I was listening to a podcast by Christy Wright about finding your passion, and she was saying that there is a good chance that if something makes you mad, if it upsets you, then you're passionate about it.
I thought that was so interesting.
"If it upsets you, you're probably passionate about it."
So, what makes you mad? Now... this doesn't apply to everything, of course. I get mad when my husband takes my clothes out of the dryer and leaves them in a huge wrinkled pile on the bed... that doesn't mean that I'm passionate enough about my laundry to start a laundry business... it means I hate to iron.
It took me a while to really think about that, what upsets me, what am I passionate about? I feel like in the last couple of years I've lost myself, in a way. I've been so focused on my career that I never really did anything outside of work and come home. Home. Work. Work. Home. I left no room for hobbies or passions because I had stretched myself so thin with a 40 hour a week job plus 20 hours of freelance in the evenings.
I didn't leave any room, or time for myself. So, what upsets me? I had no freakin clue...
After a few days of not trying to force an answer, not over thinking it, and just letting the question sit in my spirit, it came to me. I got my answer.
I'm passionate about photography.
Scrolling through Facebook one day I noticed a whole album a friend posted of a wedding. The images were blown out, all the beautiful detail of the dress, lost. The first kiss was blurry, that once-in-a-lifetime moment not captured well. The lighting on the bride's face wasn't even, the pattern of tree branches across a blushing bride's face is rarely flattering. The color temperature was off, leaving the bridal party looking very cold and lifeless at the alter... and I was annoyed. It really bothered me. Bothered me so much that it took be back a little... and I thought "oh this is it".
I have so very much to learn about photography; but I do know how to not take a photo. That's over half the battle. I think everyone deserves to feel confident in photos of themselves and to be able to look back at pictures that are clear, properly exposed and balanced.
As a kid, I told everyone I wanted to shoot for National Geographic. That was the dream. The answer to "What do you want to do when you grow up?" I was told that that wasn't really a job... it is, turns out... it 100% is.
I was cheated. ha!
In college, in between the art classes that would prepare me to be a graphic designer, I snuck in some photography classes. I shot my first dSLR in college, I remember my Professor handing me his camera and thinking "this feels right". But I still ignored that gut feeling, photography isn't a job.
So, now, after 30 years of life, I'm going to run as hard as I can into photography. I've invested thousands of dollars into equipment, I've pushed my comfort zone and I'm putting myself out there.
And, I hope that you do too.
I hope that you stop and think, what am I passionate about that I'm not pursuing? Or, what am I passionate about that I am pursuing; but not at the level that I could be?
My prayer for you today, is that you will take a breath, and recenter. Find new direction or new motivation to push harder than you have been. Go for it. Do it. There is space for you, you deserve to be set on fire about what you spend time doing everyday, you deserve to live out your passion.
If you haven't heard of Christy Wright, you should check her out. Listen to the Christy Wright Podcast Here.
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