Breakfast this morning was a fun change.
I don’t have cereal too often because I find it doesn’t fill me up, but this morning I was just craving a bowl with tons of mouth-water toppings.
Sometimes only cereal will do!
Trail Mix Spelt Cereal
Ingredients:
- ~1.5 cup Nature’s Path Spelt Cereal
- 1/2 banana, sliced
- ~1/3 cup Power House Glonola
- Pinch of unsweetened coconut
- Almond milk
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
Even though I slightly over-cooked the Glonola, almond milk makes it all better. ;)
Soft and chewy and crispy and comforting.
How I found My Passion
[For my full A Year Can Change A Lot Series on Career Changes, See these posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10]
The other day I was asked what led me to discover my passion for the blogs and bakery.
I was asked, ‘How did you know that it was what you wanted to do?’
For the first 25 years of my life, I had no clue that this is what would make me happy.
Do you remember the Oprah episodes from years and years ago about finding a career that would make you happy?
Those shows were always inspiring yet anxiety provoking for me. I loved hearing about other women’s triumphs and how they went from working a horrible job to running their own business or going back to school to get a degree. I could watch story after story after story, but for some reason I would always walk away from it saying to myself, ‘I can’t do what they did.’
We are talking about an early strike-out here. I remember feeling these thoughts when I was just 15 or 16 years old. I just felt like I would never be able to find the means to follow my dreams like these other successful women did. Sure, I thought I could be happy if I had a well-paying career, but I never thought that I would be able to do something unconventional for a career.
Why did I defeat myself so early on in the game?
Because I simply didn’t know what my passions were!
If you don’t know what your passions are you surely can’t act on them.
For so long, my passion was my eating disorder and it took up all of my free time. I didn’t have many real hobbies. I played in sports for many years, but I obviously knew I wouldn’t be pitching for the Blue Jays any time soon. ;)
I started the blog on October 31, 2008 which was when I began my journey to health. I was looking for positivity in my life and I wanted to reach out to other women who were struggling with the same things that I was; not just about food and weight, but with all aspects of life.
My blog was my hobby and it brought me great joy, especially during a time when I was quite unhappy with my career. For the first little while I figured that I would be ok if I could keep this hobby on the side. It would keep me going and positive. It would be something I could look forward to when I got up in the morning and got home from work at night.
It kept me sane.
Little did I know that pursuing a hobby I enjoyed would be one of the best wake-up calls I have ever had. I felt alive when I wrote and connected with others, when I cooked in the kitchen, and when I explored photography.
For a while, I dismissed my feelings because I felt guilty about them and I didn’t want to admit that perhaps this was what I should be doing. What would people think if I told them? Surely they would laugh in my face and tell me to keep looking for a research job.
One morning I woke up and everything was clear.
I wanted to write. I wanted to open a bakery. I wanted to make healthy recipes. I wanted to help others.
And then I quit my unfulfilling career.
And damnit, I wanted to take a leap of faith for the first time in my life. I wanted to take a chance on ME.
Pursuing a hobby changed my life.
When I am asked how I discovered that this is what I wanted to do, I always thank my blog. It was the hobby that opened my eyes and helped me find my passions.
Passion finding tips:
1) If you have no clue what your passions are, pursue hobbies that you have always wanted to do and go from there. It will feel like you are going on a blind date and you may have to kiss a lot of frogs to find ones you love, but persist on.
2) Not sure what hobbies to pursue? Ask yourself what you enjoyed as a child and as a teenager for clues. Not all of them will be winners, but you will be on your way to finding them. Look at the hobbies you have now and ask if they are telling you clues about your happiness.
Do you currently have any hobbies? Why or why not? Do you know what your passions are in life and what makes you come alive? Do you think you can turn what you love into a career?
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{ 108 comments… read them below or add one }
I like this post :D
My hobbies = blogging, cooking, riding and running – I love them all! Riding gives me peace, running keeps me sane, blogging is an outlet to talk and to meet people, and cooking is just plain fun :D I’d love to make food a career but not as a chef..I have no idea how!
Oh, man. This post is EXACTLY what I needed tonight. It just speaks to me so directly… I’m only 15, but I don’t know what my passions are. I think I need to bring them back.
What a great post!
You’re truly blessed to be doing what you love every single day, and I love those “passion finding tips”
I’d say mine are pretty similar to most bloggers: fitness, food, writing, cooking, reading. But i’d also add learning (at school or not), drawing/painting and of course, singing in the shower!!
I am 34 years old. I have a wonderful day job as a Professor. It can be stressful, but overall I enjoy it (most days). 18 months ago, after I surrendered to the fact that I was morbidly obese and truly accepted myself AS I WAS, I mustered up the courage to contact a yoga teacher. I took my very overweight self to a private class. When I stepped onto that mat and began practicing yoga it was like coming home to myself. The feeling I had at the end of savasana was unlike anything I had ever felt before.
