Follow Your Passions!

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I learned a great deal from the PLEN seminar in Washington D.C.  One of the greatest lessons I took away, that was echoed by many of the speakers, was that if you follow your passions, it doesn’t matter what path you take, you will accomplish great things.  Every speaker found their way into careers that were challenging, rewarding, and personally fulfilling.  They may have started on very different career paths from degrees in English, political science, history, and so much more, but they found their way to nonprofit, advocacy, or policy work.

When I look at my path through education, knowing I am about to embark on an even greater adventure, I realize that the more I follow my passions, the more I will be fulfilled.  I have found that stifling passion merely leads to a life of monotony, and an existence plagued by regret.  I choose to never regret again.  I choose to take opportunities to make a difference in the world when I find them.  I choose to make opportunities where they do not currently exist.  I choose to initiate social change for the betterment of caregivers, even if it requires small steps to reap small rewards.  I choose to be an advocate for those who need one.  I choose to empower other women to lead, as these women have empowered me.  Most of all, I choose to be myself and represent my values and morals in the career decisions I make.

You have this power as well.  You can choose the person you wish to be and you can empower yourself to follow the passions that make up your spirit.  Be strong, be willing to make changes when necessary, and be open to the advice of others.  In the words of Caryl M. Stern, “Don’t be afraid of lateral moves today to get to where you want to be tomorrow.”

Prioritize Your Life Based on Your Passions!

Prioritizing your life is always a great thing to do.  Everyone should have a plan, and know what their most important values, goals, people, and tasks are.  This can be daunting because people tend to become very analytical about it.  Sometimes, people become overwhelmed by the lists, and this is usually because they do not break goals down into milestones.  It is definitely a task, but it will become more accurate, exciting, and personalized if your life is prioritized based on your passions.  Everything you write on your list as a priority should, in some way, support your passions.

For example, if you are prioritizing your relationships, you would have the people you are most passionate about at the top of your list.  Children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings, and your best friends will most likely be at the top of your list.  If you have a to-do list and a conflict arises between seeing your child perform in a concert, and a team meeting at work, you may run into a problem.  This is when you need to look at what you’re most passionate about.  Is this meeting going to cost your job?  If so, even if your child is a priority, keeping your job supports that child and is probably going to take precedent.  If the meeting is not that important, then going to your child’s concert should be the priority.

This concept applies to many aspects of your life.  From career goals, educational goals, family, morals, values, and religious or cultural beliefs.  Understanding who you are means you know what you are passionate about, and those passions can be prioritized, and decisions can be made based on those priorities.  It will make tough decisions easier for you.  It will help you to reach your goals more quickly, and you will feel good about the choices your are making.  Be organized and prioritized, and you are bound to find yourself happier, more confident, and successful.