Hi, guys!
Quick life update: So as you may have noticed, I took a slight hiatus for the last month. I’ve mostly been traveling and working (at my full-time job), and more recently, I’ve been feeling a bit sick. But once again, I’m back and ready to roll!
Another note: While I was on my hiatus, I’ve been having issues with some of my scheduled blog posts being released prematurely. Again, my apologies. I’ll do a better job at planning in the near future.
Now on to the post…
I feel like my peers have forgotten what it’s like to be passionate about something. I mean…doing work that truly makes you feel complete. For my fellow Millennials, I think we get caught up in doing the things that are going to make us the most successful in the shortest amount of time. But sometimes, finding your passion takes patience.
Another problem I see in my community is that people equate passion with “not enough money”. I think it’s because of the world we live in. People now are celebrated for some of the weirdest things…completely at random. And a lot of my friends are just waiting on their “one big break”. But why waste time when you could be doing something you love?
A quick story:
Recently, I’ve been helping a lot of friends with their post-college job search. One friend in particular told me that he had bills that needed to get paid, and he needed a job right away. Knowing that he was passionate about sports journalism, I began to mention some paid internships that he could research, so he could work in his career field. He proceeded to tell me that he “didn’t have time for that” and that he needed a job right now. He continued by mentioning multiple retail jobs that were hiring in the area (in other words, jobs that were part-time with no real benefits and that paid about the same or LESS than the internships I already mentioned). I understand the immediate need of a paycheck, but in my head, I thought, “Well, why not just look for both?”
Why disregard the paid internship that will benefit you more for the long term? It’s still paid. And a job is a job, right? The point I’m trying to make is: don’t skip on something you’re passionate about while waiting for something else to fall in your lap. As Radio Talk Show Host Charlemagne The God once said, “Most people don’t recognize a great opportunity unless there’s a paycheck attached to it.” So true. Our economy has flourished tremendously in the last century, and fortunately for us, there’s something out there for everyone now. Make time to be happy with yourself. Be authentic in a society that’s telling you not to be.
I can truly say that following my passion makes me happy. I love my career field. And while I may not be a 23-year-old millionaire or anything, I am proud of the success I have achieved so far. And even if I can’t do everything I’m passionate about in one job, I find other ways to exploit my gifts. Like blogging on here for free. Like making YouTube videos with 67 cents in revenue. Like building a photography page just for fun. Or the occasional dance class I take just because I can’t sit still.
Behind all the drama and long days of hard work, I can honestly say I enjoy my life. Because I have the freedom to choose, I get to live out my life’s purpose through everything I’m passionate about. And that freedom is one of the greatest gifts of all.
What are you passionate about and how do you incorporate those passions into your everyday lifestyle? Let me know in the comment section below!
Thanks for reading 🙂