Passions That Pay

“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.”
Earl Nightingale (US motivational writer and author, 1921-1989)

“Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping… waiting… and though unwanted… unbidden… it will stir… open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us… guides us… passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love… the clarity of hatred… and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we’d know some kind of peace… but we would be hollow… Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we’d be truly dead.”
Joss Whedon quotes (American Screenwriter, Producer and Creator of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also known for Toy Story, Alien Resurrection, and Angel, b.1964)

The Chamber’s dictionary has, amongst other definitions for the word passion, this : “something for which one has great enthusiasm”. Passion has everything to do with strength of emotion. If you are struggling to find your passion, the reason probably is connected with the shutting down of emotions. People withdraw from their emotions for a wide variety of reasons such as childhood experiences, trauma or a wish to be in total control. I am not a doctor and it may well be that professional help needs to be sought to heal these wounds but there are some simple exercises that you can do to start getting yourself back in touch with your emotions so that you can plug yourself into your passions.
Make it a daily ritual to spend some time doing something that brings you pleasure. This can be as simple as watching the sun go down, playing with your dog or your children or just have a few minutes of peace and quiet. During these times really notice your emotions. Bask in them, intensify them. Notice which parts of your body seem to be most affected by these emotions.Connect with these emotions and name them in your head.Try to identify what elements of the activity are giving rise to which emotions. What is it about playing with your dog that makes you feel excited? What about that cup of coffee is giving you that feeling of calm? Once you can start to identify these elements you will start to see a pattern emerging that will be your first signpost on your journey in the Passion Project.