But please don’t.

You see… I often talk about passion with heavy use of air quotes. Not because I don’t enjoy talking about the topic (it’s quite the opposite actually). The truth is, I cannot stand the fact that “finding your passion” has suddenly become the end-all, be-all answer to every profound (and not-so-profound) question in life.

As I’m sure you’ve already guessed, there is a long-winded explanation behind this rant (don’t worry, I will spare you the tedium). In the end, all you really need to know is this: three years ago I was stuck working a job on my own free will that was very draining. I was still fresh out of college, and I felt suddenly and completely unsure about my entire future.

Where would I go next? What kind of jobs should I be looking for? What was I meant to do with my life? There has to be something out there that means more to me than this… but what is it?

For those of you who have worked a job like the one I’m describing, you know how I felt. The dreaded Sundays… the tearful mornings. I knew I needed to get out, but I wasn’t quite sure what that meant for me yet. And it seemed when I talked to friends, family, or my dear friend Google, either they didn’t know what to say (probably because they knew it was something I had to figure out on my own) or they told me to “follow my passion.”

I read piece after piece about how life is best when you live out your calling – when you are busy pursuing your passion. You know the ones I’m talking about. They go something like this: “if you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you directly to your purpose.” And all I could think was: “Isn’t that a bit obvious? The two go hand-in-hand. But what happens when you have no clue how to find either?!” It frustrated me that for everyone else passion was the answer, but the hardest part – figuring out what that passion was to begin with – seemed to just fall in their lap. At least that was the way it seemed to me at the time.

So, of course, as a totally normal person does, I made it my mission to find that ever-elusive “passion” of mine.  And I want to share with you what that journey ended up looking like, in hopes that if you are feeling the same way as I was you will have a starting point of your own.

1. First, and most importantly, finding your passion is really a direct result of following your curiosity. What you think about all day is a pretty good indicator of your interests. Follow those first. When you are scrolling through Facebook and find an article that intrigues you, learn more about it. We all have to start somewhere!
2. Most likely, following your passion is going to be done on the side  for a while. This was an extremely frustrating realization for me at first because I wanted to make a living off of my passion right away. This put a lot of pressure on new jobs I was pursuing. I wanted each one to be my missing passion puzzle piece. So if you are at a job you hate, find a new one. It may not be your ultimate passion, but it will give you the head space to find out what is.  Besides, it can be very freeing to know that pursuing your passion doesn’t have to be something that happens right away. You don’t need to load that sort of pressure on yourself. (That’s my inner anti-perfectionist talking, can you tell?)
3. Passion means falling in love with the process. Not just the end goal. The every day, tedious battle is what passion is really all about. It’s not all that glamorous in reality. But when you really love it, that process feels right – and is actually pretty fun.
4. It won’t always be tied up in a pretty little bow. The fact that you are passionate about something means that you will spend a lot of time curating it, despite all of the tough shit that is thrown your way. So what kind of crap are you willing to put up with to follow a dream? Overcoming road blocks makes the pursuit that much more satisfying, anyway!
5. Passion isn’t designated for just one aspect of your life. Yes, your passion can be your calling. It can be your full time job or just one facet of your life. But you can also be passionate about a wide variety of topics and activities. In fact, an abundance of interests makes every aspect of life more enjoyable.
6. Even if you feel lost, or can’t quite get a grip on what passion means for you right now, that’s okay. Take it one step at a time, and know each day you are learning something new about yourself. Not knowing what you are passionate about is actually pretty normal. Keep calm and carry on! You got this.

With lots of love and a ton of hugs,

Zoe

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