When it comes to learning a lesson in passion, nothing beats November 5, 2018 – the day I put my blog out on the internet for all to see! That was a terrifying time for me. I had no idea what I was doing and did not know anyone else with a blog besides the people I was learning from. But I did it because I thought it would be fun and I loved writing! As of today, I am still following my passion.

One of my first posts was “Do you Know What Your Purpose Is?”. At the time I wrote that I certainly wasn’t sure what mine was. I was experimenting with different things to see what would stick.

Lessons in Following Your Passion

Fast forward to today, and I still love blogging and writing. I’ve had some ups and downs, like almost getting scammed, getting my first 500 subscribers, coming up with freebies, trying to figure out my brand, and reading my first negative comment, but l learned something new every day.

I’m following my passion and making a little progress at a time. During the first couple of years, I feel like I was trying to see what this was all about. I thought it would be easy, and I would be making money and gaining new followers by the thousands. But it didn’t entirely turn out that way. I’m still learning more every day about how to blog, but I’m not giving up.

If you are pursuing a passion and it’s not going the way you thought it would, take a step back and ask yourself why. What can you learn from the beginning stages? What beliefs are you holding on to? What is holding you back from fulfilling your dream? What lessons are to be found in following your passion?

Here’s What I’ve Learned About Following My Passion

Not everyone will agree with you

There will be people who think what you are doing is dumb or not a “real” job. Others won’t see the value that you can provide. But those people are probably not your audience anyway. Let that go and surround yourself with people who have similar passions or give you constructive feedback. Learning how to find you passion in life means moving forward despite the naysayers.

You can’t please everyone

One of the biggest lessons in following your passion is to always make sure you’re doing it for YOU. Do it to make you happy and do it well enough so that it feels good. You may get one or two people who actually tell you that it isn’t good or laugh at you or write a bad review anonymously, but what you don’t see is the many others you have touched. Most people see or read or hear something that makes them feel good but never says a word to anyone else. Find the people that resonate with your message or product and work on pleasing them.

You have to find your own path

When I started blogging, I followed a course that showed me exactly how to set it up. Then I took a class that told me very specifically the steps I needed to take to make my blog profitable. Well, that didn’t work. So, as I keep working, I’m trying to find my own path. Do the things that I am comfortable with and be OK with the results.  My approach is mine alone, and no one else is on it: my goals, my dreams, my version of success. You must learn to let go of trying to live up to other people’s expectations.

Make your own rules

Don’t put pressure on yourself to play by someone else’s rules when it comes to lessons of passion. Unless it’s the law, in which case you should probably follow that, make your own rules! Just because someone else does it a certain way doesn’t mean it is the only way. You should do it the way that feels good to you. For example, there are many bloggers out there, and most of them post on social media several times a day. Well, that doesn’t work for me, so instead of putting pressure on myself to come up with all of those social media posts, I post when it feels right. Eventually, it might make sense to do more, but I’m not there yet.

Keep learning

Whatever your passion is, there is something on the internet that can teach you how to do it better. Whether it’s a specific skill to learn or motivation to start, keep learning. The top two reasons to keep learning, according to an article on LinkedIn, are

1. People who continually learn (whether or not they have advanced degrees) will earn more money than those who rely on a narrow set of skills and experiences.

2. There is a link between education level and life expectancy. Those who are better educated are healthier. I love learning, so this is not a problem for me. I am always looking for the next book to read that will help me become a better writer and inspire us to make the most of our lives.

Try new things

Sometimes when you start following your passion, you think you know what your goal is, but then something will come up along the way to steer you in a different direction. When I started blogging, I thought writing was my passion, but I’ve discovered along the way that I really like the creative side as well. I love working on Canva and making fun logos, Pinterest images, and resource pages. Be open and aware of what else is piquing your interest.

Know your end game

When you are starting, take the time to write down why you want to do this. Is it to have fun, make some extra money, share the joy with others, improve your health, etc.? When you know why you are following your passion, it is easier to stay motivated. It also allows the Universe to help you get there. When I started, it was just for fun and to share joy, but now I want to make it a business. That changes the end game and might also change the path.

Life is short

Things will happen in your life that make you sit up and take notice. An illness or death of someone close to you conjures up those feelings of how you need to not take anything for granted. You should be doing all of the things that make you happy now. But then a few days or weeks will pass, and you are right back in your routine. We need to stop waiting for the right time and follow our passion now.

It doesn’t feel like work

You know you are on the right path when you wake up in the morning, and you are excited to get to work. Whether it’s your 9-5 job or something you do after hours, I hope you wake up with energy and enthusiasm to start another day. I love spending time at my computer finding new ways to make the most of this life. You may question how to find your passion in life, but it boils down to this – what brings you joy?

I continue every day with new enthusiasm. I can look back and appreciate everything I have learned so far and focus on new and better ideas.

Like I said in my Purpose post, “I am going to stop worrying about what my purpose is and find time for doing what makes me happy and makes others happy as well.”

That’s my passion, do what makes ME happy and hopefully make others happy as well.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you are Living Marvelously by following your passion!

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”  Neil Gaiman

“No matter what happens, no matter how far you seem to be away from where you want to be, never stop believing that you will somehow make it.”  Les Brown