You hear a bunch of people all around you talking about their passion and “following their bliss,” but all you hear is panic. What is your bliss? What if you don’t have one?
Do you feel that everything you do is grey and lusterless? Do you find work boring? Is everything just kind of blah? Maybe you feel that you can’t be good at anything or passionate because you aren’t super talented or great at anything. Well that’s just not the case. It’s never too late to figure out what matters most to you, and to live a life of passion.
Here are a few strategies to combat the “meh” feelings that currently fill your life.
1. Shift your view.
A little perspective goes a long way. Release yourself from all the negative voices in your head holding you back and keeping you stuck.
2. Think strategically.
Figure out what’s causing you the most frustration and dissatisfaction. Isolate that thing and start working towards bringing it down. All the while, start keeping a notebook of things that give you joy. And while you’re at it, start asking yourself what you wanted to be when you grew up. Why can’t you be that now? Start dreaming again.
3. Get healthy.
Your health is a major source of your wellbeing. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to be in your prime. Eat right, exercise, stay active. Make sure you sleep and make time for self-care. Get rid of toxic patterns and relationships.
4. Stay curious.
A great way to figure out what you want to devote your life to is to figure out what interests you most. If you haven’t hit upon it yet, that might be because you haven’t seen it yet. Start reading and being more open to new things. You never know where your passion might turn up.
5. Think for yourself.
Don’t just follow what the herd decides is “cool.” Figure out what you actually like. Dabble in all sorts of things. Push your comfort zone. Try new things more than once. If you like them, keep doing what you’re doing until you start to make some forward progress. If you don’t, cut your losses and move on. You might even find you meet new and deeply important friends when you start committing your time to things you truly enjoy.
6. Be brutally honest.
Ask yourself the tough questions about your unhappiness. The challenging soul searching and emotional work required will pay enormous dividends in the long run.
7. Be confident.
Believe that you’re doing the right thing when you find it. You’ll know what that is if you only start listening to yourself. Push past your fear and find the fun in life. Take time to check in, smell the roses, and keep yourself honest. Your future self with thank you, and you’ll be living a life that’s true to yourself. What could be better?
