Happy Thursday, everyone! I hope your week is going well. Thanks for all the great comments on Monday’s post. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on envy. 🙂

Despite my desire to live life to the fullest, I get reminders from time to time from friends and family that I am forgetting to seize the day. So today I thought I would write about passion.

Passion is such a great word. Just upon hearing the word passion a person’s ears will perk up. True, usually this is because when we hear the word passion  our minds turn to love, romance, or a spicy rendezvous.  Passion, however, is so much more. Passion for life should be the driving force that gets us out of bed in the morning, helps us through the tough times, and gives us a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. When we are passionate about something we will stop at nothing to have it in our lives. When things get difficult it is the passion we feel that keeps us from quitting and helps us find a solution to what is holding us back.

Being single does not mean living a life without passion. Some of the most passionate and inspiring people I know are single. Far from boring, these people inspire those around them with their passion for life.  In addition, I have found over the years that the happiest couple have passion, not only for each other, but for life as well. Often their passions in life are similar, but not always.  Sometimes,  opposites really do attract. Whether you are married or single, I encourage you to live a life of passion. Here’s a few tips to help you live a more passionate life.

1. Take the time to discover what you are passionate about. Think about your life. What things did you dream of or spend time doing as a child? What activities could you could get lost in for hours at a time? Do you feel a calling to help people? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to join a pottery class or run a  marathon? Get in touch with gets you feeling excited, motivated, or inspired and then act on it.
2. Set a designated time to cultivate your passions. No matter what your passion is you need to make time for it. The time you need depends on the activity. You may need to practice the piano for a few minutes every day but  horseback riding may be once a week. No matter how much time you need, schedule it into your day, your week, or your month. A schedule helps hold you accountable and keeps you motivated.
3. Accept that your passions may change over time or lead you in a different direction than what you originally imagined. As we grow and evolve as individuals,  so do our interests and passions.   A passion for theater in high school may develop into a career as a motivational speaker. Go with the flow and change with the times. You never know what new and exciting things are just around the corner.
4. Realize that even the things you are most passionate about may become frustrating or lack appeal at times. Be wise enough to know the difference between needing to step back and take a breath and quitting. Nothing is ever a totally smooth ride. Challenges arise, creative blocks happen, and people will let us down. That’s life,  the ebb and flow of feelings and emotions.
5. Be comfortable in knowing that money is only one level of measuring success and fulfillment. Our passions often lead us to our careers.  Do not walk away from what you are most passionate about because it does not come with the guarantee of a large salary. In reality, nothing is ever guaranteed. Do what you love and you will be wealthy beyond measure.
6. Surround yourself with passionate people.  Make it a priority to surround yourself with people who are passionate about life. Passionate people can make a walk around the park seem like the best day ever. Their enthusiasm for experiencing and enjoying everything around them is contagious. People who are passionate about life aren’t  the types who form cliques. They embrace many different people in their circles of friends and acquaintances.

Passion is for everyone, married or single. Embrace life, embrace people, and embrace the things that ignite the fire of passion in your heart.

Enjoy the rest of your week and as always, I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by the blog 🙂

Until next time,

Laura