This past month I entered into my seventh decade and realized that some of the passions of my youth might be shifting or taking another form. I’m a little burnt out with writing and would love to try something new, but I’m not sure what that is. I’m being open-minded about what it may be, and I’ve been investigating different avenues.
Living with Passion
Having passion is the fuel that inspires us to wake up in the morning. Discovering and claiming our passion is about knowing what we love to do, which can have a powerful effect on our lives. If what we are doing does not make us happy, then it might be time to evaluate and recalibrate what would elicit the most joy.
Living out what we were meant to do with our lives can lead to a sense of bliss, which may be about ridding ourselves of habits, situations, and relationships that no longer serve us and replacing them with those that do. Finding our calling is about bringing into our lives all those things that bring out our potential and help us live life to the fullest.
There have been many articles written on finding our passion or life calling. Different terms have been used to explain this concept. In ancient times, the Romans called it genius, Greek philosophers called it the daimon, and Christians called it the guardian angel.
The American Psychologist James Hillman who passed away in 2011, used even more words to describe one’s sense of calling, such as fate, character, image, soul, and destiny, depending upon the context. Hillman also coined the term following your bliss, which is another way of saying that you should follow the path that brings you joy in order to get the most out of life. I wrote more about this in my book, Writing for Bliss.
Do We Know Our Life Passions?
By the time we arrive in our sixth and seventh decades, we are well aware of our life passions. Some of us knew our passions from an early age, and they were carried with us across our lifespan. Others might have changed life passions a few times during the course of their lives.
Since a young age, I knew my passion and calling was for writing. This passion began in the 1960s when my mother handed me a Kahlil Gibran journal to help me cope with the death of my grandmother, who was my primary caretaker. Kahlil Gibran was an American writer, poet and philosopher who died in 1931. His words had a huge influence on me during adolescence. Also, receiving that journal was a pivotal moment for me; I realized when I was writing, my heart was singing. That’s how I knew that writing was a career path for me.
Many people who sign up for my writing workshops are often in the midst of some life transition or are at a crossroads where they’re unsure what they want to do with their lives. One of the first prompts I give participants is to write about an important memory from their childhoods. Most often they write about a life-changing event.
The second prompt is to write about what brought them joy as a child. Sometimes, but not always, this sense of joy is connected to what might bring them happiness as an adult. Perhaps a lived experience from childhood served as a springboard for their life passion, profession, or theme. Certainly, this was the case for me.
Finding Happiness in What We Do
As the daughter of two immigrants who worked long hours, I was often left to fend for myself. I spent a lot of time in my room reading and writing. Children’s passions are often reinforced by the adults in their world, and at school and at home, I received accolades for my writing. This encouraged me to write even more. Sometimes it’s a good idea to look back upon our childhoods, reflect on where we received praise and encouragement, and determine if that’s where our happiness may lie.
When I sit down to write, there are higher forces that speak to me, and sometimes while writing I enter into a trance – I transcend universes where the deepest of creative forces are at play.
When I studied psychology in graduate school, I learned that those who are deeply passionate about something have an urgent need to make a change in the world or to serve humanity. They are possessed by their passion. Mine was teaching others through writing. Once we open our eyes and are aware of what brings us joy, the universe will send opportunities our way. As my own experience shows, following one’s bliss usually involves connecting to our life theme. It is also a key component in achieving a sense of well-being.
Looking for a New Passion
Here are some ways that we can find or figure out our newest passion:
- Think about what natural talents you have or what you would love to do if you chose to reinvent yourself.
- Surround yourself with like-minded individuals or those whose ideas or passions resonate with you.
- Be mindful about what annoys you and what makes you happy.
- Think about an activity during which you might lose track of time. Chances are it’s connected to a passion.
- Maintain a clear and open emotional state by engaging in self-care through meditation, exercise, spending time in nature, and setting intentions.
- Think about your favorite movies, books and music and note the common thread that runs through each. This might connect to a life passion.
- Ask close friends to describe or tell you, what poet Mary Oliver asked, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Let’s Have a Conversation:
What has been your life passion to date? Have you ever considered changing it? What would you change it to, if you were deciding to reinvent yourself?