In that moment, at age 33, I finally understood what it is like to have a passion. I have practiced regularly since that time. Yoga and meditation have unfolded so much in my life – transforming my thoughts and my physical body. I have let go of so much, the least of which is 115+lbs. But what I have gained, words cannot describe. To love something so passionately is a gift I have never experienced before. If you are 22, 32, 42 or 52 and have yet to find your passion, I encourage you to try something new. And keep trying new things. If I hadn’t silenced my fears and tryed yoga I would never have discovered my passion.
Thank you for sharing your story! Its inspirational!
I love this comment – how wonderful! I am also 34 and this comment inspires me to try something new – thank you.
What a great story! I am struggling really bad right now because I have a very stable and well paying career (at our family business) and I am going out of my mind. I am so miserable and want to leave so badly but I want to leave to go to something I am passionate about….trouble is I am not so sure what to do. I love cooking, fitness, running, writing, and interior design. How do I make that into something? Posts like Angela’s have been smacking me in the face everyday….I just need to get the courage up to do something about it!
I am a SUPER passionate person. I thought my passion was training and I loved that for 6 years, but life led me down another path (and I truly belive that was God’s plan) and I rediscovered my passion for writing. It is what I WILL be doing for the rest of my life!
Foreign languages and travelling are my passions, especially German(y). I was always good at German and really liked it, and followed it through all the way to a PhD program because I didn’t want to give it up, but it took years of misery and one amazing year teaching college German to realize I had gone the academic path only because it seemed like the right thing, and because I was “smart enough” to do something that many can’t do.
But I had completely lost the point of what kept me in German all those years – the language itself! I had so much fun and felt so alive teaching those kids, and I could really see the tangible results of my work, something else I wasn’t seeing before. The experience convinced me to quit the program, and now, after a year on the flip side living in Germany teaching English, I’m in an Education program and this time next year will be able to teach secondary school German or college German. I can’t wait to introduce the language to new students and inspire them to get out there and see the world! Dream Job :D
Love this post Ange!
I have personally found that even though I don’t know what everything will lead to – I’m taking small steps each day to put me closer to my dream life/career. Blogging is such an amazing platform and I love the daily doses of inspiration I receive from people like you!
my hobbies are knitting and sewing, mainly sewing costumes.
I’ve bounce an idea around in my head of sewing dance costumes or something like that for a career, but there just isn’t much of a market for that. Especially since people don’t realize how much work goes into things that are handmade.
I have a jacket that I knit myself that one woman offered me $30 for. I then explained to her that the yarn alone cost over $100. Not to mention it took over 40 hours to knit.
Unfortunately with the WalMart easy buys and cheap machine production, hand made quality doesn’t really have the pull that it used to.
Don’t be too sure about that – I’ve noticed a trend towards people buying more handmade, personal apparel, not only to look more unique, but to get something that is good quality. And people will pay for it (we have a Sunday market near us and have seen people pay good money for the work you are describing). I also think there is more of a movement towards buying clothes that last longer and are less disposable in terms of ‘fashion’ if that makes sense.
I think you should pursue your knitting/sewing. I have a friend, who we all call
‘the knitting lady’. She quit her job, and knits all the time. Then she works three days a week at the local market. She’s not filthy rich or anything, but she definitely makes a living. Her sweaters and such are expensive, but they do sell. She also makes a lot off the little things, like hats, mitts, and yoga bags (BIG seller!).
Give it a shot!
Have you been on etsy.com? it’s kinda like ebay, but people have online ‘shops’ where they sell all handmade things like jewellery/clothes/homewear – it’s a lovely site – you should sell your things on there :)
Rachel x
I agree – don’t be so sure. Years ago, I paid $100.00 for a beautiful handmade sweater at a craft show and still LOVE it. Start small and work your way up from there.
I loved reading this post. It gives me hope that maybe what I’m doing will turn in to something I’ve always dreamed. I LOVE LOVE LOVE nutrition (hence, I’m a dietitian), but I’ve ALWAYS wanted to own my own business. I started my blog as an escape from my current position (a WIC dietitian) bc it is just not fulfilling. I love writing a my cooking adventures and providing people advice on health and self esteem. I’ve recently realized that I truly want to help others who have also suffered from ED. I feel that because I’ve been there, I can also help them. I’m not sure how I’ll accomplish my ultimate dreams, but hearing about others is always inspiring and I appreciate you sharing your story! It gives me hope that it IS possible to fulfil your dreams!
Cooking is definitely my #1 hobby: I’ve loved it since I was 13 years old! I also enjoy blogging, doing yoga, reading. Even studying gave meaning to my life last year since I had many problems at home and receiving good grades made me feel like I was doing something right. Psychology is a passion to me since I had my first class in CEGEP and I’ve just started studying it in university. I hope to make a career in psychology because I know how life can be hard and I want to help people that are struggling.
I love reading or hearing stories about how people found their passion in life. I’ve taken many different roads to finding different passions but the one I’m on now feels incredibly real. I absolutely LOVE sharing ways to be fit, be adventurous, and eat healthy with the world.
Although I just started my blog a few months ago, I realize what I’ve found most rewarding in following this path is the community of like-minded people out there who are just as passionate about living well and motivating others to treat their bodies well. It’s a great place to be:)
I always love being reminded of YOUR story, Angela… it is so great and very inspirational. :)
Many of my passions have changed (wanted to be a tennis pro!) and one of them I am currently working on bringing back… I used to be a runner.
