We live in a world where we are pushed to do one thing above all others. As children, maybe we were pushed to do well academically or in sports. As grown ups, we’re pushed to do well in our careers and in our personal lives. Although we live in the 21st century, it may still be accurate to say that women are often pushed to do better in terms of appearance and relationships while men are pushed to do well in their careers so that they can make a lot of money.
Doing What’s Expected of Us
Like it or not, there are certain messages coming to us from various sources—our parents, our friends, the books we read, the movies we watch and even social media. And these messages usually tell us about the importance of appearances, relationships and money. As a result, we feel compelled to move in the directions mapped out for us, whether or not they really represent what we are interested in.
Listening to Your Inner Voice
It’s not that the things that society wants us to have are not important; it’s always great to look good, have a good relationship and have money. But, for most of us, there is an inner voice which is telling us what we really want to do. What’s the first thing that came to mind when you read this last sentence? That’s probably the thing that you’ve always wanted to try but didn’t dare to. Or maybe you have tried it, with a limited amount of success, and have some doubts as to whether you are cut out for it.
Paying Attention to Subtle Changes
Many people expect that following their passions should feel amazing in the moment. But this is not really how following your passion works; you just experience a very subtle improvement in the way you feel every day. But the more you follow your passion, the better you feel as time goes on. After a substantial amount of time has passed, you might feel like your life and your mood have both changed completely.
So keep in mind that the process of following your inner voice or following your passions is a slow one, and this will give you the motivation to keep going with what you really want to do.
