I have never felt a compulsion to find my passion. Prior to this pandemic, I was a care-free high school student studying, planning meetings, and listening to the occasional podcast.

I knew I had no conventional talents, but it was easier to ignore these thoughts than find my hidden skill. I was surrounded by photographers, athletes, and artists—the generic pursuits that I associated with passion. Since I had no past success in these areas, I believed I was merely not extraordinary at anything and I was in no quest to change that.

One of my assignments was a personal essay related to injustice. After dedicatedly writing for a few days, I completed my piece—1500 words on the Indian Obsession with Light Skin. Surprisingly, my teacher recommended that I push for my essay to be published under a magazine. I had never considered my writing to be special, so I was taken aback by these words.

When I was told I was good at something, especially as a self-critical individual, a flame was ignited, pushing me to write more. My essay was accepted for publication and I began to research news companies accepting submissions.

Almost immediately, I conjured a piece about my experience coping with COVID-19 as a student for the Toronto Star. It was as if this random assignment was being molded into something more (a passion perhaps?).

Now, I am writing for magazines, podcasts, and non-profit organizations. I went from living a mundane pandemic lifestyle to expressing my opinions on platforms populated by adult voices.

I could have become a writer months or even years ago; this skill set always existed, but it took the affirmation of another person to convince me of my capability. My friends often complain of their desire to “do something” but due to the vastness of activities available, they choose to remain complacent.

To find your passion, the traditional method of soul searching is often ineffective. The athletic or artistic molds are too narrow for the diverse array of passions in existence.

Stop searching for your passion and start acting. You are most likely a young individual with tons of life experiences and yet, you have taken little time to truly evaluate what you have. We become accustomed to searching online, watching videos, and asking others instead of having the bravery to look within ourselves. It is like attempting to use a filled tool box with your eyes shut and your hands tied behind your back—you possess an abundance of materials at your disposal but with little motivation to start building.

You cannot expect for things to change if you refuse to change a faulty process. Evaluate what you have at your disposal or, if you are anything like me, keep your ears open because alarm bells may have been ringing for a while.

Whatever it may be, your passion is probably lurking around you waiting to be recognized.

Now it’s time to see it.

Source

1. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/05/19/pandemic-lessons-the-greatest-blessings-are-the-ones-we-fail-to-appreciate.html