No. I am a runner. :) I just took a long multi – injury break. But I am coming back!! :)
Rediscovering my hobbies and passions has absolutely been instrumental in my recovery! When I went away to University I essentially gave up everything to get 95% in all of my classes and fell prey to a horrible relapse. When I got treatment, I realized that I didn’t even want to be studying in the field I had chosen! Now I’m much happier in a new discipline at school, but not only that- I’m balancing school with other things I love to do now, like dance, singing, yoga and writing. Creativity is a huge one- I find I’m just not nearly as content when I’m not engaging in some kind of artistic pursuit. I think it’s really important to choose a career and lifestyle that plays to your passions, and I think it was extremely brave of you to do so :)
When I was 8 I started taking horseback riding lessons. And from that very first day I knew I wanted to spend my life working with horses. I tried other jobs but they just weren’t fulfilling enough. I recently got horses back into my life and I am so much happier!
I have a lot of hobbies! I’m kind of a generalist in nature (I like knowing a little bit about everything rather than just being an expert at one thing) so I try all sorts of things. I really love running, travel, nutrition, writing, sewing, cooking, blogging, and reading! I used to really think that my career would be the thing that fulfills me, but over the years, I’ve learned that, for me, it’s a little more complicated than that. I absolutely love my job, but, frankly, there’s a reason they pay me to do it. I don’t think I’d be a volunteer engineer. :)
What fulfills me is having a good balance between working in a job I love, spending time with family and friends, and having time to pursue my hobbies. I’m just not an all or nothing kind of girl, I guess!
Great advice. I think it’s so important for people to have hobbies they’re passionate about, to have something to look forward to, to learn from, and to work towards.
My current hobbies are blogging (and I love the community that comes from it), catching up on great books, and lots of outdoor activities, like running and hiking, camping and canoeing. It’d be great to make a career out of one of these hobbies, and I think it will happen with time and patience.
Hi Angela! I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now and for me it’s really inspirational :) I even completed my first triathlon this summer after following your triathlon training on the blog! It didn’t seem so daunting anymore, something more achievable. I loved the feeling that I got after completing that triathlon (perhaps I’ve found a new hobby??)
My passion has always been horses and horseback riding, but it’s something that I really stopped doing once I got into college. Now that I’m a graduate perhaps I’ll return back to the thing I love!
Great post – rediscovering hobbies and passions is so valuable :)
This is very inspiring. I made a major career change last year (at the age of 44!) I’m doing meaningful work that makes me happy yet provides an opportunity to live a balanced life. That balance affords me the opportunity to dabble in blogging, step-up my running/triathlon training and I’m even taking an advanced graduate course…21 years after receiving a masters degree. I don’t think it’s just about the “job,” it’s about the whole package. Can you find a way to make a living/survive and enjoy every aspect of your life? Easier said than done, but possible.
Great post!
Great post, as usual. I think you are inspiration to many people who read your blog. You help us realize that you don’t have to be unhappy with your life, there ARE ways to change it. Thanks, Angela.
Angela I loved this post.
I enjoy reading about others who have pursued their passions, and to be honest, I don’t know what mine are. But, I am happy with my current job and I enjoy my life outside of work. It may not be my “passion”, but I am content. I enjoy reading, blogging, learning about personalities, psychology, how our minds work, etc. I hope to one day do something with those subjects — I’m not sure what, but I know that with the more I learn and the more I try the more clear it will become for me.
Right now I would say blogging, cooking, and running our my hobbies. I’m hoping post grad school to pick up photography as a hobby because it’s just one of those things I’ve always wanted to try.
Great post!
i love your blog. I found it a few weeks ago via ricki hellers dietdessertsanddogs! Great recipes and ideas!!
I am blessed to have found my passion in my mid 20’s. I am living, breathing and getting paid for my passion. I am a nutritionist! I teach people to eat well and live the best life possible! Amazing. Love my job!!!
I also started a blog and love it. I post recipes and health information. So much fun!
This subject hits close to home.. now. I have been batting this idea around lately.
I am happy with one of my two jobs. It’s not something I want to do for the rest of my life, but I like the people I work with and the pay isn’t too bad (if I could just get health care insurance, that’d be icing on the cake at this point.)
Without writing a full blog post in the comments :) I am waiting for my ‘ah ha’ moment of what I want to do / find my passion and then how to would proceed.
I am in the same boat as you. If you want to talk some more and bounce ideas off each other….feel free…..I need to get out of this boat and back onto dry land! Just reply to this comment and I can give you my email address!
Hey Ashley. Thanks for commenting back. If you want to shoot me over an email go for it – my email is [email protected]
Hope to hear from you soon!
I love hearing other peoples’ stories! It’s so inspirational!
I’m currently pursuing my passion and that is to help others discover and reach their own potential. I went back to school to finish up my psych degree with an emphasis on behaviour changing and motivation and plan to open my life coaching business at the end of June 2011. I always had interests growing up but never a real passion until my own life changes began. Discovering my own potential and the fact that I alone make my life the way I want it to made me want nothing more than to spread that knowledge and help people make their lives amazing.
