Passion and your job

What in your life is so precious that you wouldn’t change your lifestyle because of it? Is there something in your life that is holding you back from reaching for your passion?

Do you think there’s no point in finding a job you enjoy? Do you feel that it isn’t worth it to pursue your passion because, after all, a job is just a job? Do you believe that the majority of your waking time should be spent doing something that you don’t even enjoy and provides no satisfaction?

Can you honestly tell me that you are following your passion and living to your best by staying in a job that not only does not satisfy, but may even contradict your own morals and beliefs? Why does a purpose matter?

By being true to yourself, and being honest about how you think your time should be spent, you open up more doors than you could ever imagine. Physical belongings are not permanent. Where we live, what we eat, our décor and our entertainment, these things are all perceived needs.

Sure you need to eat, but do you need to eat the top quality, shipped from across the world food? Or can you look in your area and find local farmers and vendors who are selling food of equal (or greater) quality for a decent price? Or could you take part in a food-share or community supported agriculture (CSA)? This will provide you with fresher foods that are grown close to home and that don’t have miles of airplane or train gasoline attached to their history.

Of course you need somewhere to live, but do you need the five-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion, or the three-bedroom townhouse? Or could you just rent (or own) a small house or apartment that fits you (and whoever lives with you)? If leaving your residence now is not an option, there are plenty of people looking to rent a room. This would provide you with extra cash in pocket while keeping your residence.

Entertainment is what you make it. Having every cable channel is not going to make your life more satisfying (it may even be a huge detriment to your life and health). Adding on every possible unlimited plan on your phone because “you never know” if you’re going to talk for 2500 minutes in one month (highly doubt it!) just wastes money because you’re paying for benefits that you’ll never use. Subscribing to “On Demand” for every show you want to watch that isn’t on your regular channels is a waste of money; instead consider watching your shows on your computer (project-free-tv) for FREE! Or you could even sign up for NetFlix , where you can stream videos and TV shows onto your computer for somewhere around 9$ a month.
This is a classic situation where many self proclaimed ‘realists’ will be quick to jump on. They constantly cite it as an example to justify (to themselves or others) why they are staying on in a passionless job they do not feel strongly about. They keep lauding about earning money, having to pay bills, living up to responsibilities, etc without any seeming end point. They harp on how they are not pursuing their passion because it will lead to nowhere. They advocate staying on in their current path as the ‘safer’, ‘more practical’ route.” (source: http://celestinechua.com/blog/pursuing-your-passion-with-no-money/)
Are you allowing your fears to hold you back? Do you let what other people think you should be doing affect what you are doing? By allowing those around you to dictate your life, you release any and all control that you have over your life choices. It’s time to take it back. Your life is yours to live, not for others to live vicariously through you.

Simply because someone else succeeded at doing one thing does not mean that it is the right thing for you to be doing. Each person, no matter what they’re lot in life, has the potential to do something great. Something that means more to them than anyone else. All it takes is to look for what that something is, and go for it.
Maybe you can only pursue your passion for an hour or so a day right now, maybe more. Every single moment that you put towards your goal puts you that much closer to satisfaction. The 5 minutes, or 5 hours, that you put towards doing what makes you feel fulfilled will create more than just satisfaction, you will be sharing your love and your passion with the world. By sharing, you will also find others who share your passion, and it will only snowball from there.

Don’t know what your passion is? Try this exercise at Steve Pavlina’s site: How To Discover Your Life Purpose.It may take longer than 20 minutes, as he mentions. If you’re really stubborn it could take an hour or five. But stick to it, and you will not be disappointed. Let loose, free your mind, and discover what your subconscious has hidden away.

By discovering what it is that you truly want to do in life, and discovering a way to benefit from it financially as well as emotionally and psychologically, you will open your eyes and mind to the beauty of this world.
There is a point to enjoying your job. That point is happiness, satisfaction and contentment. How can you be content if you spend 8 hours a day doing things you don’t enjoy, which gives you no satisfaction to completing it? Simple answer, you probably can’t. So find your passion, find something that truly inspires you, and go for it.

Peace and serenity,

Simply Me

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