“Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.”

– Denis Diderot

“What is your purpose?”

Crickets.

I find that many people tend to get totally silent when they are confronted with this question.

It makes sense. It’s pretty big question after all.

Most of us tend to find ourselves in jobs that don’t inspire us nor make us happy. We accept much less than our dreams. Before we know it, we’re so far down a path that doesn’t align nor reflect with who we are or what we had originally desired for our lives. And the reason for this is because typically we take what we can get to get by in this crazy world. We ignore Passion and purpose in lieu of money and security. Not that the latter aren’t important and necessary, but the key thing to remember is that for most of us, we work for one reason only: to enjoy life in its entirety.

Allow me to ask:

How much easier would it be for you to answer the above question if you connected purpose with your passion?

Game changer, right?

Maybe you know your passion. Maybe you don’t. Either way, this perspective can open up an incredible amount of space for introspection, connection, and ultimately, if you so choose, the opportunity to transform your life into one that is both purposeful and passionately fulfilling.

For those of us who may not know what our passion is, here’s a few questions we may want to ask ourselves:

• What puts a smile on my face?
• What do I find easy?
• What sparks my creativity?
• What would I do for free?
• What do I like to talk about?
• What would I regret not having tried?

Asking yourself these questions will no doubt make your passion a whole lot clearer. What is it that sets your soul on fire? What makes you come alive? This is your passion!

Why is understanding our passion important?

It allows us the opportunity to live a completely authentic life. Knowing what fuels us unearths our essence – our core nature and truest self. Uncovering our passion leads to recognizing how our current life does not reflect what fuels us, motivates us, and inspires us. We become more aware of what needs to change so that our experience mirrors who we truly are, compelled to shed and resist anything that feels inauthentic. We’re able to clearly define our personal values and priorities in life, easily navigating and deciding what is absolutely essential to our happiness and choosing that which serves us in the Highest way. And above all, we open space for purpose – pure, unadulterated purpose.

In my own experience, I went through quite a few different majors in college until one day I simply let it go. I couldn’t find anything that resonated with me. I was out of school for about 4 years, simply just taking time to connect with who I was, what interested me, and what fueled me. Then, one day, it hit me. I wanted to be of service. Serving others has always been a passion of mine. It lights me up and gives me meaning – or, even better, it gives me purpose.

Many fears can come up when we consider connecting passion with our purpose:

• I’m too old to pursue my passion.
• What if I can’t make money?
• People will think I’m nuts.
• I don’t have enough money to go after my passion.
• What if it doesn’t work out?

If any of these – or any others – pop up for you, I encourage you to question them. As legitimate as these concerns are, it’s important to really dig deep into them to see just how true they are. Most of the time, they’re not. There’s always a solution. For example, you may think you’re too old. Is that really true or is that just an excuse? You might think you won’t make money. The thing about following our passion as a purpose is that we love what we do – because of this, we care about what we do, we’re meticulous and driven, we’re embodying our authenticity, ultimately offering a quality and unique service or product. This is what makes the money for us. You may find that your passion leads to more money than you’ve ever made, or you may find that it may be less. For most, this is worth it because they feel fulfilled and excited about what they’re doing, a true sense of abundance and prosperity. Just remember – there is always a way.

We have to address our Fear fully and see it for what it really is – a gift. The fear is a sign that we are doing something BIG and on path with our Divine purpose and mission. Most people shy away from turning their dreams into a reality because they’re fearful – whether it be fear of change, fear of failure, fear of rejection, or simply fear of the unknown. Yes, it certainly can be scary, and for most, it is. It absolutely was for me before I dove right into my passion and made it my day job. I pushed past the fear and trusted that it would lead me in the right direction – and it did. If we can learn to cultivate our fear into something that serves us, builds us up, and inspires us to grow, we open space for a life full of opportunities that fully align with who we are. Fear of the unknown can be shifted into curiosity. Fear of failure can be shifted into envisioning our success. Fear of change can be shifted into embracing it with open arms, trusting that it’s a sign of incredible growth and full embodiment of ourselves and our purpose.

So then, how do we translate our passion into our purpose?

1. Let go of your expectations. We all know that expectation sets us up for disappointment. When we’re in the process of translating our passion into our purpose, we are already in a state of possibility. What if you aren’t “too old?” What if you CAN make enough money? What if others become inspired by your bravery and authenticity? Stay open and let go of any expectations that you may have. Appreciate whatever may come. The thing about following our passion, embodying our most authentic self, and marrying that with our purpose, is that our life will naturally become aligned. Unexpected and wonderful opportunities find their way into our laps that leads to things more grand that we would have ever anticipated.
2. Define your strengths. Get a piece of paper and write down all of your strengths in relation to your passion. Begin by writing, “I am” and then let it flow. When it feels complete, look it over and ask yourself how these strengths play a part in your passion. Write your answers down.
3. Make a Passion Plan. Come up with a plan. Set your Passion as Purpose goal and create action steps that you need to accomplish it.. If it’s “I want to be a gardener” the first step may be “I need to do research about gardening.” If it’s “I want to be a public speaker,” the first step may be “I need to clarify what I would like to speak about.” Once you have figured out the steps, create a realistic timeline. We may have responsibilities that we need to tend to in the mean time. Be realistic when setting a time frame for each so that you can comfortably (and passionately!) pursue each step.
4. Envision it. All of these steps are incredibly important, but this one is even more so. Spend time envisioning this as your reality. Really feel it fully as though it is here and it is now. As though you are already doing what you love every day and loving every single minute of it. Feel the happiness, the joy, the excitement, the fulfillment of pursuing your passion as your purpose. Allow it to light the fire within and warm you up. Imagination is a powerful ally when it comes to manifesting the life we dream of.
5. Commit. Of course, to truly make anything happen in our lives, we have to commit to the change itself. I invite you to commit to one thing each day that moves you more towards your purpose. Be sure that when you follow through with this commitment, you are putting your heart and soul into it. Even if it’s as simple as reading an article that relates to it, do it. Read it as though it’s the first thing you’ve ever read in your life. Passionately commit. Purposefully commit.

Know that you have the inherent power to fully live your truth and passion as your purpose. Know that you absolutely can create the life you’ve dreamt of, no matter what society or your fears may say. Translating our passion into our purpose means a life that is rich, fulfilling, and true to who we are. It means showing up fully and completely in our essence, feeling incredibly motivated, driven, and thriving. It means enjoying our life to the fullest and most complete extent.

All it takes is a few steps, a good amount of commitment, and, of course, a ton of passion.

xo