We have no idea what we are capable of and it pains me to see people with obvious talents NOT working with them.
This was such a great post to read while eating breakfast! I, likewise, had a packed bowl of cereal with lots of healthy toppings. :)
Also, I tried Polly’s Yoga for Runners after my run this morning…. it felt great! I’ll be doing that on a daily basis from now on.
You are such an inspiration, as a reader from the early days of OSG its amazing to see how much you have grown and you serious GLOW now in your posts :) Congrats on finding your path!!!
your story is very inspiring! i’m hoping to pursue journalism/writing or do some kind of social work – I either want to expose issues people don’t read about enough or be directly involved in people’s lives.
I loved this post. I’m doing what I love but my husband is stuck wanting to strike out on his own and feeling the need for a steady paycheck. We both worry about the risk, but he’s so passionate about owning his own business. I’m e-mailing this to him!
I am still trying to find my passion. Is it healthy living? Is it shoes? Is it wedding planning? Is it accolades from my career as an engineer? Is it animals? Is it charity work? Right now I’m doing them all so I can eventually find what makes me happiest and devote more time to that.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for this post. I’ve struggled with not being sure I’m in the right career for me a lot this past year – but it’s hard, since I’ve invested SO much time in schooling to get where I am. And now all I do is sit at a desk, when I’d much rather be interacting with people, and helping others in whatever way I can. I’m hoping one day I’ll either start loving my job, or that I will have the courage to try something new that falls more in line with my passions – helping people who are down on their luck, both in my “own backyard” and overseas, writing, reading, cooking, running/swimming/sports, my faith, and making things (crochet/knit/sew/craft). I guess I also have to believe that something that will make me happy and excited about “my work” is actually out there!
Finding my passion and a career I love is the story of my life right now!
Very inspiring post, thanks :-)
im a law student with a passion for human rights..and food! im in my last year of school, and although i haven’t figured out how quite yet – im hoping to somehow find a career that will allow me to combine my two loves. right now i have the dream, but im still waiting on the form. i dont want food to be that thing i do on the side – and im confident that i can find a way thanks to stories like yours. thanks so much!
Wow, what a great post! Thank you :)
I recently turned down law school because, after much soul-searching and stress, I’ve realized and accepted that law just isn’t “me”. Aside from my husband, much of my family thinks I’m crazy for passing up the opportunity, but I’ve gained so much more understanding about myself from this experience. My passion is still to help people, but at 27, I’ve discovered that I really want to study and practice naturopathic medicine. The road ahead is long because my background is in the social sciences, so I have a ton of prerequisite course work to complete first, but I’ve finally found the right fit and it’s totally worth it!
Thank you for being such an inspiration, Angela. Reading your story and watching you progress over the past year that I’ve been reading your blog has definitely helped me become more confident to take a chance on me!
I think it’s a really good point you brought up about how for many people their eating disorders are their hobbies for a good portion of their life. Finding your path back to health and taking care of oneself can take a good deal of time. Many people have to learn how to actually love themselves first and then they can expand and see what they are interested in doing. It’s difficult because it can be a long process for certain people. It takes time to un-do the damage and learn to love yourself. Thanks for posting that! :)
You read my mind exactly.
I was in the same situation as you, and found that blogging became the answer! I am able to enjoy and showcase my passions. I get to celebrate them rather than keep them to myself. I feel like starting a blog is the first step to pursuing my large goals, which like you,is to open a health foods bakery (but in Ottawa where the pickins are slim at this moment).
Thank you for this inspiring post! It has opened my eyes at the potential I have to reaching my dream as long as I stick to my hobbies :)
tears in my eyes girl, tears in my eyes. i’m at that point right now where i know what to do and know how to do it but can’t garner the courage to just take that leap of faith. my prayer is that someday soon I’ll be able to take hold of that and just jump!
Just jump! You are so lucky to know what you want to do! I am struggling very badly right now and I would be jumping every day if I knew what to jump to….just jump, you CAN do it!
Great post! I just realized that blogging is a passion of mine this past March, and I can’t imagine my life without it now. Although it’s not my job, I do consider it a part time job and certainly put a lot of hours into it. I was never really that big on writing in school, but I think part of the problem was that I was never able to write about anything I was actually interested in. Writing about food and fitness? Umm…. he-LLO! LOVE IT! Posts like this inspire me to keep finding my passions and pursuing them. Thanks! :)
i agree with this post 1000%! if i hadn’t allowed myself to explore my passions i never, never would have gotten to the job i’m in now that i really and truly enjoy. i floundered for a long time because i felt like i had too many different interests, but it turns out i just got to have a lot of wonderful life experiences while exploring them. the periods when i was most entrenched in disordered eating, i lost all those interests, and focusing on them was also really helpful in allowing me to recover – like i was rediscovering who i was and wanted to be. i totally agree that we need to indulge our hobbies, whether they seem practical or lucrative or not. you’re a shining example of this!
