Reduce stress by doing what you love

mapmaker.curtrosengren.com

One of the things that astounds me about pursuing passion in your career is how much potential it has to make a 360 degree positive impact on our lives. It's not just your work life that benefits, but your life overall.

Take stress, for example. How many people do you know whose eyes are bugging out with stress because day in and day out they're trying to shove themselves into a box that simply doesn't fit. Maybe you're one of them.

So many people are wearing a mask in their careers. Work for them is about getting up and heading out for another day of being who they're not. And having to be who you're not is stressful. There is friction and rub inherently built into the system.

On the other hand, being who you are (a key element in my definition of passion), opens the door for your work to flow naturally. It takes the friction and rub out of the system.

I see the resulting positive health benefits in my clients, sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic. I always think of one client in particular, who was suffering from debilitating headaches when we first started working together. She was also miserable at her job.

The short version of the story is that she ultimately realized what a bad fit her work was for who she really is, left her job, and found a new career track that she loves. Her headaches disappeared.

Passion in your career isn't a panacea. It doesn't magically remove all stress in your life, and creating your own unique path has challenges of its own (though at least those challenges are encountered in pursuit of something that makes you feel vibrantly alive).

What it does is remove a source of stress that, at best, leaves people grumbling and grouchy and, at worst, has serious physical and mental health repercussions.

And that in turn will have a positive ripple effect in all facets of your life, (which brings us full circle to the idea of the 360 degree benefits of passion).

--

 

Brought to you by Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst ^TM

 

Comments

[Bill]

Hi,

I totally agree. I am just no longer passionate with my current career (if you call it that). The company I work for is very fair to me and I have no complaints about my salary, but I do not love what I do any more.

I do have a passion. I also have fear about leaving something I know that pays the bills and provides some nice extras.

I needed to read your blog today because I know I need to make a change. I do not want to approach life from a position of fear anymore, and I want to be my self not some chameleon.

I wish I had the testicular fortitude to go after what truly interests me. I hope I do!

Thanks,

Bill

[Maria]

I know what you mean Bill. I knew it was time for me to move on from the passionless job. My spirit started sinking by the day. After alot of soul searching and alot of guts to quit a great job, my internal compass led me to start my own online business.

I hope my passion for what I am doing now is contagious. You'll know in your heart it's time to move on. I am having a great time and have not looked back. I love my life and my spirit is back.

All the material things have lessened but my spiritual and well-being needs have increased more importantly because I've finally taken the plunge from job security to doing something I love.

I invite you to visit my new venture at www.destressessentials.com

Thanks,

Maria

[Robert Merrill]

Incredible post. Too often, I think, stress is a "you deal with it" problem and we don't help eachother through it. Thanks for this good advice.

I like what you said:
...being who you are opens the door for your work to flow naturally. It takes the friction and rub out of the system.

I can't agree more. One of my favorite quotes (because of its meaning, not necessarilly the author) is "Discover who you are, then do it on purpose." attributed to Dolly Parton.

I'm actually more relaxed already. Thanks!