Do What You Love

It is not just a trite adage. When embraced as a powerful guiding principle, it can transform your life: do what you love.

Stay Real

‘Do what you love’ doesn’t mean that one day you wake up and quit your job and everything that is wrong in your life. I know. I did that. And I paid the price that came along with doing that. It looks good in the movies, where everything turns out perfect. But in the real world, it’s not so easy. Still, a happy life does involve following our heart’s desire. Running away from that is what leads to misery.

I spent a good chunk of my adult life running away from what I love and from who I am. All because I was too worried about what everybody thought but me. So, I did what I was ‘supposed’ to do. I went to university, earned a degree, and then found a job. A happy life. Right?

Becoming Myself

I’m a writer. It’s what drives me, gives me reason to get out of bed. I’m always excited to begin each day by setting pen to page as I write my Morning Pages. I really can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. But for a long time, I let myself be shamed out of writing. People—family, friends, colleagues—told me I’d never make it as a writer. That all artists were drug and/or alcohol addicts. Have it as a hobby on the side. Get a real job.

When I stopped caring about what other people thought, I started writing. And kept writing. I ventured into self-publishing and got my books out there into the world. I was doing what I loved, and that brought me joy, and made going to a day job more bearable. Making writing a priority every day keeps me focused and, consequently, lets me do what I love.

Do What You Love

Maybe you want to be the mayor of your city, found a non-profit that focuses on creativity for adolescents with mental health issues, open your own B&B… Whatever your dream, doing it takes courage. Taking that first step in the direction of your dream—despite the odds or what others say—gives you hope. Hope for today. Hope for tomorrow. And hope for the life you’ve always dreamed of living.

Let’s make the choice to walk through life with our eyes wide open, with our hearts tuned to what makes them tick.

Do what you love.

And I want you to know today that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And you don’t need anyone’s permission to be—wholly and unapologetically—who you are.