Second Article in the Series:
Passions, Strengths & Values
If you were asked the question, “What are you passionate about?” how would you answer? Most of us have a difficult time answering the question quickly and coherently. Perhaps you answer “my family” or “my faith” or “my spouse.” Or perhaps it’s golf, wine or another hobby or interest.
Stating our passions is challenging for a couple of reasons: (1) most of us haven’t invested the time or energy to know what they are, and (2) the feeling of passion resides in the limbic part of the brain, an area where language and speech do not reside. Do you ever wonder why you have a hard time putting into words how you feel? There is a biological reason for it – those two areas of our brain have a difficult time connecting. We can’t change the make-up of the brain; however we can invest some time in exercises that will help us verbalize our passions.
You may be familiar with a variety of exercises to help uncover your passions or purpose in life. If you have been working with the content and suggestions of recent messages, you have already begun the process of uncovering your passions. Yet each of us is as individual as our fingerprints, so you may need to explore several approaches to find what works best for you. Here are two more to get you going:
Approach 1: Start with, “When my life is ideal, I am ______________________.” Fill in that blank ten or more times with the things that would bring you joy, fulfillment and happiness. After you have completed that initial list, then compare each statement to the other and choose the one that you couldn’t live without. You can have all of them; you first need to prioritize which are most important. Use this method to highlight your top 5 passions.
If this approach speaks to you, then learn more about it and explore in-depth by picking up a copy of the “The Passion Test” by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood.
Approach 2: Take a piece of paper, entitle it, “My Passions” and begin writing. Write about what moves you, write about your dreams, who you see yourself being and who you see yourself serving. Write, write and write; thoughts, phrases, quotes, complete and incomplete sentences. Get it all out and then see what comes from the words on the page. Connect the dots, complete the sentences and see if you don’t find some clarity and some defined passions.
Whichever approach you use, and if you have one you’d like to share, please do below! Create a reminder list of your top 5 passions to review at least daily. I keep mine in my “Notes” app on my iPhone and iPad. One or the other is almost always with me and provides an easy way for me to keep what is important front and center!