We all have things we are good at, as well as things we aren't good at. Not all of us are able to say that they are the MVP of a sports team, or that we play first chair in the concert band. However, that is what makes us all so unique! While we may try to be good at everything we attempt to do in life, the truth of the matter is that that is not reasonable. It is extremely important for everyone to find their passion in life. What exactly do I mean by that? You need to find something that you are willing to devote every last ounce of energy to, something that you never get tired of doing, and something that brings you an irreplaceable level of happiness every time.
Remember all of those times that your parents have signed you up for things as a kid? I'm sure we all played many years of soccer and T-ball, and loved it because we got to spend time with our friends during practices and games. However, just because we enjoyed those moments as a kid, does that make those activities our passions? If they were, we would all continue those sports throughout our academic careers, but think about how many people actually did that. Would you be willing to devote the same amount of energy to those activities now as you did then? Maybe not, for as we grow up, our interests change, as well as our desire to find our true passions in life. It all starts by choosing a path and following it, or even multiple paths! You might equally love your sport and singing in the concert choir, and that is completely OK! Our lives can be intertwined with many different passions, for that is what truly keeps life interesting!
When finding your true passion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying something new! In fact, that is encouraged because you might find that you are in love with an activity you never expected to! You might be known as a jock who only cares about sports, but once you put the trumpet to your lips, you realized how much you loved it! Those activities are completely different, but it is possible to be equally passionate about both! If you are telling yourself "I could never join that club" or "I already have my activity, so that wouldn't be practical," that only means you need to consider picking something else up! That happened to me when I was deciding whether or not to pursue Greek life. Since I play lacrosse, I thought that joining a sorority might be a little bit out of my comfort zone, but I was so wrong. Deciding to join something completely different only gave me something new to be passionate about, so do not be afraid of going beyond what you expect of yourself! I now consider my decision to pursue Greek life to be the best decision, and I would encourage anyone to take a risk and step out of your comfort zone. Who knows? You might find your unknown passion that has been screaming to be noticed for so long.
The most important thing to keep in mind when finding your passion is to think about where you find your "happy place." Think about a time when you can completely shut the world out, and solely focus on the enjoyment you are receiving from a certain activity. Maybe it's playing a sport? Going for a run? Singing or playing an instrument? Genuine happiness is truly the most important thing to think about when choosing your passion in life, and trust me, you'll know it when you feel it. While it might not be "love at first sight" (since falling in love takes time), you can still wait and see how it positively impacts your life in the future. Also, remember that your passion does not necessarily have to be a physical one! Maybe you arrive at your happy place while reading, napping, or lounging in the sunshine. However you get to that happy place, make sure you remember what got you there, for that is your true passion in life.
