Lately, I’ve been in a mood. Frustrated. Angry. Disappointed. A myriad of emotions that boiled over upon my return to work after being off on bereavement leave. And at work, it was hard—near impossible—to coax a smile out of me. I wanted nothing to do with anyone, and have been keeping to myself as much as possible. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was acting like a victim and was responsible for my self-generated misery. To pull myself out of it, I had to focus on the one thing that, for me, changes everything: writing.
Focus on Your Passion
It is easy to get caught up in our thoughts, and brood over them. And then you risk going down the rabbit hole of negative self-talk. Suddenly, nothing is going right and you think it never will. When I find myself spiralling in that direction, I turn to writing. Because it is the one thing in my life that grounds me, anchors me, gets me back on track.
Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you. – Oprah Winfrey
That is why I always argue for spending time on things that matter most to us. They bring you alive. That is what writing does for me. It centres me. There’s something magical about creating a character for the first time and letting their story unfold on the page before me. And that’s also why I write every day. To focus on what excites—that one thing—that allows me to get back on track when I veer off the path.
The One Thing
What are you most passionate about? What do you show up to do no matter how tired you are, no matter how you feel? For me, that is writing. When I’m frustrated, or feeling like I’m off my game. When there’s a situation that I’m struggling through, writing is the one thing that changes everything. It gets me back to myself, lets me see the possibilities before me.
Life isn’t always easy. And as we push through the challenges we face, our passion—our one thing—can give us back our power. It becomes the reason why we don’t give up and are willing to, one more time, try to be better.
Did you hear? You are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And, best of all, you do not need anyone’s permission to be—unapologetically—who you are.
[…] Change is not easy. But it is never too late to try again. We are the only ones stopping us from becoming who we know we can become. If we fail, if we falter, let us give us the grace to acknowledge it and then, have the humility to try again one more time. […]