I recently went through three months of being unemployed while looking for that all important 1st job after college. For three months I was stressed out, anxious, angry, and occasionally depressed. My blog kept me going. I am just starting out, and I don’t have a great following, but just being able to write about the things I love – food, health, slow food, running, yoga, climbing, made all the difference in the world. Every time I got upset I’d recenter myself by writing a blog entry. It allowed me to keep my head clear and do what I needed to do to find a job.
I’d also like to say that reading your blog helped me SO MUCH during the past three months. All your positivity and words of inspiration helped me stay hopeful. I even used your smiling trick (the one where you said to make yourself smile, the act of curving your mouth upwards would help you feel better) a few times when I was feeling really desperate.
So I guess what I”m saying is thank you! I for one am incredibly glad that you started blogging and that you decided to follow what you were passionate about and make it your career.
A have a few hobbies, but not all of them are realistic to turn in to careers. I’m definitely not a strong enough runner to do it as a career. That is fine because I feel like when I have to run it is less enjoyable. However, I love writing, baking, crocheting and nutrition; all of which I can channel in to a career! Especially Nutrition… since it is my major!
I was just thinking about this the other day…I finally feel excited and passionate and KNOW I’m doing the right thing, but it took me so long to find it, because I kept standing in my own way. I think fear and doubts keep us from really exploring what we want, and it can be almost anything that opens up our eyes. I’m so glad you’re so happy and following the right path.
I can definitely relate to not really knowing what my passions are. I guess it’s easy to start by thinking what your passions aren’t: right now they aren’t my job, despite spending 4 years in undergrad and 2 years in grad school, they aren’t my degree. I think that eventually I will narrow it down, but sometimes you have to look at what you dislike to know what you want.
such an inspiring post! congrats for having the guts to chase your dreams girl! i’m glad everything worked out for the best (:
for me, my number one passion always has and always will be ballet. i started when i was three years old, and i was dancing 5 days a week all throughout high school.
i could never become a professional dancer, i have what they would call “bad feet”.
i’ve always been a people person, i love helping and interacting with people, and i’ve always been facinated with the human body, medicine, and health. so i’m focusing all of this and planning on becoming a nurse practitioner!
ballet is still my first love, and i try to keep up with it as much as possible. i take a lot of summer classes since a lot of my school year is spent at sorority functions, studying in the library (which this year i will be doing a lot thanks to organic chemistry), and usual college party life. just because i’m not currently taking classes doesn’t mean i’m not dancing however, i’m the girl practicing her plies and relives while making her morning oatmeal and tour jette-ing down dorm road. i really am blessed to have so much love and passion in my life, now that i think about it!
Angela – this is such a great post. I’m 27 but still trying to figure out what my passion is and how I can make this a career. You are really giving me some food for thought!!
I just tagged this under “Inspiration” in my Reader! I have also approached jobs the way you used to, based on my skills and what sounded practical and serious. I think that’s how most “Analysts” have ended up in those jobs!
Hobbies: quilting, cooking, HEALTH, exercise.
Could I turn these into a career? Probably. I’ve got friends who have done so, particularly with cooking.
But I really like safety and stability. And I love my job as an engineer in the semiconductor industry, so I don’t see any big changes coming.
Angela, this is such a beautiful post. I started reading your blog back in college and you were the one who inspired me to start cooking and being more aware about healthy living (and now I’ve even started blogging :-P). My passions in life are quite varied and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to turn them into a career. I really admire you for starting globakery because it takes guts to let go of what’s familiar and to venture into something so new.
SO glad you found what you love and went for it. Inspirational!
I absolutely adore my garden. It’s the best thing I have ever done. It makes me happy. It keeps me sane. It’s my calm. It’s what I get to nurture. I love to cook. And I love to read. I started my blog when my fiance had been dead for two years and I was a year divorced from my alcoholism. Writing about my journey from alcoholic despair to building a brand new life gives me purpose. I don’t know what that will lead to, but I do know these things about me. And since I just finished my first 5K, I’d say that’s quickly becoming a serious passion. There are so many possibilities. I get stuck in them sometimes.
My hobbies are blogging, decorating my home and keeping it neat and beautiful (which is giving me more joy than I ever anticipated), and fitness!
I struggle with the idea of turning my hobby into a career. My father opened his own hobby business and it was a tremendous struggle for my family financially throughout most of the time he owned his business. It also turned what he loved into WORK. I like that I get to go to work, and then come home and do what I love for fun and in my own free time. And there is no pressure to pay the bills with it.
What do you do if you chase your dreams and you are unsuccessful? Might make for a good post.
I’m in a career rut right now and trying to figure out what I really want to do. Thanks for the inspirational post. I hope I can find something I love to do the way you did.
I always drew houses as a kid. Like always. I would draw sections, plans and elevations–though I didn’t know what they were called. I just drew. I’m very lucky that this easily translates into a career.
i have no clue what my passion is :-/ In fact, reading this post makes me anxious just as you were anxious watching those Opera episodes. I’m in law school right now & I know that this is NOT my passion.. perhaps I can find something/someone I’m passionate about representing? I really just don’t know :(
I am in law school too and I can feel you!
