Now thats a Loaded question - and I'm not even sure that I have my own answers to that question. First of all at 50 I'm on that rediscovery road ........you know the road right next to the recovery road.........? When you've recovered from being married, recovered from being divorced...recovered from raising your children and now its time to rediscover - what the heck you're passionate about in your the New Thirties!
It is a question that I've offered up to my kids over the years. "The What do you Want to Be When You Grow Up?" question? The question asked of our kids repeatedly as they're growing up.
My response to them was always........."Honey, I just want you to DO something YOU feel Passionate about!" Now that question has come back to "Kick me in the Butt" a few times.........Hmmm
Lets use my daughter Sarah, here - as a case in point.....You know genius child, high IQ...does two years in one - graduates early shortly after her 17th birthday...Former plans were University of B.C., Architecture Program.........however.....
The ...last 6 months of high school she starts taking Jiu Jitsu lessons......
Next thing I know - all she wants to do is 'wrassle me' and anybody else she comes into contact with...Soon she owns a punching bag and pink boxing gloves......3 months later she's in her first pro fight.......against a 40 year old.....and after 3 rounds - she wins by decision........
OMG this girl is passionate. She lives and breathes these mixed martial arts....her vocabulary has changed........the tv programs have changed....she's on fire........What does she do? Works as a waitress and trains 5 nights a week!
Is this what I dreamed she'd grow up and be doing...........when she was a wee.....
No..........
Did I say to her,???? ........."Honey, I just want you to DO something YOU feel Passionate about!"
Last year we went to Hawaii for my 50th and she took a flight over to the Big Island for two days just so she could train and BJ Sean's Club.......hmm
Then in June she went again to Hilo for 2 weeks........to train some more????
And two weeks ago she just got back from Osaka Japan - where she went to some famous Fight Club.......and trained some more!
So the lesson learned? I'd better get my S(*& in gear and start doing something I feel passionate about! Either that ...or become passionate about what I'm already doing!
I think if you look at the most successful and the happiest people on the planet today and asked "why are they so happy", or "why are they so rich?" or "how did they find such fulfillment," you would probably find one thing in common: they live with passion.
There are two things I have always been passionate about - Writing and Photography......Had I been living my Passion? No...Not for a long time!
But you know what ? Thats what Active Rain has brought back into my life!I've rediscovered my passions...............and Here I've found the perfect venue for doing both......It might seem strange - but I feel reborn and so very grateful!
So....I'm Curious...do you know what you are passionate about? What does it take to Light Your Fire?
Remember the Doors? Here they are with Light My Fire...
P.S. Did You Know that October is Passion Awareness Month?
72 Comments on Are You Tuning in To Your Inner Passion? - What Lights Your Fire?
OMG!! Beautiful Sarah kicks butt. Literally. Good for her for finding something she is so passionate about. I think my new thing is blogging. I have fallen and I can't shut up. LOL. I love, love, love the pink gloves. You are blessed to have such a wonderful daughter.
Great pictures and good for your daughter and for you! It is wonderful that you have found an outlet for your photography and writing.
I know what you mean about rediscovering. I have always wanted to know more about everything. So, at 57 I have embarked on a return to school. Not for a degree but to learn about anything I want. Right now I am learning to write HTML and build websites with Dreamweaver. No reason, I just want to know. Who knows where I will head next, maybe another foreign language?
As I shared with you in my email...writing is also my passion. I can SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO relate to how it makes you feel. I love photography also, but I prefer to paint or draw to taking pictures. It just takes so much longer...but the connection to the subject is unbelievable!
You should be so very proud of your daughter. I know you are. She has found the source of her internal flames...and she is going after her dreams. That is the real definition of success in my book.
Carolyn - You know sometimes we just have to think about it in those terms - Am I passionate about this? Boy am I passionate about this! And I forgot to Add Blogging! Of course, I mean duh??? Thanks for the feature..:-)
Oh Terry how exciting is that! Just to learn for the sake of learning - wow -I want to learn Italian........the worlds our oyster at this point in our lives - isn't it?
Elizabeth - somewhere deep within I've always wanted to do watercolours - someone even once gave me a beautiful set of paints and easel....and do you think I even tried....whats that all about? I have a couple of appointments but I'll get back to you later today! :-) So yes ! Let Tune in to our Inner Passion!
Liz, this is fantastic. You're absolutely right... we need to feel passionate about whatever it is we do in order to be truly successful. Mine would be photography and sailing...
