Question:
Dear Valorie,
I recently stumbled upon your site by accident and I love it! I pray every night to find my passion in life. What career/field should I be working in and what is it that I am here to do. I pray to find a relationship that I am passionate about. So far all of this has eluded me.
My question for you is how do I find out what my passion is when I don't know what it is? A lot of books I've been reading lately state that you should find your passion and what one should do when they've found it. I have no idea what my passion is... I've struggled with this issue for years now and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out. Yes, there are things that I like to do such as decorating my home (when I have money), sewing beautiful things (when I have money), traveling in the Caribbean. I've often thought of becoming a broadcast producer or spa manager or owning my own home decor business but to be honest, none of these make me feel extremely excited or passionate. So with all of this in mind, where do I begin to find my passion?
Your advice, thoughts or comments would be truly appreciated.
AP Video
Answer:
You are not alone. Many people have a difficult time clarifying their passion. Your passion, professionally speaking, is something you'd do even if you didn't get paid for it. Time flies by when you do it. Often, if you look back into your childhood or early adult life when there were fewer pressures and responsibilities in your life, you can see glimpses of your passion. For example, when I was a child, I loved books. I'd go to the library and stay for hours, yet it would feel like I'd only been there for 15 minutes. I have always adored books. No wonder that today I have a passion for writing books.
Sometimes, though, our passion is born of a painful experience. We learned something from it that we can teach, share or use to bless others. Your passion may be buried beneath years of not dreaming. Get quiet; begin to notice the things you love as well as the things you are very bothered by. Your passion may lie in preventing the things you despise. It may be very simple - some people have a passion for parenting, homemaking, singing, serving, writing, designing, etc. Rather than trying to "figure it out," let it come to you naturally. Trust that in the right timing, your passion will be revealed. When it is, be courageous and embrace it. Move forward on your path knowing that your passion is a gift and when you share it with the world, the world becomes a better place because of your unique contribution.
Warm wishes,
Valorie
Life coach and speaker Valorie Burton is author of several books. Her fourth book, Why Not You? 28 Days to Build Authentic Confidence (Waterbrook Press/Random House) is in stores nationwide this month. Subscribe to her free, weekly e-newsletter at www.valorieburton.com.
