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| Fall back in love with what you do Photo by Chuck Hildebrant on Unsplash |
I think a lot of people do.
Am I speaking for myself?
Yes, some days.
When I started this blog back in 2010 I was DIY fresh-faced and fancy-free. I loved trying new things. I painted, sewed, refashioned, wrote funny posts, designed my own t-shirts, dyed fabric, glued, glittered, decorated, and shared everything I was doing and couldn't wait for the next DIY project.
I created endless lists of things I wanted to try and some nights I couldn't sleep because the ideas where whirling around inside my head. I was blogging for myself and for the fun of sharing. It wasn't a job. I didn't try to make any money from it. I just loved creating and sharing.
And then I started my first etsy shop where I was selling some of the beautiful creations I was making. And I still blogged about what I was doing and how much fun I was having, but now I had to pay attention to SEO, word placement, alt tags, and images. And blogging wasn't quite as fun.
And my first etsy shop morphed into a 2nd etsy shop, and my focus shifted. As I went further and deeper into my new venture, the farther away I went from what I had once gained so much energy from. And it was harder to come up with blog posts and the energy just wasn't the same. So I stopped.
I no longer had time to create, design and imagine. Or at least I didn't give myself time to do it anymore. With so many other to-do's on my plate, the pulls I felt "off the clock" were to vegetate instead of create.
A new kind of wanderlust
The other day, as I pawed through the muted and mundane winter clothing I have in my closet, I had a spark of wanderlust return. Not for far off places, but for the crafty girl who had been hibernating for what seemed to have been a terribly long 5 year winter. I had a spark of wanting to decorate my own t-shirts again. It caught me off guard. Was it really ok for me to do that again? Oh, how I had loved making those ink blot t-shirts. It was the magic of the moment as I pulled the layers apart to see what un-planned design was suddenly created on purpose. And what if I actually blogged about it and shared it because I was excited to? I almost had to look around to see if anyone had also heard the voice in my head.And all at once I was excited about pulling out my paints and finding a plain t-shirt to unleash my creativity on. I felt a fire and excitement that I hadn't felt in a long time. What if I really did things again for no other purpose than old-fashioned enjoyment?
5 Tips for reigniting your passion
Sometimes you don't even know what you love anymore. We get so stuck in our mind-body routines that we feel numb to the world outside of ourselves.We often keep ourselves in a box of our own doing, telling ourselves we're, "not that kind of person", we "probably wouldn't like that", we "really wouldn't be good at it", we've "already done that, or we "just don't have time for that".
Well, if you haven't tried it, you actually may like it. And I'm not talking about your mom telling you to try peas because you'll like them. I mean, you actually might really like it. And you may surprise yourself and find that your water color painting is actually a lot better than the one your kindergartner brought home! Snaps for you!
Here are 5 tips for "finding your passion" if you've lost it or never knew what it was in the first place.
1. Give yourself permission to explore
Learn about and try new things you've never dared and give yourself the time to do it. Think of the advice you'd give another person if they were in the same position - you'd never put a cap on the things they could try, learn or become. Give yourself that same grace.There are SO many different things to try - do something with wood, furniture, paper, hot glue, pottery, fabric, dirt, glass, metal, paint, photography, dance, you get the picture. It might spark a passion you never even knew existed or one that has been dormant for far too long.
2. Break old routines
When we are used to doing the same old things every day we miss out on the ones we've never tried and the spark of energy that new activities can bring. Do 1 thing every day that is different than you normally would. It could be something as simple as taking a walk through your neighborhood, drinking something different for breakfast, going to the library, buying a food you've never tried before, exercising an hour later, or wearing something you haven't worn for a while. Try something new that breaks stale habits.3. Find energy from outside yourself
Get out of your own head and into someone else's. We are limited by our own beliefs about ourselves so spend time with someone who knows you and ask them what they think you might be good at or something they think you would like. Even finding out what someone else's goals and aspirations are might spark one in you. It can be fun and eye-opening to get an outside perspective.Other places to try for new ideas, perspectives & inspiration:
Podcasts
I used to focus my podcast listening to work and business-related sources but when I add podcasts about things other than work, I get a boost of energy and perspective that also helps my work.3 Podcasts I listen to right now:
- So Money, by Farnoosh Tarabi
- Organize 365, by Lisa Woodruff
- Productivity Paradox, by Tonya Dalton
3 Inspiring people I'm following right now:
Library
No need to spend a bunch of money as you learn about new things, I love checking books out at the library about everything under the sun. You may also find postings for free workshops, book readings, or community events that sounds interesting.TV Shows
People give tv watching a bad rap. Just like other things that can suck us into a time warp, give yourself a certain amount of time to get inspired by what you watch. And no, watching 10 hours of other people renovating houses doesn't count as doing it yourself (yes, that was for me). I literally think, "I could do that" and then Alison Victoria, from Windy City Rehab, reminds me that I can't. ha! But it's still fun watching and imagining and sparking ideas and creativity while being thankful I don't have over a million dollars on the line, if I even had a million dollars.4. Spend time outside
Nothing gets me out of my head and into a better, more creative, thoughtful, positive frame of mind than getting outside. Into the woods or by the beach is better, but a quick neighborhood walk can spark thought and ideas. If you don't have time for a walk, sometimes even getting out to the mailbox can give you a boost with the fresh air and sunshine (or splash of rain if you live in Seattle).5. Stop chasing your passion
I hear so often about people trying to "find their passion", like there is only one thing that can ever truly fulfill them. They are often left empty as they pursue the unattainable. I have found there are things I try, like, and check off my list forever; other things I love and revisit many times; and a few things that really fill me up. Trying different pursuits brings out different likes, talents and passions. By widening your view you may actually find your passion without really looking for it.So while we may not love what we do every single day, we can definitely make more room for joy, reconnect with those things that once brought us happiness, and find new things to love.
What are some things that light you up that you want to try or reconnect with?
Shannon Sorensen, author of Shannon Sews, is also the founder and CEO of Fairface Washcloths, the best washcloths for sensitive skin.
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