Pursue Your Passion
Ignite Your Inner Fire: Finding and Pursuing What Truly Matters
Pursue Your Passion
For our purposes, passion will be defined as a powerful or compelling emotion or feeling—an intense drive or conviction. Your passion is the energy that motivates you to take action. Life is dynamic, and our interests can change. Therefore, our passions evolve, so be open to new activities and enjoy the journey.
Your passion lives in your heart like a pilot light, not in your mind. For some of you, that pilot light may have never been lit. For others, it may need to be reignited. If yours has remained lit from the start, you are one of the very fortunate few.
Listen to your intuition—your internal guidance system, your personal GPS.
One of my favorite quotes is, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
Discovering Your Passion
When seeking to discover your passion, notice any themes or patterns in your life. For example, if you looked at my book collection, you'd find many nonfiction and historical fiction books, along with my nature-based poetry chapbooks and my hybrid book of nature poems and stories. You would also find a variety of stationery, especially interesting notecards, colorful pens, and adult coloring books.
What are your natural talents? What do you gravitate toward? Notice what you're doing when you lose track of time or hate to stop. Think about what brings you joy and fulfillment. When you first wake up each morning, what excites you? I'm not talking about the fact that you're still breathing.
Being too comfortable can stifle your creativity. Consider what you loved to do as a child. If you had financial independence and security, how would you spend your time? If you haven't discovered your passion, what are you afraid of? Failure? What others might think? Technology? Ask yourself what's distracting you from pursuing your passion. Is it your job, your family, your health, or other obligations?
Avoid the land of "Yeah, but..."
I want to paint, but I don't have the time or space in my house.
I want to play an instrument, but I have arthritis, and I don't know how to read music.
It's never too late to learn and adapt as needed.
My Writing Journey
After thirty-five years, I retired from teaching in June 2011. Then I worked for a software company for almost four more years. It wasn't until I was no longer a paid employee that I began making time for myself and pursuing one of my passions.
I've always enjoyed writing cards and letters, keeping a journal, and dabbling in poetry, especially haiku. A friend suggested I check out classes at our county's senior center. Initially, I resisted because I didn't consider myself old. However, I changed my tune when it was time to apply for Medicare. I was a senior after all.
In the spring of 2016, I enrolled in Writing Your Memoirs at the Granville County Senior Center. My instructor told me I had a real talent and asked why I wasn't using it.
Mmmmmm... I wasn't an English major. I wasn't formally trained as a writer. I lacked confidence. I wrote only for my own pleasure. Who would want to read anything I wrote?
She convinced me to attend a flash fiction workshop conducted by the Durham County and Orange County Writers' Network. The presenters asked participants to write a story of exactly 25 words based on the name of a nail polish color. Sole Mate was the name of the polish I received. They encouraged us to submit our stories to the online journal Nailpolish Stories: A Tiny and Colorful Literary Journal.
I tweaked two stories over the next few days. Why not submit? It was free. What did I have to lose?
Much to my surprise, the editor accepted Sole Mate. My first publication appeared in July 2016.
Sole Mate
By Suzanne Cottrell
Frayed strap, broken heel,
scuffed leather; worn beyond repair.
Replicating life. Slumped in her chair,
enveloped by her robe, clinging to memories.
One more dance.
Eventually, I realized I could combine my love of nature with my interest in history and research through my passion for writing. Although I write primarily poetry, I also write flash fiction and creative nonfiction.
The more I read and write, the more I realize that every reader brings unique experiences and perspectives. I like to create images that are open to each reader's interpretation. I'm still an educator at heart, so I hope my readers learn something new each time they read my work.
Did you know that groundhogs can climb trees?
Integrate Your Passion
You might think of discovering your passion as a form of active meditation. Don't feel pressured to immerse yourself completely in one passion. Instead, gradually integrate it into your life.
It's never too late to pursue a passion. I began my writing journey at the age of 65. You simply have to be willing to invest the time, take a few risks, believe in yourself, and enjoy the journey.
Your passion will energize you. Joy comes from consistently doing what you love. Building your life around what you love—whether that's one passion or many—is something you'll never regret or forget.
