What is passion? Is purpose the same as passion? And what about meaning? Do passion and purpose equal meaning?
It appears we put great emphasis on life having to be so meaningful, so full of passion, to have a sense of purpose and if not, life is empty. We flail around not knowing what the point is. We can feel lost. We look to others for the validation of life. To let someone else guide us. Direct us. Tell us we are ok. Which is fine. We all need a sense of validation.
Yet, I cannot help feel we need to honour and validate ourselves and look within to find what is passion, purpose and meaning.
I have realised over the years, that no matter what is thrown at me, I feel I haven’t lost my passion for life. Not even in the darkest of times. Am I the lucky one who found passion? I don’t truly believe that. I believe more I have always kept my childlike innocence that anything can be fun. Therefore, is passion childlike, is it innocence, is it fun, is it being in the moment?
Is passion an energy we keep locked inside us that needs to be released? Can we find passion in the mundane to the extraordinary? From washing dishes to cleaning the house to a walk by the sea to a yogic practice to singing alone in the car to birthing a new project to creating a masterpiece to going on an adventure. The list is endless. Is it the pure joy of just doing something or even just being which allows us to feel passionate? Can we lose the expectation that everything we do has to mean something? Can we allow ourselves to embrace the moment?
Is it connection to others that keeps us alive and passionate? Do we have to have a partner? Or will anyone do? As long as that person stimulates our mind. Do we need intellectual conversations? Or light conversations? Silly conversations? Laughter and a sense of fun? A person to share an experience? Can these people be transitory? Do we have to form deep bonds with someone? Or can we connect in a moment with an individual that transcends the situation we are in?
If we keep a sense of awe and openness can opportunity land? We can say yes to a person. Yes to a new way of doing something. Yes to ourselves. Can we find passion, purpose and in turn meaning, through the act of trying something new?
Isn’t life trial and error then learning? Let me do this it looks good and then thinking mmmm it isn’t for me? Nothing lost, just an experience. Learn that isn’t your thing. Move on. Try something new. You might like it. It may stir your heart. You may be moved on a soul level. It may be your thing. It may become your life. It may give you meaning.
What about adversity? Can adversity lead to our passion? For in adversity we often find something to alleviate the suffering. We reach out to heal. If it works, we wish to spread the message. We become passionate about being a messenger. Wanting to spread the joy and eager to reach out to others to help alleviate their difficulty. We find purpose in helping.
Can we make purpose a sense of how can I take care of me today? To ramp up my self-care so I feel able to confront the day? To get on with the duties that are bestowed or thrust upon me? Our purpose has a fluidity to it, which can change due to circumstance.
Is meaning an intellectual headspace of how we perceive the world, our place within it and the way we live. Is this the rational human mind at work? Crying out for a sense of having to make sense of it all. To rationalise the irrational? To control the uncontrollable? Is meaning important to function?
Or is it meaning that constantly trips us up? The whole existential crisis of life boiled down to I cannot find my meaning of living? A sense of not contributing to life as we don’t know what life means? Of not contributing to ourselves as we don’t know what I mean? Is the age old question of what is the meaning of life more one for a philosopher to debate? To ruminate on? For meaning can be whatever we choose it to be. We can tell our minds whatever we wish.
Meaning can be as simple as I mean something because I am here.
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