Some people grow up knowing the things they are passionate about and others have a harder time figuring it out. Passion is that thing you do that you love doing, want more of and you lose track of time while you're doing it. Living your life of passion helps uncover your life purpose.
Here are 7 tips on discovering your interests and passions.
1) Listen to the quiet voice within. What is it telling you? For instance, when you get up in the morning, are you eager to go to work or do you feel like covering your head with the pillow and pretending the world doesn't exist? If you're going for the pillow, it's telling you to make a change-this is not what you want to be doing every day!
2) Start paying attention to the things that attract you and write them down in a small notebook just for that purpose. Think about simple everyday things like what TV shows you like; what genre of books you read; what articles or pictures draw your attention in magazines; what hobbies do you do or would like to try and so on.
3) What makes you envious of other people? What are they doing or what do they have that you'd like in your life? I didn't realize how much I enjoyed renovating and landscaping my home until I became aware of being envious of the job Amy Matthews was able to do on HGTV's Sweat Equity!
2) Start paying attention to the things that attract you and write them down in a small notebook just for that purpose. Think about simple everyday things like what TV shows you like; what genre of books you read; what articles or pictures draw your attention in magazines; what hobbies do you do or would like to try and so on.
3) What makes you envious of other people? What are they doing or what do they have that you'd like in your life? I didn't realize how much I enjoyed renovating and landscaping my home until I became aware of being envious of the job Amy Matthews was able to do on HGTV's Sweat Equity!
4) What would be your ideal living situation? If you had a magic wand and could create it in one day, where would you be living, with whom, what would you be doing, what attractions would be in this place, etc.
5) When you were little, what did you like to play? Cops and robbers? Pretend you were a horse? Pushing dirt around with your Tonka truck and bulldozer? Were you an adrenalin junky? Did you jump off a rope into the river?
6) What did you dream of being? A fireman; princess; writer; engineer, ski instructor... it could be as direct as what you dreamed of or you may have to extrapolate a little.
7) Draw a picture or use words to describe a peaceful scene that is ideal for you. Come on... you have to do it for real for this to work!
What themes can you pull together from the exercises above that point you toward a career or direction in your life? What steps can you take today to begin implementing your dream?
Now, what (or who) holds you back from living it? You can list money as an obstacle but go deeper than that. List all the action steps it will take to get to your dream. Make a list of any obstacles that are in the way of living the life you love for each step. Come up with at least one way to overcome each of the obstacles you listed. Then puts completion dates on each step, working backward the date of your final step. Brainstorm with a trusted friend if you're stuck. One who will not belittle or laugh at your dreams. One who will encourage you and support following your heart.
What are you willing to give up? What are you willing to do to make it happen? When you truly love doing something-your passion-the money will come!
Just as we do exercises to strengthen our core we need to strengthen our inner awareness to what we like, dislike, or love-that is what it means to have a "self". Not what other people expect or want us to like and dislike-but what we really feel.
I believe we start with discovering our inner being by knowing our interests and passions-that which was instilled in us by God--and is honed over time by our experiences and blossoms at the needed time. When you discover your passion and follow it, you will benefit from several things:
o It makes you happy and fulfilled
o It pleases God
o It makes others happy
o It fills a higher purpose because it will somehow be of service to other
o And, it gives purpose to your life
o It pleases God
o It makes others happy
o It fills a higher purpose because it will somehow be of service to other
o And, it gives purpose to your life
Every thing that has happened in your life, or to you in your life, will only make sense when you put what you learned from those experience to work. In the past or present, you may have asked, "Why God? Why did that happen to me?" There are no helpful answers to that question. The more useful question is what did I learn and what do I do with this event, situation, experience that will be helpful to myself and others?
The first step of having a new future is being aware of what you like and don't like about your present. Then you know what you need and/or want to change. The next step is to imagine the future you want. Do a vision board or write in detail what it will look like, sound like, feel like and be like. Once you have that clarity, you will almost unconsciously make decisions that lead you in the direction of the future you created. What you think is what becomes! Enjoy your future!
Email me at cyndimccaycoaching@gmail.com to share your success stories with implementing the above tool, or visit the guest book page of my website and leave a message. To learn more about coaching or how coaching can help you clarify and reach your goals visit http://www.cyndimccaycoaching.com.
Cyndi is a Certified Life Coach and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She co-authored the best-selling book "Against The Grain" with Brian Tracy, which is available on her website or at Amazon.com. To inquire about working with Cyndi, visit her website or she can be reached at 574-292-3292 to schedule a complementary Life Clarity Session.
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