Stepping into Your Passion

The more I work with clients in figuring out their passion, the more I am amazed at the depths we will go to in order to NOT do what we love.  Sounds crazy, but I swear it is true!!  One of the main reasons people initially contact me is that they are looking for more passion, more excitement in the work they do.    Yes, a big part of my job is to help people figure out what they are passionate about, but a larger part of my job is to give people the permission to go after what they are passionate about.

The process isn't necessarily in the naming, the process is in getting comfortable with what has already been named. When you finally get around to saying what it is you are passionate about, naming it, saying it can be THE hardest part!  Not because what your are doing or saying is so huge to the person you are saying it to, but it is so huge to you.  And the minute you say, yep I am going to be a farmer or I am going to be a teacher, nurse, architect, is the minute you hear all the voices in your head saying "what?!?! you can't do that, who are you do THAT".

Frequently I have met with clients, who have gone to school for a particular passion that at one time they loved and they loved it in school too--but when they got out of school, the voices were too great, the negativity too much and so they slowly convinced themselves that they didn't want to do the job they had gone to training for.  Even though they were trained, they loved it, they were happy...the voices were too much. When it comes to living happier, getting out our own way--is hands down one of the hardest things to do.

For me, the only way I know to get out of our own way is to remind ourselves it is a process that involves baby steps.  A process of naming your passion, owning it, identifying with it and working towards it--all while acknowledging but not listening to your fear mongers.

Recently a bit of this process happened for me.  I love writing, it is something I am passionate about and yet I have a hard time saying I am a writer. Recently I had someone ask me about becoming a writer, like me.  My first reaction was "WHAT?!? I am not a writer, followed by flashback to my high school writing classes where I never felt confident, I even saw the face of my high school teacher saying--writer, who are you kidding" My face, most have shown because the person replied, I mean you write all the time with your blog and articles and such, you consider yourself a writer yes?   I reminded myself that owning yes I am a writer--is all part of the process of embracing what you are passionate about.  And just like that I stepped into being a writer, mongers be damned.

So be patient with yourself--remember it is a  PROCESS--one that takes trial and error.  But the most important part of this process? Taking the first step and stepping into your passion.

What are you passionate about?  What do some of your fear mongers say about this passion?

Photo Credit:  Brett Jordan via Flickr