Sarah is on a mission... you can definitely see her passion. Beauty, brains and brawn... what a great combo!
Liz, I love coming back to this post. Simply awesome. If you've always wanted to paint you should do your water colors. I like the pages that come mounted as a block because they don't buckle as easily as a loose sheet. If you dampen the paper just a little before you begin, your colors ill bleed and blend very softly into each other rather than having a sharp edge. You may find it easier to start by sketching with a black pen, then coloring until you get the hang of sketching with a brush. Wishing you the best of luck with your first personal masterpiece. :-)
Carolyn - I just got a google alert about your post where you mentioned me! :-) Thanks, I should really make sure I have that re-blogging button turned on! Thank you - awh what great advice - I think I'm scared to started - because what if I'm not good at it? Probably what holds me back the most in life! lol......now thats a topic for another blog!:-)
Liz, did you know that your buddy here is a very passionate person? (I'm not talking about getting excited/p*ssed off...) :) Not only was I born in October, I'm a Scorpio. :) One of my passions is also photography. I have had lots of fun taking photos for Localism (even if Localism refuses to accept any of my descriptions - but that's another blog).
I think your daughter is doing the right thing. I totally understand her passion for martial arts. I practice(d) karate and I love it. It does wonders for your confidence (and you learn discipline, among other things) - not to mention you kick ass. :) Most importantly, she is probably extremely happy.
At some point in my life I gave up a couple of my passions, so I could pay the rent and feed my kid. I think most single parents would probably say the same thing (or most parents). However, it's never too late to 'light the fire' again.
Sylvie - Of course I know you're a fellow Scorpio! How could you be anything else? lol.........Did I Know???......Those photos you took of Hyde Park in Toronto were totally amazing!.......And you're right as a single parent you do put a lot of your passions on hold.........but..........I'm about to get that lease on life back! :-)
Sylvie - Of course I know you're a fellow Scorpio! How could you be anything else? lol.........Did I Know???......Those photos you took of Hyde Park in Toronto were totally amazing!.......And you're right as a single parent you do put a lot of your passions on hold.........but..........I'm about to get that lease on life back! :-)
Liz, I tell you what. I will get my kid's crayons and draw you a picture. We all have to start some where. I started with stick figures and paint in kindergarten. You are a new artist. You are now in art school kindergarten. Express yourself any way you please. I'm gonna go express myself with crayon and post it right here for you to see. It will not be perfect but it will be fun. I want you to do something and just have fun.Don't compare it to someone else's level, enjoy it at your level and you will evolve the more you work at it. :-)
I'll tell you a secret. I've thrown globs of paint at a canvass made a few squiggles and signed my name to it. I created it. It's mine. I love it. I just wanted certain colors and I had a ball making what I wanted. It matched my furniture at the time (LOL). Don't hesitate - just do it! Have at it bay-bay! :-D Seriously! <3 C.
Carolyn - you're getting me excited now ! I have one piece only and I think I shall do a post about it - you've so inspired me!!!! :-) so you're going to do a crayon drawing and you want me to add to it - or start my own? hmmm
Good. Do what ever you want to do with it when I post it for you.
Liz, you should enjoy the anticipation of playing with your medium. That's how we all learn. We play in our paints, pencils, and God only knows what else we decide to use. I've painted with spoons, knives and forks because I like the texture they make on the canvas. Noah is over here having a ball wih me. I'm going to be scribbling away for a little while more, but I shall be posting something simple for you to play with very soon. Love, C. :-)
I was very lucky to find my passion a couple years ago when I discovered staging. I've always been very creative and very organized, but I when I found staging it all fell in place. I am my happiest when I'm on a job. I come to life when I have a project...that is what it is all about. That is the secret to happiness, doing what you love and loving what you do. I'm very happy for your daughter because she found hers early...she has a big head start over her peers.
Liz, I think I will be asking "What do you want to be when you grow up??" into my 90's, so don't feel bad. Life has phases. What interested you five years ago may bore you today. It is ok. It can be tough in the relationship area though with growth and change. I suggest exploring and trying all sorts of things. Some you will like, some you will discover you don't like. It is all a part of life. Don't wait till you are real old and have no energy or health though. Then it may be too late.
