"Sometimes you have to step back to see your true vision."
When the thing that a person loves most is causing them more stress than joy, there are a few options: continue living a stressful life, make a change and try to eliminate the stress in that area, or step away altogether.
Most people try the first two options before quitting entirely. How can someone be expected to just walk away from their passion? It finds a person torn between the two famous sayings of "Never give up on something you can't go a day without thinking about", and "If you love something, let it go." Which is it?
Passions should not cause an excessive amount of stress. That is when they become a chore. Whenever a person is feeling an unbearable amount of pressure, or starts questioning whether or not they are cut out for what they do, that is when they should step away.
It can be possible to become so enthralled with something that the initial vision becomes lost. The initial purpose for beginning the pursuit of that passion has faded, and there are existential circumstances that now fuel the drive; whether it be the positive attention from others, the competitive edge it may provide on a resume, or other temporary satisfactions.
The key phrase of focus is temporary satisfaction. When someone is passionate about something, the joy and satisfaction that comes from it is everlasting. They are not doing it for the attention, they are doing it because it is something that they truly love. It is when the focus turns to the praise that is received for pursuing a passion where people start to lose track; or when we allow people to heavily influence those passions to the point where they are no longer our own.
Taking a break gives a person a chance to clear their mind, set their priorities, and assess the situation from a distance. It is difficult to make any decisions precisely in the moment. Everyone needs space and time to think, and no one should ever make an impulse decision; that will easily become regrettable. After allowing some time to pass, re-approach the situation and see if things are any different. If there was a positive change, then continue. If not, then it is clear that it is time to move on to something else.
Letting go can be one of the most challenging lessons that we have to learn; especially when it comes to letting go of something that we care about deeply. What is important to remember is that we define our passions, our passions do not define us, and they are not the only aspect of our character and personality. It is wonderful to be passionate about something, but only if that passion brings joy and positive energy into one's life. There is no use in holding onto anything that makes life miserable.
