Are You Passionate About What You Are Doing?

This morning, I woke up thinking about this. So many of us get stuck in occupations that we really don't enjoy, but we remain in them because they pays the bills. Is this really how life is supposed to be? Are we really living or are we just going with the flow?

When I reflect back over my life, more than a decade ago, I was in school pursuing a degree in psychology. During that time, I was on a quest to become a child psychologist. I knew that I loved children and I liked helping them. (I guess I figured child psychology would be a happy medium.) Even though my heart longed to teach, I did want to accept it.  I felt like teachers did not make enough money and I wanted a career doing what I liked, but I still wanted to make quite a bit of money at the same time. (You got to love how young, young minds think.)  I contemplated making teaching a secondary career, but I knew I would not consider it as my only career.


It's funny how we try to mask what we're really feeling and pretend that we are okay when we really aren't. I should have known that I was in pursuit of the wrong career because I would often volunteer to chaperone for trips at my sister's and nephew's school.  In retrospect, I see that it was because I loved being in the school environment.  I can think of times that the smell of the halls and/or classrooms made me just want to remain there. I had it really bad for teaching!!

When did I come to my senses? I was about to graduate from U.S.C. with a bachelor's degree in psychology when I awoke from my deep slumber. I marched up to the front of the massive room and went through the motions of the ceremony, but I later found out that I did not really graduate. I did not pass two courses in psychology. I would have to retake these courses before I could get my degree. It was then that I realized that I did not want to retake those courses because I really wanted to teach. I changed my major to English and my minor to elementary education.


Yes, I wasted a lot of money, but I still feel like my psychology classes helped me to be a better teacher.
It's funny because once I changed my major, I was more successful in my classes and I was more excited about my learning. After graduating with a bachelor's degree, I later went to get an M.A.T. in elementary education. I maintained a 4.0 G.P.A throughout the duration of my master's program. It was hard work, but I found it to be more enjoyable. Could it be that I was more passionate about what I was doing? What is being passionate anyway? According to dictionary.com, passionate is being ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling. I firmly believe that this is what everyone should have in their career. This is what I had and still have for teaching!

You can go through life simply living (surviving) or you can go through life flourishing because you are doing what you were meant to do - what you truly LOVE!

Are you satisfied with just surviving…..(see above)

I don't teach because I get paid summers off or because I don't work on the weekends. Yes, these are perks that I enjoy about my job. However, I teach because I actually enjoy what I do. I LOVE IT! I am PASSIONATE about it! If you are teaching only for the perks, then you really don't need to be teaching.


It doesn't matter if you are in the teaching profession or if you are pursuing something else. You must be passionate about what you are doing!! Otherwise, you will never be really satisfied and you will find yourself unhappy. Ultimately, it is your decision.  You can remain in an occupation that you don't like or step into your zone of passion. The choice is really yours!

…..or would you like to flourish? (see above)