By: Sydney Burns | Writer
May 24, 2018
For the past four years in high school, I struggled with “finding my passion” or what I love so much that I would want to do it as a job for the rest of my life. I always thought that I was alone in the matter, because it always seems like “everyone” knows what they are doing with their life and what their “passion” is.
Senior year was a year of finding and understanding myself in a way where I now understand more of who I am and what I like.
BUT what I finally do understand is that you don’t need to know what you want to do or what your PASSION is.
The word passion is used in a way where it is this magical forum where you have a perfect plan of pursuing a job that makes you happy. But honestly, what is the definition of something that is a passion? The dictionary says that passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. This definition has me in awe because when have we ever been passionate about working? When did the words passion and work suddenly join together?
I don’t know about you but I am never been overjoyed to go to work. I have never cancelled plans to pick up shifts or smiled when being called into work. The idea of having a “passion” is an idea that honestly just causes anxiety and a consistent let down.
Your passion does not have to be a job, but if it is that’s great. “That’s always the goal, because you’ll spend most of your time working and you always want it to be something you really love,” senior Sienna Koppang said. “But I don’t know how realistic that is, especially with job relations, coworkers, difficult hours, and frustrating projects.” Although having your passion be your job would be a dream come true, as Sienna said, it is not very realistic, so as my dad always says, “Do what you got to do, so you can do what you want to do.”
Your passion does not need to be something huge or something that you flaunt like a trophy. Your passion can change and evolve. “I loved to swim for years. I believed that it was my passion. As life went on and my likes and personality changed, my love and passion for swim did too.” As you change and grow throughout your life, your passion is bound to change, so don’t expect to be set on one passion for the rest of your life starting now.
Your passion can be whatever you want and can change whenever you want. Your passion does not need to be your job!
Living your life passionately does not mean that you need to have one passion. Take Einstein’s advice. Be passionately curious!
Well-written and insightful!