If you asked everyone you know what they are passionate about, how many would have an answer?
Not all of us do what we love. In fact, many of us don't. Why not?
Being passionate means discovering what makes your heart hum, but passion is really derived from the word "suffering."
People equate suffering with the "grind." The grind connotes sentiments like, "This sucks." "This is tough." "This is hard work." But the grind doesn't feel so hard if we do it in service of something we love.
For instance, in any marriage, there will be days you get on each other's nerves or have arguments, but if you're passionate about having a great marriage, you move forward because you love being married to your partner.
You can have passion in every sphere of your life or one big passion. You decide what gives you the energy, you learn how to achieve it, and then you go through the pain and suffering to get there.
We are navigating uncharted waters during this moment in time. People are restless, anxious, scared, and uncertain. Perhaps this is the suffering one must go through to reach a goal.
Now is a good time reflect on what excites you and makes your heart hum. It could be your work, your family, your relationship with God, or any number of other things. So I ask you to consider these questions from Better Than You Think:
— Are you aware of your calling? What gives you energy when you meditate or marinate on it?
— Are you passionate about being the best version of yourself? What do you have to change to pursue that version?
— What are you willing to suffer through to get to the fulfillment you desire?
God put us all on this earth for a purpose, yet He gives us free will to choose our own paths. He wants us to experience life’s lessons for ourselves and discover the person we can be along the way. The lessons we learn make us who we are, and what makes each of us distinctly ourselves is where we find the kernel of value that we can bring to others.
If you follow your passion in life, there is no doubt you will impact people in some way. And if you are on track following your passions, I urge you to help someone else who isn’t there yet. Offer a word of encouragement. Shine a light on them. Be a beacon of hope for others. Fill your short stay on this beautiful earth with the shared passion of living.