Aware Consulting Services

Just as Julia in the movie, Julie and Julia, many of us are looking for what we want to do – “When we grow up.” Regardless of our current age, this is a dilemma that strikes many of us at a certain age.

We have spent so many years “working” to survive, progressing along our “given” career path, and now, when we have a little breathing room and actually WANT to create the job or career we always thought we wanted, we come to a barrier we didn’t even know was there…

What DO I actually WANT to do? What AM I passionate about?

In case you are one of a handful of folks who did not see the movie I mentioned above, Julie and Julia; Julia Child (famous author and French Chef) comes to a point in her life when she has been relocated to Paris by her husband’s career move and she discovers she has no idea what she wants to do!

She does realize that one thing she consistently loves about her life is FOOD – and she takes the chance to explore that path by taking French cooking classes.

Following this first step on that path, she begins to discover nuances and opportunities that she did not anticipate. While the going is not always smooth, she soon discovers that she has found something connected with food that makes her heart sing.. Cooking! And her love for French food and cooking takes her on a wonderful, fulfilling journey she never planned to take (which, I must add, gave many of us who have followed her for years, the treasured opportunity for glorious adventures in food as well!)

What does this tell you about finding your passion? Mostly that it can come from unlikely places. Places you never anticipated until you consider things other than your current path.

Allowing New Ideas to Lead you Home

Sometimes all of us must allow the new – the untried – the unfamiliar – to lead us where we have never been. AND, after the age of 30, this can sometimes become daunting.

I think maybe we become afraid to fail – afraid to look foolish – or afraid that we will make a mistake and … like the lady in the commercial on TV who cries “Help me – I have fallen and I can’t get up!”

And, like many of us, by the time we reach our late 40’s, we begin to fear that we have lost the ability to even KNOW what we like or don’t like. After all, raising a family, or growing a career tends to make us careful, eager to please others or forgetful about how to even hear our own voice.

This doesn’t mean our voice is not still longing to be heard!

Finding your passion is possible; even necessary, for life to be fulfilling and satisfying. Somewhere along the way we must take a moment and say “STOP, I am ready! I deserve fulfillment – I deserve to “design my life” and that begins NOW.

If this resonates with you and you can begin to see where you have lost sight of what you are passionate about, there are some first steps to take. Let’s explore them…

Finding your passion – no matter when you take the time to do this – doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. It begins with first recognizing that it is missing! Then, it becomes a process and one that requires patience and a willingness to explore, stumble and be in the inquiry about what gives you joy and happiness. It may or may not immediately appear – like magic. It could take a journey of discovery – and part of that journey is the joy and happiness along the way.

Begin with curiosity…

Like most wonderful things about childhood, this journey as well begins with curiosity…

1. Explore things in your past that you have loved and enjoyed doing.

These can be things you haven’t done in years or that you did yesterday. Just begin with a list of things you really enjoy – shopping, walking, swimming, visiting with friends, writing, journaling, exercise…whatever it is, write it down.

2. Visit a bookstore; Notice where you are drawn to look – at the categories of books. What attracts you or pulls you toward it? What would you love to take an hour or two to sit down and read? Make note of them.

3. Take some “me” time – time alone. Rest, relax, just sit and listen to music without words. Notice what kinds of music you like, the kind that energizes you or the kind that relaxes you.

4. Make a list of your successes in life – Where did you win? How did you feel about it and what was your experience of that? Uplifting? intimidating?

5. Look back at the various hobbies you have had throughout your life. What has been most rewarding? Where have you stopped doing that and why? Take up one thing you have done that you really enjoyed and notice your experience of doing it again. Is this something you would like to do more of?

6. Complete something unfinished from the past.  Letting go of incomplete projects will leave you with a new space to create something you want now instead of constantly reminding you of what you failed to do in the past.  Just recognize what you started, make a conscious decision to “let it go,” remove whatever remnants remain of the unfinished project, and move forward.

7.  Start something new – anything. You may discover new opportunities that you never saw before. You will meet new people and have new experiences that may trigger ideas about something else you might want to try.

Most importantly, be open to new experiences. New possibilities will show up if you are patient and take new paths. Refrain from analyzing what you like or why – just relax and enjoy the new activities. Take one new action every day. Like Julia AND Julie did, take a new path and let the experience move you forward.

You will never find answers to what is possible by looking to the past. Let your heart tell you what you love and move you forward and,most importantly, have fun; enjoy every moment – and begin to renew your enthusiasm of living. Through that, you will find what is next.

As Julia would say – Bon Appetit!