This blog is dedicated to all those people who, like me many years ago, felt increasingly disenfranchised, unheard and unfulfilled in their corporate lives. Walking through their daily routine on autopilot, knowing something was missing, and yet being unable to pinpoint at what point an eminently satisfying and exciting career began to feel like an endless tunnel with no light ahead.
For me, that point came when I got so embroiled in the day to day, that I lost sight of the passion that drove me towards that career in the first place.
I am talking about the kind of passion that lights up your heart, and makes you feel like you are part of something bigger than just yourself, something so extraordinary, that you cannot wait to get up in the morning and do more of it.
The issue for so many people is that they often forget what it was they used to be passionate about, or alternatively, remain so focused on the here and now, that they fail to allow their curiosity to take them to new and unexplored places. Places that may just hold the key to their next passion, for it is my belief that most people will explore a number of passions over their lifetimes rather than the single grand passion that advocates of the original 'passion and purpose' philosophy subscribe to.
This 'truth' can get lost in the daily grind, especially when you are trying to combine a corporate career with family life. The reality is that deadlines, goals, and objectives, together with the needs, wants, desires, and wellbeing of those in our care often come before our own needs and consume most of our mental and emotional space. Your heart’s desire gets buried under the obligations that go with a corporate career, child rearing, and family life. What is expected, and required of you may not always be what you are most passionate about.
I am just as guilty of losing sight of myself amid the demands of my work and family, and letting my desires and self-care rituals fall by the wayside from time to time. However, in order to be effective in both our functions we need to make the time, and space to rediscover what fulfills us.
When we take the time to tap into our inner world and allow our heart to shine, we immediately begin to show up as better, more engaged, more connected, and infinitely more effective people who are in a much better position to relate to, and assist those around us.
So how do you get back to yourself when like me you find yourself in an emotional and spiritual wasteland and can no longer remember what leading with your heart felt like?
Make a LIST
Compile a comprehensive list of all the things - big and small - that bring you joy. And then when you have done that, make another list of all the things you would like to experience in the future.
Put both lists somewhere you will see them and make a commitment to yourself to engage in at least one of those activities each day for the next seven days.
Dabble
Make a conscious effort to break out of your daily routine and dabble in something new each day - you never know you might just ignite a whole new passion.
Even seemingly minor shifts in habitual behavior can create more present moments of awareness that will, over time, lead to a significant shift in how we experience the world around us.
Staying safely ensconced in your comfort zone only ignites further passivity and mind-numbing monotony. To be passionate and heart led you must be in the here and now!
Acknowledge your gratitude
Make a daily habit of listing a few of the things you are grateful for, to remind yourself of the present moment.
Reflect on the last time you felt excited about an idea, conversation, person or activity.
Remember that passion comes in all different forms, so acknowledge what ignites the fire in your heart and embrace it.
Allow it
When it comes to limiting our own passion, and closing down our hearts we are our own worst enemies by not allowing it to flow, or by consciously choosing to shut ourselves off from our inner selves.
We all focus on our endless list of 'to do's', and while we all have commitments we need to fulfill, it is equally as important to be open to the spontaneous opportunities for doing something a little out of the ordinary and fun. And since happiness and passion are closely related, we need to start saying 'yes' to the things that light our hearts, and fill our souls with happiness,
and start saying 'no' to those people and situations that kill our light and drain our energy.
If you would like to explore more ways in which to reconnect with your heart and lead the kind of life you envisioned visit www.deidredattoli.com and contact us to arrange a complimentary 20 minute 'ask any question' session.