Sharon - thank you! Its wonderful that this creative helpful venue/career has opened up these last few years - and opened itself up to a perfect career for you! :-)
Gary - You're right - we're always 'growing up' in one form or another...and it certainly is true that many of our interests change over time......I guess its never to late to discover and rediscover!
Liz... Writing and photography! lol, but it's true! I have been posting my photos on the Internet for over a decade now, but it's only since I've been blogging that I get the "instant" reaction to the pics.
As for your dear daughter, I do not want to meet her in a dark alley. I prefer to leave my posterior un-whooped!
Oh Richard (your name has disappeared from your tag line)...This is the most amazing venue for those of us that love both - thats for sure! For those of us the are addicted to instant gratification, it has further benefits.........:p-) As for my daughter........well lets just say - I have my own boxing gloves.....
Liz, my kids have been fighting with me over the crayons (LOL). All Stephen did was grab the paper and run screaming, "mine!" I finally had to switch to pen and ink to get your doodle done. Being a Realtor, I figured you'd like a house. C. :-)
Think of the amazing stories your daughter will be able to pass along to her children and grandchildren. They'll think she rocks, and I'll bet they will be inclined to chase their own dreams with her as an example.
What good is the freedom of choice if you don't exercise it?
Oh my word Carolyn..take that drawing and turn it into personal notecards for your clients, thank you cards, welcome to your new home cards.......you could sketch people's new houses for them! Now that really motivated me to draw my stick house! lol
Great expose. I did not know that October was Passion Awareness Month. Is that just in Canada? Worldwide? Can definitely see it in your writing and photos. :)
Great expose. I did not know that October was Passion Awareness Month. Is that just in Canada? Worldwide? Can definitely see it in your writing and photos. :)
Steve - Yeah sometimes it automatically logs me in and other times it doesn - weird.......but thanks for the comment......Its International Passion Awareness Month - who designates these thing I wonder? hmm..Thanks for the comments!
Yes, that automatically logging in thing has happened to me too. Weird how that happens, it was a big shock. Nice blog, excellent thoughts. It's always good to live, and to remain true to, your passions.
Hi Liz ... Wow! You never know what you can be passionate about until you try it. Your daughter is amazing.
Love your writing and how wonderful that blogging has put you back in touch with it. I love to write also, and blogging did the same for me. And we are working while we do it!
My other passion - art. But it's been years since I picked up a paint brush. Thanks for an inspiring post :)
Liz your blog posts are ALWAYS so full of life - When are you writing a book? You have such a beautiful daughter too. You look so young you two could be sisters.
Amber - aren't you a sweetie..? thanks! well the photo was kind then..:-) I would love to write books one day! I guess this is good practice right? And Amber thats a great compliment from one who has beautiful presentations - and fabulous posts!
BTW, I picked up these tiny canvas panels 8x10. I'm starting to doodle in my paint. I will let you see how they are coming along in about a week. I was thinking I needed to work in a size that can scan easily. Miniature paintings can be just as cool as the large ones. I can't wait to see what you come up with down the road. Enjoy your day, sweetie. Love, C.
I absolutely love this story... I've always been inspired by people who follow their bliss. I'm also glad that you've shared it with us... I have a few relatives who would feel very at home with your daughter... then of course they'd challenge each other... first with the arm wrestling, then- well the competitive escalation becomes pleasingly predictable. :-)
chuck - hmmmm i just had an idea! do you think it happened because of all those arm wrestling contests i used to have with my kids? - there were many a things i said i'd let the kids do if they could beat me in an arm wrestle! And they couldn't for years - it took a lot of pressure of of saying no! :-)
Oh my word, Cecily, this is the second post where menopause has been the subject of comments (LOL). I'm on a roll with this one! Dare I start bantering over here as well? :-)
Liz, I would love to scan them but they are in mixed media and the oil paint takes a while to dry. Give me a couple of days and I'll upload a few. I routinely rotate the illustrations and work on them all in stages. It keeps my mind from getting bored and makes me work fast to get the next layer down (LOL).
Liz- You pose an interesting question. I'm going to guess. Yes. It's 100% the reason. How's that for a confident answer? Especially since I have no idea. :-)
Liz Moras- Team Leader & Managing Broker Keller Williams Valley Realty 
OMG!! Beautiful Sarah kicks butt. Literally. Good for her for finding something she is so passionate about. I think my new thing is blogging. I have fallen and I can't shut up. LOL. I love, love, love the pink gloves. You are blessed to have such a wonderful daughter.