Feed Your Passion

Do you remember when you were a child and had decided (several times) what you were going to be when you grew up? How many times did you change your mind? But, eventually, there really was ONE thing (possibly two or three) that you became passionate about. You studied all you could about it. Your aim in High School was to become this person doing that thing. College would lead you to your dream job and the world would be perfect.

What happened?

Are you doing what you were passionate about?

If not, why not? Did life interfere? Did those around you scoff enough to lead you away from YOUR dream and aim you toward theirs? Or, have you achieved your passion?

A huge majority of people are not living the passion of their youth. Perhaps family obligations interfered, college was not "in the cards," a youthful error led you down another path. Whatever the reason, the time is now to feed your passion.

When I was young, I wanted desperately to become a horse vet. Horses were the greatest passion of my life at that time. I wanted one of my own from the time I was old enough to know what they were. I was thirty-eight before I got one. By that time, my vet dreams had fallen by the wayside. I failed Zoology in High School and decided that I'd never make it in Vet School that way. So, I let that dream die, sort of.

Another of my passions way back when was art. I drew constantly (horses, of course) and wanted to go to college to get into graphic art (since the vet dream was dead, why not art?). My parents refused to help me get into college for that. Father said there was no money in it. I have to laugh about it now, because it's everywhere! Who knew then what the graphic arts would lead to? Not only magazine advertisements, TV ads, newspaper ads, but the Internet--look at all the graphics on there.

I actually had three passions when I was young. The third was writing. I wanted to write stories. Fantasy fiction. Romantic fantasies where the fairy princess met the prince and they lived happily ever after.

So, why am I telling you all this? Because passions don't really die. They crop up in unusual ways sometimes.

I don't see myself going to college at this late date for Vet School, but that particular passion has transferred to dog showing and training. It has become, actually, a family thing. My sister, my niece, my mother, my daughters, me...we all show dogs. We have a variety of breeds between us--St. Bernards, Border Terriers, Vizslas, a Jack Russell Terrier, even mixed breeds that are in training for search and rescue work (that's my eldest daughter).

For two years, I taught obedience work at PetsMart. I still write articles about training and, while I don't consider myself an expert, I do think I comprehend the dog's mind as well as many other trainers and better than some. That particular passion is manifesting, with the help of a friend, as a website that will be about dogs. Training them, having fun with them, doing useful work with them. Keep an eye out for www.dogpotentials.com to see how I do.

I had a horse, in fact, I had two. One is dead now. She had a genetic fault that lead to seizures. I didn't know it when I sold her to one of the women I boarded with. The other has also been sold, but she has managed to be the horse of dreams for a couple of other girls. One rode her in three-day eventing for a year or so and did well. But this mare was not the ultimate horse for her dreams.

They gave the mare to a program for kids that were "challenged," but the mare was too peppy for that program. Now, she's helping another girl learn about living a dream of having a horse.

That passion was passed down to my other daughter. She rides when she can, she owns a horse (has had two, as well), and she has even gone to Spain to take lessons on Andalusian horses there. Because of her skill, she was selected early in that program to ride some of the stallions at that training school. An honor reserved for few, from what I understand. She has trained with the Army's riding program and has done very well in horse work.

The artwork, well, I don't draw much, anymore, but I have translated that into photographs and I'm slowly learning about creating graphics on my computer. Not only that, but I have been creating graphics for items I sell in two Cafe Press stores I have (Keeping to the Borders and The Wright Gifts).

All three of my children are artistic, although, my son doesn't think he is. I have seen his work and he is very good. I wish they could all do something with their art.

And the writing? Well, I do write stories and have been published on the internet and in books. And, you see it here. Not only am I blogging about things, I have a newsletter I put out about living the abundant life of a dragon. I am writing the majority of the words on the website(s) and will be helping another friend with a course about writing. In these ways, I am feeding my passions.

How can you feed your passion(s)? Is there another tack you can take that will allow you to do what you've always dreamed of now? Perhaps a slightly different aspect that will be just as satisfying as your original plan?

For just a moment, think back to that youthful passion. Feel it in your heart, see it in your mind. How can you become that person you wanted to be, oh so long ago? What changes would you need to make in your life to achieve it? What education would it take? With all the information on the internet, it should not be difficult to find a way to learn what you need to to fuel that passion.

Making time to do what you want is often a stopper. Can you carve out an hour after the children are in bed to study/practice? Perhaps rising a little earlier? Can you study on your lunch break? Write then? Do things then?

Suppressed passions can lead to bitterness, overweight (trust me on that one--I lost 20 pounds within two months of owning my first horse and couldn't even ride her to start with because she wasn't trained yet), and other problems in life. Have trouble getting along with people at your workplace? Could it be because of suppressed passions?

Give yourself permission to pursue your passion, even if it's in another form. Allow yourself to learn what you need to, feed it a little at a time, let it blossom.

Oh, yes, I hear the excuses. Don't have time, too old, too...whatever. Let me ask you, WHO is responsible for your life? In the end of it all, who will you be?

In our youthful innocence, we knew truth in our souls. What we were meant to be and do in this life. Make this the time that you will feel that truth again and feed your passion.
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C. Rogers Upson is a multi-published author both on the internet and in books and has a website at www.edragonmarketing.com and another at www.dogpotentials.com.