live passionately (read all 4 entries…)

How do you maintain passion?  — 3 years ago

Mine comes and goes. I get passionate about something new, and then move on. Then I get passionate about something else.

Or does the goal mean be passionate about being passionate? Even if temporarily you don’t feel passionate?

Comments:

Kab

Timothy---

I think you can be passionate about waking up in the morning. I keep my fires burning by looking around me all the time with my eyes OPEN and try not to succumb to the lure of complacency and the rut so many people love to live in. Yes they love it because it is COMFORTABLE. It takes courage to get step outside of the box and bend life the way you want it to go. I know, after a 25 year career in Veterinary medicine, I was faced with it- so I jumped- and have not regretted it.
My mom has cancer now throughout her body and it is one more reminder to go take that picture of the old oaks, to stop and gaze at the sunsets- to say hello to strangers and to be a friend to those who are in need. But most of all, to love yourself passionately and be grateful for every moment you have.
You have a common affliction called obssessionism. You are obsessed with one thing for a time then get bored and move on. Harmless really until you do it to the one woman that loves you the most…...Learn why you move on and then stick to something, find out WHY it caught your eye/passion in the first place and make it new all the time.
good luck to you… and write again if you’d like.:-)
did you take these photos? they are fabulous!!

I think you don't give yourself credit...

If what you’ve posted on your “Self-Actualization” goal alone is true, you do have quite a bit of passion. However if what you’ve posted above is a real problem and seems to be recurrent, then add a goal that does involve a commitment of some type…as the person above notes. That being said, it’s all a matter of balance and priority. (Still working on that myself. Maybe one day I’ll have it figured out.) There is a definite thing that you should never lose passion about, though. That is: “Never give up on yourself!”

Temporary isn't so bad.

I think there’s this unspoken expectation in our culture that if you become passionately interested in something, you have to stick with it “forever” or it’s not a “real” passion.

Bah! I say. Go after anything and everything that absorbs you, for as long as it absorbs you. Set it aside whenever you’re ready.

Over time, all these experiences will cross-pollinate in you and create something new and extraordinary. I think we’re all here to take in the juice of life and channel it into our own uniqueness.

Besides, the world is so packed with things to get excited about, how could anyone possibly maintain every single passion they find?

I’d say, if passion is finding you again and again, you’re living passionately already. Good for you!

What beautiful wisdom!

You have just helped me with FOUR of my goals!
  1. Lead a balanced life: balance can be like feathers & lead. . you can balance a pound of feathers with a pound of lead. You just have to have a LOT more feathers!
  2. Accept myself, others, etc.
  3. Live passionately – You’ve encouraged me greatly
  4. Find interesting minds – yours!! I just found another one!! Yeah!!
    My current passion is photography. I found a site that’s just like 43things (a community based around common passions, and mutual encouragement) Here’s a link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1/ You can download any you like for FREE. (It’s called thanks, and sharing)

Thank you!!

. . . Having just added, “Practice Gratitude” to my goal list, you’ve now helped me reach one, too!

I adore the 6074 – tulip 2005 MO Botanical Garden! Especially because I missed my annual trip to the Tulip fields here in Oregon. You’ve made some joyous, vibrant photographs. CONTINUE! PLEASE!! :-)

Not one chance that I will stop!

I’ve been enjoying my photography more and more. It was Nov. 2003 that I bought the Digital cam I’m using now. It’s been too much fun, now that I don’t have to worry about paying for film.
My “Write more thank you notes” goal is along the same lines as your practice gratitude. My thank-you notes are on hand-made paper, with one of my photos on them. Someday, I’ll probably send you one!
Anyway, you know you can download any of my photos off my site to view, make prints of, etc. Thanks for your praise. You warmed me up.

evenstar42 needs to get over last weekend in time to get ready for the coming one

Yaay!!

I’m out of cheers (I don’t know why, cos an hour ago I had four and I’ve only used one…) but please consider this comment heartily cheered! Part of me has always felt slightly guilty for being so inconstant about my passionate interests, but another part has suspected it’s ok to be passionate for a finite time about something – it still adds to who you are. You’ve put the perfect words to the hazy thought in my head. Thank you! :o)

Thanks, I needed that!

I think it’s easier for me to be passionate primarily about one thing at a time. Just as in relationships, one passionate dedicated love is not only enough, but essential.

So, if my passion is photography, it then becomes part of my “bag of tricks”. Next I could be passionate in sequence about backpacking, reading, exercise (well maybe not exercise). This way, I keep adding to my interests, adding to the “complex aroma” of my personality.
At the same time, I have to allow for periods of being “fallow” or dispassionate. At these times I gather strength for the next passion I encounter.

I feel the same about my own passions (and I have recently embraced that they are passions, and not “hobbies”). These are the things that keep me going.

But I love what you write about the “complex aroma”—that’s fabulous! Thanks for this wonderful thread.

Small Steps

Try taking small steps.
Cut the things you have to do in small, easily manageable pieces, and accomplish them one at a time.
Then the trick, at least for me, is celebrating, celebrating every inch of it. Then looking forward to the next small step and to the goal ahead.

You made me think of the movie. . .

“What about Bob?”, where thay talk about “baby steps”. ;-) I like your comment very much.


 

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