Ways to find your passion

People say all the time, to follow your passion. If you are lost, or just not sure what to do with your life, they will always say follow your passion. But what does that even mean? If you are going through a depression, or just a dark spot in your life, it can be very hard to see yourself out. It can be very hard to see passion about anything. So when people tell you to follow your passion, while they mean well, it can be very frustrating. I have been there. When you are in a dark place, trying to get out of it, you can't see anything happy at all. So when I heard people say follow your passion, I wanted to scream. Even though they are trying to be helpful, it is still very frustrating. So here are some realistic tips on how to find your passion, even if you can't see it at all.

Meditate and ground yourself.

When I was in a dark place, I started to meditate. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it really helps. Find a quiet place where you can sit quietly and comfortably. It really helps to sit cross-legged on the floor where you can ground yourself. If you have a problem to sit still, or are new to meditation, then you can find a lot of guided meditation where someone guilds you through it. I do some mediation on Beachbody On Demand, that has 5-minute meditations. They are great, especially when you are just starting out. It really helps you bring some inner peace. Once you start, you will find that you will be more peaceful and calm through the day. It really does help.

Make a list of what brings you happiness.

Make a list of 30 things that bring you happiness. They can be larger things or smaller things. Such as getting outside, playing with your kids, taking a bath or reading a book. They don't have to be anything big or even meaningful. Then, once a day, pick one thing from your list to do that day. The point of this is to start to find joy, even in the small things in your life. When you can start to see joy in even the small things of your life, you will start to see the light out of the darkness. It will also start to get you to think about joy, and not just darkness.

Every night, do a journal page for 30 days.

You are going to answer 4 questions. One, make a list of at least 5 things you are grateful for that day. They have to be things that happened that day. Such as sitting in the sun, or solving a problem. By making a gratitude list, you will change your mind to look for the positive instead of the negative in your life. Second, ask what filled me with joy. I know this might be a hard question to answer, depending on how depressed you feel. Even if you only can think of one thing, that helps. Third, what drained my energy today. Maybe it was talking to a negative friend, or after you didn't eat for a long time. When I did it, I learned that when I am bored, I feel tired. So I try to keep myself busy all the time. Fourth, what did I learn about myself today. The goal is to find the area that you are good at. Everyone is good at something. Try to make it positive, not negative as much. By doing these 4 questions for 30 days, you really will be surprised what you learn, and the patterns that you will see over the 30 days. It is a great way to bring you insight into your life and what is best for you.

Look at the people around you.

Who we surround yourself with, really does affect your life and your attitude. If you are around negative people, then you will find that you will tend to be negative thinking. If you are around positive people, it will change how you see things. The situation can be the exact same, but it is your thinking that can make a great impact on your life. So look at the people that you surround yourself with, and see if there is anyone that you need to cut out of your life.

Do self-care, make sure to fill your own cup.

A lot of times it can be hard to see the light, when all you do is take care of other people, and not yourself. You can't help anyone, when you don't take care of yourself. Make sure to do self-care. Try to do it every day in some way. Maybe it is doing your nails, or taking a bath, or just reading a book for 10 minutes. Even if it is something small, do something. Make yourself a priority for even 5 minutes a day.

Make something that you can be proud of.

You don't have to show or even tell anyone. The point is to do something that you and you alone can be proud of. To prove to yourself that you can do things that are great. It can be to write a short story, bake something complicated, decorate a cake or do a drawing. You need to start to prove to yourself that you can do things, especially if you are always telling yourself that you can't do anything.

Change your thinking.

Every day, do affirmations. After I take my regular warm shower, I will do a 5-minute cold shower and do my affirmations. Say things like, I am strong, I am powerful, what I want is attracted to me and I am beautiful. There are a lot of people on Tiktok that show their affirmations, that can be a great help to get started. Commit to doing it every day for 30 days. It is to help you change your own thinking. Your own thinking sometimes can be the biggest thing to hold you back. You will be surprised on how much it can change your life.

Get moving.

Move your body every day. It doesn't have to be very extreme. Try to make it something outside. Like taking a walk, or maybe just playing with your kids outside. It really helps your body and your mind in a lot of ways. It doesn't have to be a full workout program, though that is a great idea. Just start moving. Even something as simple as walking can be a great way to bring a change.

I really hope that these ideas have helped. The point of this is to start to change your thinking. It can be overwhelming to think about your life's passion and purpose. So by starting to think about small areas of your life, it can help to change your life overall. And then you will be able to start to find your own passion.

- T