One of the most difficult things to figure out sometimes is what we are passionate about. It's so much easier to look at friends and family and identify the things they are passionate and good at. The problem is they sometimes have more resources or experience with trying things and finding out what they like.
Some things are a little easier to figure out, like the person in school that doodles constantly on everything. You know who I'm talking about. It's the person that seemingly was born with a pencil in hand and perfect art skills. Maybe it's the kid who seems to make football look simple, can run like the wind and barely seems to be breaking a sweat.
Passion can be difficult to apply to certain areas of our lives, and therefore can cause some confusion. At least it did for me. I thought it meant simply to pick something I liked. That was probably one of my first issues that caused me to bounce from one degree path to another when I couldn't do the one I had my heart set on.
Through some of the ups and downs I've encountered since then, I've come to understand that being passionate about something can look a bit different. It can look like a hobby. It can be the thing that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning. It can be something that you do, and causes you to completely lose track of time. It's something you do for fun on a repeated basis. It could be writing, drawing, needlework, yard work, organizing, teaching, helping, reading, listening to music or just about anything else.
Hobbies Count Too
One of the worst things I think I did to myself, was tell myself that my hobbies weren't anything to do with my passion. Looking back though, I realize that all my free time was spent creating music, songs, writing, drawing, and working with my art supplies. For some reason I didn't think of those things as career-worthy and automatically rejected them as a passion. I probably figured those things wouldn't make me much money and so didn't fit the requirement of a proper career. It wasn't the right passion.
I might have been a bit happier if I had stuck with my business and art double major. Those were two things I enjoyed, and even though I figured the art would just be a hobby I wanted to learn it enough to be happy with my own creations. Now, my primary career path is writing, and I'm still doing other creative hobbies. If I had stuck to my instincts I might already have been published or found out that I could indeed make a living as an artist. I'll never know how that might have turned out, but the good news is that it's not too late for me to keep learning. I do a LOT of learning. Writing also gives me a great excuse to learn just about anything, because I never know when I might need to use the knowledge for a character or book.
Don't Stress if you Don't Know Your Passion
It's okay if you haven't found something you really, really like. Everyone discovers new things about themselves all throughout life. It's not a race, and if you're in the middle and high-school years it's the perfect time to try classes and hobbies, even if you think you wouldn't like them.
On the flip side, if you find something you like, try to invest time and effort into it. You'll probably end up doing that anyway without really trying or thinking about it. If there's something you can do for hours (not including watching streamers or YouTube videos) and not realize you've been doing it that long, it's a good sign you may have found a passion. I always feel like if I get super engrossed in what I'm doing, and it's so enjoyable I forget what time it is, that's a good sign. I practice my drawing skills now and again, but I have to do it once in a while because I will not realize how long I've been drawing, and I sometimes forget to eat (I don't really recommend that part). It was a bit exciting when I finally realized that something artistic would have been a good choice for me.
Remember, you've got plenty of time. Don't worry about rushing. I know that #college seems right around the corner. Real life seems like it's looming overhead, but it's not as bad as it seems. You can take your required college courses and add in some classes that sound fun so you get a chance to try new things. Don't be rigid to the point where you ignore things you might like because you think they're not serious enough. There's a reason each class is there at the college. Someone thinks it's serious enough to be there. Give yourself a chance, explore, and then work at something you enjoy.
There's no Expiration Date
There's no expiration date on finding what you are passionate about. Even if you're older, you've graduated, or maybe even have multiple degrees. Life takes us down some twisty paths, and sometimes the timing isn't right at first, but it is later. No matter how you feel now, be open to finding a new passion.
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