along.

Make It A Life’s Passion.

Ask yourself if what you are passionate about is something you can realistically commit to or will it have a use by date, which is not always a bad thing. It doesn’t have to be the first activity or pursuit that you try out either. Don’t be afraid to fail or change your mind. That is part of the process and half the fun.

If you see the answer to ‘what am I passionate about?’ as a journey as opposed to a destination, the potential to tap into your passion is endless. You see, a passion isn’t merely an activity, it’s a desire and as they say…many roads lead to Rome.