“Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.”
                      ~ Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel

“What are you passionate about?” – one of my favourite questions that often stops people in their tracks. People often reply, “Passion? What’s passion? How do I know I have it? I don’t think I have any – how do I find it?”

What is passion?
Passion: feeling alive, fulfilled and full of energy. The buzz you get when you’re truly excited – about a thought, a relationship, a feeling or an activity. It’s turning on the faucet of joy when you’re engaged in what excites you.
 
How do I know I have it?
You may feel a sense of calm. You’ll feel it in every cell of your body, feeling lighter, freer and at peace. Time seems to stand still when you’re engrossed in a passion. If you make a living doing what you’re passionate about, you’ll find yourself saying, “I can’t believe I actually get paid to do this!” Passion can be experienced as a moment of bliss – a feeling that everything is exactly as it should be.

How do I find it?
The road to living a passion-filled life is one of ongoing evolution. Here are some of the steps of this journey:

Reflect. Think about the people, places, things, ideas and activities in your life that have made you feel alive. 

Tweak. Notice where you incorporate the things that light you up and adjust your activities to allocate more time and energy into the things that bring you passion.

Eliminate. Sometimes the path to passion is blocked by negativity. To eliminate these blocks, shift your thoughts to ones of possibility; redesign relationships that consistently bring you down; change your life circumstances – job, lifestyle, location – to provide a framework for passion. Take a stand for your passion by doing the tough work of eliminating the blocks. 

Leap. Living a passionate life is not for the faint of heart. Take risks, do things differently and be open to the vulnerability inherent in living a full, passionate life. Without risk there are no returns.

Notice. Over time, your passions may change. What worked five years ago may no longer light your fire. That’s evolution. Notice what’s real for you now and make the necessary adjustments to realign with the ‘new you’. 

Savour. Be grateful for all you create – it’s essential. Bathe in the experience of living a life that reflects you, at your best. Being true to yourself creates a flow that will have you constantly feel ‘lucky,’ as you attract more and more of what you want into your life.

The good news: the more you practice, the easier it is to live a passion-filled life – creating a life of fun and ease.

H&L

If you have a burning life question please email
lifecoach@healthandlifestyle.ca