Working Your Passion
posted in World of Work |In the October 2007 issue of Pink magazine (www.pinkmagazine.com) an article titled “a poet’s life” highlights three women who are living their passions. All three have different stories, but all three are doing what they love and enjoying a better quality of life as a direct result.
Kim Addonizo worked several odd jobs to get to where she is today, a full-time writer and mentor. She says, “Do what you love and the money will follow. It might not be a lot of money, and it might take a while, but it can happen.”
In discussing the very issue of money, Addonizo says, “Focusing on art makes the quality of my life better than, say, buying a new sofa…. We don’t need as much as we think we need.”
Nikki Giovanni, another woman highlighted in the article, teaches at Virginia Tech University in addition to focusing on her writing. Giovanni says she took a pay cut when she accepted the job at Virginia Tech, but “was more than compensated by the wonderful students and the colleagues.” She goes on to say, “I’m happy with what I do and when I’m not I’ll send in my resignation.”
Cecilia Woloch, the final poet on which the spotlight lands, says that in addition to writing, travel and a sense of adventure are in her blood. As a result she makes choices that allow her to do both. Referring to conversations with friends Woloch says they ask, “’How can you be going off to Paris again?’ But you know what? I live in a rent-controlled apartment, I drive a 20-year old car, my shoes cost 30 bucks. These are the choices I make.”
One of the things all three women have in common is realizing that life is a series of choices. We are blessed with opportunities to choose what we do in life not only with our careers, but also with our time, our finances, our minds, and most importantly our attitudes.
Start Choosing a Better Life by becoming aware of the choices you make each and every day. Then, take the time to assess your choices and discern whether or not you are choosing to live with passion. If you are, celebrate and encourage others as they seek to do the same. If not, what can you change in order to make living and working your passion a reality?
Enlist the help of others; Mentors, Champions and Encouragers (see my post “Mentors, Champions and Encouragers vs. Toxic People” from 05.03.07) are a great place to start. If those are unavailable to you or you would like more focused encouragement seek out a life coach or counselor.
Regardless of the path you take, give yourself, and those around you, the gift of living your passion. In doing so, you will be Choosing a Better Life.