Great post Ange! Reading all your posts about how you changed careers gave me that push I needed last year to finally pursue my passions. :D Health, fitness, and nutrition have been hobbies of mine for the past few years, but I never considered them as career possibilities because I felt like I had to be doing something more academic. But this year I switched to a nutrition degree and already I feel like it was the right decision!
My main hobby other than blogging is horseback riding. I’ve ALWAYS been fascinated with horses and have been an equestrian for about 14 years now. I love everything about it :) The freedom, the discipline, the connection with the horses and nature..it’s fabulous
Thanks for this post! I’m in the second year of an intense graduate program and sometimes I question if this is still what I want to do. Over the summer I was able to work which gave me a bit more perspective. I still occasionally struggle with not knowing what I want. Some of my class mates know exactly where they want to work and I feel bad because I’m still not completely sure. I know it will all come together. Normally things do when you least expect it. For now I am enjoying running and blogging. It helps me feel more balanced.
great post!
I can really relate since I also quit my job a couple years ago to focus on things that I have a passion for, namely baking and painting and gardening. I am still figuring out how to make these all work for me along the way (i very recently began blogging), but I’m having a great time doing so!
About a year and a half ago I started an artisan baking business out of my home…it’s been an incredible journey!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Cathy B.
Angela, thank you.
I have been going through such a struggle lately because I know my job is making me miserable, but I feel guilty complaining about it because it is a “good” job. Plus, I don’t know what I really want to do. I’m afraid of taking a leap and just grabbing the next thing in line, instead of making a solid decision.
I want to thank you for making me feel ok that I don’t know what my passions are. I have been feeling so silly lately because when I try to think of what I want to do my mind goes blank. How can I not have any passions?! Do I have no personality anymore?! Who am I?!
Anyway, this post was like a deep breath. It got me centered when I felt like I was flailing. Thank you!
This is exactly how I feel right now! EXACTLY! So stuck and frustrated, saddled to my job because of obscene school loans from my MS in Mental Health and rent and other bills. Now what? I want to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute so despirately (http://naturalgourmetinstitute.com/html/chefs-training.html) because it the perfect program for me. I couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect curriculum, but I just can’t afford it. Taking out another school loan would essentially double my existing school debt and I simply can’t swing it. How can money really be the reason I will never be happy at work or passionate about what I do?! I spend each day at my desk searching for scholarships and grants, but nothing is leading me any closer to my goal. I wish I had realized my love for health and food before I went to college and grad school. I guess things happen for a reason, but I feel so hopeless at the moment.
Really my only hobby is reading. Books, blogs, magazines, etc. And that’s exactly what I did as a child. I read constantly! Started when I was 2 with books on tape and taught myself to read. Now if I could get paid to just read all day and do nothing else…that’d be great! ;)
Blogging and writing have certainly become my passion as well. Right now it is more of a hobby and outlet as a stay at home mom. But I already work HARD to develop my blog into something more. In about 2-3 years I will be at the stage in my kids’ lives I expect to go back to work in some form or fashion. I want writing, helping others in health/fitness/balanced living/etc to be that work. I’m doing everything I can to make that a possibility then.
Angela! Great post! This is why I read you! We have this in common- that one day it just “clicks!”
I absolutely agree you can do what you want in your life, have what you want, and go after your dreams NO MATTER HOW Big! (Just ask my husband, trying to tap into the Acting Game!) It can be hard but shouldn’t we all live the life we have always imagined? The answer is YES!
I get so much joy with my job hleping other get fit, healthy, and on the right track but also to have them see that they are stronger than they think, We all Are!
Passions are everything in life, it might take time to find them but they are there, we all have them…It is all about being the Captain of your Own Ship and going for it- take the jump!
I think Success without Fulfillment is Failure. :)
ps. I have something I would like to send you, hehe….can you give me a mailing addresss?
You have been such an inpsiration to me. I have already made huge steps toward following my heart in other areas of my life and I soon want to transition to a new career that makes me happy. Seriously, reading your blog has given me so much courage to take steps in the right direction.
I have always done what I thought was the smart, practical thing to do. I signed up for my degree program because it was very challenging, not because I loved it. I was always the smart girl and I thought if I did pursue a passion that people would think that I sold myself short.
Thanks for being so open with your story.
I’m making steps toward turning my passion for food and wellness into a career…but it’s so hard: I have a job (not a career) that drains me every day and I want to get out so badly, but I’m afraid of what might happen if I just quit. I’m mostly afraid that I would stress myself out about not having a constant source of income for a while…
I’m working on overcoming my fears and becoming a holistic health counselor…and possibly a Crossfit trainer as well…
Another great post Angela – I love it when you write from your heart! You are such an inspiration to so many.
I have just started a one-year leave from my job (working with children who have behavioural, social, or emotional needs). It is so nice to have a break and I feel blessed to have this opportunity. I love nature, books, and learning new things, esp. healthy living.
Have a great time in Paris. I am looking forward to the pictures.
