hen I need a dose of inspiration about living my passions, I turn to 3 quotes posted in the front of my journal and on the bulletin board above my computer. I glimpse at them every time I sit down to do something for this website. The first one came out of a movie I don't remember, but the quote stayed with me because that is what I needed to hear at that very moment. "Find something you love to do, and do it for the rest of your life." For me that is the easiest way you can put your passions into action. I associate this one with the smaller passions that soothe the spirit - fodder for the soul.
For the bigger picture passions, my personal favorite is Joseph Campbell's, "The meaning of life is following one's bliss"- which I have only recently begun to take to heart and pursue my passion of writing and being creative. I like my job that pays the bills, but when I come home and I write, I feel connected to something bigger than myself and my reason for being becomes clear.
We all have reasons for not doing what makes us happy.
But what really prevents us from following our dreams and passions? It could be fear, timing, inopportunity and, sometimes, even not knowing what our passions are. And so, ask yourself, what are your passions? What makes you happy and fulfilled? Is it when you're being creative or expressing yourself through some art form? Do certain activities bring you joy and peace of mind? And the big question, are you doing what you want to be doing with your life?
I find myself asking these questions every couple of years or so. There was a time when I was in a rut about the routine of my life and nothing ever changing. I decided to go to University to take English Classes because I've always wanted to read and discuss Shakespeare and literature. For me it was a challenge to myself. I wanted to overcome my fear of trying something new, as well as finding out if I were smart enough to write English essays and have deep discussions about literature and its deeper meanings in relation to life.
There I met a woman in her seventies who was there to get her B.A. in English. A life-time of inopportunity, obligation and personal fears had prevented her from doing this. Now with years of life experience and the grace and wisdom to know better, she was now doing something for herself. It used to be that I thought being in my forties I was too old to do anything about my writing. Whenever I find myself thinking that 42 is too old for this or that, I am reminded of her and George Eliot's words that "It's never too late to be what you might have been."
A glance up at these inspiring words remind me that the beauty and deeper purpose of life is in following my dreams everyday. Pursuing one's passions may be as small as taking that art class, or having a moment of clarity that can have you changing careers or going back to school. And while the little passions that lift our spirits are reachable, we can't let fear of failure stand in the way of the bigger life-changing ones. The failure is in never trying to reach our dreams - which results in regrets about the things we didn't do with our lives. So, these days when I ask myself are you doing what you want to be doing with your life, the answer is unequivocally, yes, because I have begun to realize that my passions are deeply connected to my purpose for being.
Recently, I found a new nugget of wisdom to add to add to my wall of inspiration. It's from motivational writer Matthew Kelly who believes, "Energy is our most valuable resource, not time. The rhythm of life is a way of life that brings our legitimate needs, our deepest desires, and our unique talents into harmony with each other. The result: passion, purpose, and energy." Somehow this brings it all into perspective, doesn't it?
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Passion and Purpose
