Day 183
Every semester, I tell my students to prepare an oral presentation on their passion. Many of them struggle to find a topic. They often ask me if they can present a passion they used to have when they were younger, telling me that, although they would probably still enjoy it, they don’t really have time to indulge in any of their passions anymore.
Every semester, I tell my students to prepare an oral presentation on their passion. Many of them struggle to find a topic. They often ask me if they can present a passion they used to have when they were younger, telling me that, although they would probably still enjoy it, they don’t really have time to indulge in any of their passions anymore.
As we get older and add on responsibilities, we tend to forget to take time to think about, and do, the things we love to do. Our priorities change and our duties increase, so reflecting on what makes us happy becomes a luxury.
When I was young, I spent a lot time indulging in my passions, whether it was through drawing, writing, or singing. Creativity definitely used to be part of my daily life. Last Thursday, I went to see an astrologer who told me: “You have the soul of an artist”. It made me realize that, in fact, I haven’t really been that creative since I have kids.
The beauty with passion is that it allows you to live life instead of simply suffering through it. Being involved, emotionally as well as physically, in an activity that you find stimulating and that you love, can really help you disconnect from the not-so-fun things in your life. It is having the "flow" Mihaly Csiksxebtnukhalvi talked about.
Some people believe they don’t have a passion and that they never really did. It was the case of my friend Donna. As we were talking, I asked her what her passion is, or used to be. She replied that she never really had a passion. However, when I questioned her a little more, she realized that she did use to have a passion. When she was younger, she would spend hours doing arts and crafts (knitting, sewing, etc.). She used to love creating things with her hands.
Sometimes you get so used to your not-so-passionate state, that you forget that you are capable of immersing yourself entirely in an activity you love. It could require digging into childhood memories to find out what used to ignite your inner fire, but no matter what it is, it is worth revitalizing.
Having a passion and indulging in it is choosing to feel alive. It might take some time to figure out (passions evolve with time), but I believe that re-learning to feel enthusiastic about something you love, whether you do it alone or with others, can definitely have a real impact on your overall state of wellbeing.
“Only passions, great passions can elevate the soul to great things.”
Denis Diderot
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