I feel like I went through the exact same thing, except my hobby was running and at first I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d love it or stick with it. But here I am, less than a year later, working as a trainer which is really the best job a person with my age and job experience could ask for! And it’s all because I started paying attention to my health and fitness (at which point I decided I needed to help other people do the same).
One of the things that I noticed about your post is that you said to try hobbies that you think you’ll like, but I don’t think that’s always right. When I first started running, I hated it. I was doing it so I could look skinny in a bathing suit on vacation. It was sweaty and miserable and dehydrating and time-consuming. It wasn’t until I left the gym for outdoor running a few months later that I discovered my love for the sport. So maybe if you can’t think of a passion you had when you were younger, think of something off-the-wall, different, new, something you didn’t like the last time you tried it. It might just be an acquired taste, and acquiring that taste could change your life!
Your story is so inspirational! I have done tons of different things in my life…they have always been because I’ve had a passion for them. I became a yoga teacher b/c I fell in love w/ yoga after my first class. I pursued, trained for and competed in a fitness show, and in marathons and running races, and in so many pursuits, it’s b/c Ive been totally passionate about them.
Sometimes one can make money from following your passions, sometimes you just do it b/c to NOT do it…would be unthinkable, or impossible :)
Currently, I am passionate about being the best mother and wife I can be :)
Thank you so much for this post. I’m right now in the process of a career transition from one compartment of the Corporate world to another, and I THOUGHT this was what I wanted to do (that the dissatisfaction I feel at my current company could be solved by going into a different company in a different – newer, fresher – field) but I’m not so sure anymore.
I recently went to a meeting with industry professionals from the new field I’m looking into and I felt such an overwhelming sense of “no, no, this is not the right fit”. Deep inside I know striking out on my own is the RIGHT decision for me but it is one I’m terrified of…I feel like I couldn’t be one of those women.
This post is very timely for me…it made me face the fact that maybe it’s not the current company or the new company that are the problem or solution. Maybe I need to broaden my scope and start trusting my own instincts instead. It’s all very scary of course… :)
What a great post! I am 22 and TOTALLY lost, but this gives me hope that finding your passion and creating a rewarding life is possible and probable. Thanks!
I would go crazy without any hobbies – blogging, running, baking, cooking… honestly, I feel at peace when I do those things.
THanks for the words of inspiration!!
This is a great post. I too look at others and think that I would love to be able to go somethign amazing; something that I truely love. But I have never managed to fin enough passion for anything. As strange as it sounds I have no idea what my interets are! I am trying to discover them day by day and really want to make a change in my life but until I have thta eureka moment I will just keep plodding on and searching.
Thank you so much for this post. Gives those of us needing “more” from our workdays inspiration to make a change!
This is such good advice. I think its so important to find something you’re passionate about. I remember when I got my first job my dad said to me “you better find something you like doing because you’ll be working for the rest of your life”. That was some of the best advice I’ve ever gotten. I’m still working on finding my perfect job, but I wont give up until I find it. :)
I think it’s cool that you followed your passion. I’m still trying to figure out what mine is!
I have to come back to this post and read it thoroughly (need to be studying!), but yes yes — I do know what my passions are in life/what makes me come alive. I sure as heck hope that they turn into my career. Gotta keep bloggin’ ;)
I have an abundance of hobbies, but most of them I want to keep them just that – hobbies. However, I did turn one of them into something more – I enjoy fitness and working out and educating others on being fit and healthy – and now I’m a personal trainer and sports nutritionist!
What a BEAUTIFUL post!!!! I am on my journey toward finding peace with the work I choose for myself. Things are changing FAST and the wheels are turning. Your blog is a HUGE inspiration to me to follow my dreams. I thank you so much for what you have done here. It is a breath of fresh air for me each and every day and it is one of the positive influences in my life that is helping me find my place. =)
I def think that people that are the happiest do something they love everyday… It’s not all about the money (for the most part – as long as you have food, shelter etc). Everyone has heard the phrase ‘money can’t buy happiness’ and it truly can’t. Happiness comes from within. I think it was on your blog that I saw that quote that went something like … ‘happiness comes from within, so work on that first’. Such a great quote bc it’s so true!! If you’re not happy, no amount of money will make you truely happy – sure, a shopping spree makes you feel good… until you put all your new stuff away and then it wears off… Great post. ;)
Thank you for this post. It feels very timely for me.
Love this… I’d really like to turn my passion of cooking into a career.
This has really been a topic that I’ve been focussing on a lot lately. I’m 28 years old. I’ve worked at the same company for 10 years. I don’t like my job. College was 5 years ago. I don’t really want to go back to school. Everyone, my mother, my friends, my old teachers…just everyone wants to know what I’m going to do with my life.
The truth is: I have no idea.
I was an English major, creative writing focus in college. I love to write. I’ve always loved to write. I apparently, have a lot to say, too! After college, I stopped writing. I don’t know if it was because I was lazy or if it was because I just didn’t know how to turn a love of writing into a career. I still don’t. I did have an article published a couple of years ago…not a paying publication, or anything, but it made me feel really alive. Like, yes, this is it. This is what I want to do. But I didn’t do anything.
