5 Ways to Discover Your Passion in Life
Finding what you’re passionate about in life may come easy for some people, but not so much for others. In life, we’re always told to “follow your passion”, but knowing what exactly it is that we’re passionate about and would be fulfilling to us isn’t always that straightforward.
Many people also often have more than one interest or hobby that they’re passionate about, and that’s totally normal and okay. It’s not always necessary or realistic to expect just one area of expertise to be enough to fulfill you.
It’s often better to live a lifestyle that allows you to have more than one interest and passion encompassed in your day-to-day living.
For example, on this blog, I write about a variety of topics, because I have a lot of different interests and topics that I’m passionate about.
If you find yourself in this boat, it’s best to look for jobs or a lifestyle that allows you to incorporate everything (or most things) that you’re passionate about, and be able to make it a part of your life.
Related post: 6 Tips to Find the Right Path in Life
1. Get to Know Yourself
The most important step in finding your passion is getting to know yourself. Without having a clear understanding of who you are, it’ll be hard to find what you’re passionate about and really know what you love and want to do.
Self-Reflection
Self-reflection is a big part of getting a better understanding of who you are. It’s one of the best ways to find different patterns and habits about yourself that you normally wouldn’t notice otherwise, and it’s a great way to find out what makes you happy and fills you with passion and excitement.
I prefer doing this through journaling, or sitting in contemplation and thinking about certain important questions. There’s so much I’ve come to realize about myself by just asking the things that matter and sitting and reflecting on each question.
Studies show that self-reflection is an amazing tool that “significantly improves learning and performance”, and can help you “improve your strengths, align your values and goals, and track your growth”.
So if this is not a habit you’re in the practice of doing, it’s definitely worth giving it a try. Below are some questions to consider answering when self-reflecting:
What are your values?
This question can be hard to answer for some, which is why it’s important to really give yourself the time to sit and think about it, for as long as you need.
I often spend anywhere from 10-20 minutes thinking about a single question, or journal a whole page or two thinking about how it’s relevant and important for me to have an answer, and what that question truly means to me.
For example, having morals is important because it defines what we consider to be our truths. Values are important because they tell us of the things we consider to be essential to life, that align with our truths. Without values, it’s very hard to have a clear direction for where you want to go, because you don’t really know what you value or consider important in life.
What are your goals?
Knowing your goals will often translate into figuring out what skills you have to master in order to reach them. For example, if your goal is to become a full-time blogger, then you have to get really good at marketing, writing, editing, SEO, designing, etc.
I decided to major in marketing, and it became a huge interest of mine, because I knew I had that goal of working from home on my own time and not having to report to anyone, and learning good marketing was a big part of reaching that goal.
What are your strengths and accomplishments?
These can also lead you to finding hidden passions you may have overlooked or haven’t thought to pursue. Make a list of everything you’re good at, as well as major accomplishments in life, and skills that helped you get there.
Then, look over your list and choose a few that interest you that you may want to look into further.
What makes you happy? What gets you excited?
I think we all have a few activities or hobbies we can think of that we look forward to, or that put us in a good mood whenever we decide to do them. For me, this includes drawing, dancing, writing, working on any sort of craft or project, gardening, and sometimes even baking. I also like cleaning the house and listening to music, or just being outside in nature.
For extroverted people, this can include talking to people, possibly working specific types of jobs that involve others, having deep conversations, etc. For adventurous types, it could mean exploring hidden gems in their area or traveling to cool new locations.
Make a list of all these things, and think about how each one on the list makes you feel. Sometimes, your passion can come from an area you never really thought to consider, but realize is something that always excites you to do and makes you very happy.
Which activities do you feel more inclined to do? Which ones do you put off?
While motivation tends to come and go, if you find yourself always putting off the same types of activities, while looking forward to others more, it may be a good time to ask why that is.
In some cases, the activity may just require more work and effort and still be fun and enjoyable, but if you dread it every time you sit down to do it, then it may be worth questioning what the reason behind that is.
This could be a big sign that you’re not as passionate about some activities as you are others, which is totally normal and completely okay.
However, it’s still always important to explore the reason why you may be dreading an activity, as it could simply be a mental block, bad past experience, perfectionism getting in the way, or something similar.
What have been the most meaningful times in your life? Why?
This is another question that can help uncover hidden parts of ourselves and potential interests that we may not have thought about too much or been aware of before.
2. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
In order to grow in life and discover more about yourself, it’s important to get out of your comfort zone. It’s often with trying new experiences that we really grow the most and learn the most about who we are.
You’ll never know if you’re good at something or come to like it unless you try it first, so always keep an open mind, and if new opportunities present themselves to you, go ahead and take them on.
Read also: The Importance of Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
When I was in elementary school, I remember my parents would always encourage me to try new sports and join different types of clubs, but I never wanted to and always opted out of extracurricular activities.
When I got to middle school, however, I decided I was going to change things up, and I joined a bunch of different clubs, and started doing dance, gymnastics, and even taking swimming lessons.
I realized pretty early on that I had a huge passion for both dance and gymnastics, and I still to this day love doing both.
3. Explore Your Hobbies and Interests
Most of us already have hobbies and interests that we’ve had since we were young, or developed over the years in our adolescence or adulthood.
Sometimes, as we get older, we unfortunately give up doing these hobbies and engaging in these fun activities, because we get so focused on a career or a particular path, and end up missing out on things that we may actually be more passionate about than anything we’re currently doing.
If your life is feeling lackluster and void of passion and excitement, it may be a good idea to bring back those activities that used to excite you when you were younger, and explore them now as an adult. You never know how your experience may be different (or still feel the same!).
4. Notice Who and What Inspires You
Sometimes, we don’t even realize our fascination for a certain type of interest, until we notice someone else who’s already doing it, is good at it, or is an expert in that field, whom we start to admire. Notice what types of people you find yourself drawn to, or specific activities that others are doing that you find yourself inclined to want to do as well.
I didn’t discover my love for playing the viola until my older brothers began to do it in school, and I followed in their footsteps. I realized I had a blast doing it and continued to play it all the way up until the end of high school.
While I’ve always loved the idea of playing instruments, it never would’ve occurred to me to choose the viola if my brothers hadn’t done it first. While I’ve tried other instruments since, and do enjoy the piano as well, the viola is definitely the instrument I’ve always had the most fun with.
Related post: Uncovering the Secret to Genuine Happiness
5. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be very helpful to clear your mind of stress and help focus on the present. It’s hard to find your passion when you’re always worked up about something and constantly stressed out about how you’re going to get through the day.
I try to make it a priority of mine to meditate for at least 10 minutes every day, and also journal throughout the day anytime I have anything on my mind that’s bringing me worry or anxiety.
When you’re calm and able to think clearly, engaging in activities that you feel passionate about and experiencing feelings of passion, come more easily and happen much more effortlessly.
If you feel like you’re at a loss for passion in your life, ask yourself if you’re frequently stressed out about the things going on in your life, and if you have trouble clearing your brain and moving on to tasks that interest you.
If so, it may be a good idea to incorporate some form of mindfulness into your day.
Finding your passion in life isn’t always easy, but with a bit of discovery and self-reflecting, you can uncover all the things that light you up with joy and bring more excitement and passion into your life.
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