I think that is why I’m blogging now. I do NOT live in a dream world where I think I will be able to quit my job tomorrow because of a silly blog, but I wanted to start blogging because I needed to start writing again. And it’s been a whopping week (yes, yes, I know. sooo impressive! =P ), but I already feel happier. Just doing what I love.
So I am going to keep doing it….and see what happens.
Congrats on finding YOUR passion and thank you for sharing it with us.
Thanks for this post! I’ve been thinking a lot about this stuff lately. Since going back to school last year to study nutrition and become an RD, so many new possibilities have opened up, and there are so many things I want to do, but I get intimidated a lot. I’m always trying to remind myself to keep taking it one day at a time. Writing has always been my main passion, and I’ve managed to use my writing degree to pay my bills while I’m in school by writing articles about health and nutrition, and I’m hoping that the bigger picture will continue to reveal itself to me.
As firmly as I believe that money doesn’t buy happiness, I do know that money can buy a lot of things that make you happy. But there is a very careful balance. Sometimes the “big bucks” don’t add up to happiness, because work leaves you with too little time and too little energy to pursue anything. That’s where I am at this point. I love my field and what I’m learning and doing. . . but there is not a chance I’ll stay with this position for a year more. I am pursuing a private pilot’s license (I work in the field of international aviation), and it kills me to time and time again not make my lessons/time to study aeronautics.
What I’ve learned with making my career switch is that you go through ups and downs. I’m in a bit of a down right now, but I do know that I won’t be here forever. I’ve been through downs before, and if you keep pressing onward, working, experimenting, and giving yourself room to grow, you will find many things that inspire and stimulate you. I keep that in mind on the worser days, and hope that some of you who are struggling will keep in mind that WORK and PERSEVERANCE are key ingredients to finding your passion.
Oh my, what are my passions? I think about this frequently. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever figure out what it is I wish to add to my life to make me feel more fulfilled.
Angela,
I love the story of your personal journey, as it is so close to my own. Thank you for being so brave to share it. You are inspirational.
On a side note, that cereal looks delicious! Yumm!
Thank you for the inspiration!
Following my passion got me to where I am now….but I need to CONTINUE to follow my passion to get where I am going!!
Great post! I have a huge passion for nutrition and health. Luckily I kind of stumbled into my career path while I was in college and became a Registered Dietitian about a year and a half ago. The interesting thing is that I always thought I wanted to work in a hospital setting, but after actually doing that I am not so sure anymore. It is so so frustrating talking to patients who have no desire to take care of themselves and are so resistant to changing what they eat in order to improve their lives. Working in a hospital does not allow you to see the changes that people are successful with. So right now I am on a journey to find out what other direction my career can go in, something where I can see the lasting impact, and hopefully I will find out soon!
I feel like I am in the position you were in a few years ago. I am just now learning about my passions (running, cooking, blogging, writing) and have quit my job in hopes of finding one that I love. It was a huge leap and I am terrified of the unknown, but your story gives me hope. I hope to one day turn my passions into a career.
Hey Angela!
I recently discovered your website, and I wanted to say that you’re a real inspiration for me =) I wanted to live healthier and you really help me with that. It’s also cool that you’re a vegan, because I’m a vegetarian myself too. Maybe one day I’ll become a vegan, but now I’m 16 so that’s probably not such a good idea ^^ (and I don’t think my parents will like it haha)
My hobbies are horseriding and drawing, and I wouldn’t know what to do without them. I don’t know if I could turn them into a career. Maybe drawing, but I think it’s pretty hard to get a job in it..
Greetings from holland!
You are so inspirational. Your story has touched a lot of people and fill continue to do so!
Angela, you are truly an inspiration. I agree, it’s so much better to be happy and love waking up in the morning to go to work than to be depressed and obsessed with the next pay check, you go girl!
I’m still trying to figure out my passion. My eating disorder takes up so much time and energy. I’ve found lifting weights and getting into health and fitness is def a passion of mine. Maybe becoming a dietician and helping others with eating disorders because I love nutrition.
Thank you everyone for sharing your stories!
I think women tend to be afraid of pursuing non-standard jobs because of the instability. Instability is scary. But I do believe that passion is where it’s at — your story is quite inspiring! My passions are running, yoga, writing — poems, prose, essays, mental health, human rights and social justice. In my mind, these can come together into a career. That’s what I’m praying for, at least. :)
I love entries like these. I am very happy for you and wish you nothing, but success! :)
a) your breakfast looks amazing. food is so pretty. now im craving a big bowl of delicious granola-ey cereal with sliced banana. mmm
b) i completely agree with this post – pursue a hobby and make it your job. Life is too short to waste away your days. I learnt how short life is, and have really strived to do something fulfilling with my life. To spend my time doing something I enjoy. I am so happy as a result :)
Heidi xo
Thanks for this post, Angela. I’m going to be graduating in May from college (undergrad) and it’s like the only thing on anyone’s mind is to get out there and make money. I realize, of course, that I have to make money to survive, but it is far from the path to happiness and everything! This post is a boost for me to still pursue my passions and loves while finding a career that fits for me. Thank you!