I talk a lot about following passions and turning them into dreams. It’s a major crux of One Salty Kiss.

A while back I wrote a post on how to turn your passions and dreams into reality.

BUT…

What if you don’t have a clue what your passions are?

What if you are, like I was several years ago, unsure about your passions? What if you haven’t looked at, let alone nurtured your passions, in far too long?

What if you have been so busy taking care of others and making a living, you have forgotten what you are passionate about?

What if your passions are hibernating somewhere in a dark cave and you don’t know how to awaken them?

What if it has been so long since you stepped out of your comfort zone that you don’t even know where to begin?

Well then this post is for you my friend.

Not so very long ago I had the same concern. As a SAHM, I started to have more free time on my hands as my kids were growing up.  But, I had no clue how I should spend this time. I had been so wrapped up in being a mommy over the years, I wasn’t sure how to be much else.

Here are some things you can do, based on personal experience, to start listening to your heart’s desire, uncovering your passions and living your dreams.

For me, passions and dreams are connected. My dreams are formed out of my passions. My dreams are the product of my heart’s desire, my passions. Sometimes they are interchangeable. Sometimes they are one.

The key is to turn our passions into dreams and our dreams into our life.

[Tweet “My dreams are the product of my heart’s desire”]

Living my dreams, in my mind, is a process. It’s a journey. I never really arrive, I just keep making my dreams bigger. I keep making new dreams.

Dreams come in a different sizes.

They can be small, like teaching yourself how to make the most beautifully delicious coconut cake with butter cream frosting. They can be medium-sized, like learning to ride a horse. And they can be huge, like selling your home and moving to Croatia.

No matter what size the dreams . . . they are your dreams and you need a place to begin. Because as long as your dreams stay in your head, stay just things you are passionate about, you will never have the opportunity to chase and catch them.

[Tweet “As long as your dreams stay in your head, you will never have the opportunity to catch them.”]

Here are some things you can start doing so you can uncover your passions and begin dreaming.

Discover your passions. And keep discovering them.

Find out what floats your boat. Turns your crank. Makes your heart soar. Some people already know. It’s okay if you don’t. I didn’t. Your passions are the things that whisper to you when you have peace and quiet.

The things that you do when you are putting off doing something else.

The things that when you do them, you lose all track of time.

The things that you would love to get paid for, but still do even if you don’t. Your passions give you the feeling of pure glee.

Take steps to find out what makes you tick.

Give yourself permission to do what you love.

Give yourself permission to explore different things. Give yourself permission to play. You may feel awkward if it takes you out of your comfort zone. This is actually a good thing because outside of your safe and comfortable box is where life is the sweetest! You may even feel guilty for taking time for yourself to do things you enjoy. DON’T!

Your friends and family might look at you strange if you decide to try something that just “isn’t you.” Do it anyway. As long as it is legal, and within your value system, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. The first few times you tell people what you’re doing will feel strange, but after a while, you will get more confident about owning your passions.

Listen to yourself.

If you don’t already, start listening to yourself. You know you better than anyone. You are very wise about who you are and what you love.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to try acrobatics. Maybe you want to get your pilot’s license. Maybe you want to dye your hair purple.

Drown out the external voices you hear telling you what to do, and more importantly, what not to do. Replace those voices with your own. Spend time being quiet so you can really hear what your heart is saying. Take time to listen to your inner voice. That is your heart, your intuition, and s/he is never wrong.

S/he might be crazy-but never wrong.

[Tweet “Listen to your inner voice, your intuition. S/he might be crazy but s/he is never wrong.”]

Just say yes.

Now that you are paying attention to those things your heart has been telling you to do, do them.

If a new opportunity comes your way, say yes.

If a chance to go somewhere new comes along, just go.

When you say yes to life you will find this will help you find and say yes to your passions and your dreams.

Put energy into what feels right.

Your passions will morph and change as you become more comfortable opening yourself up to what excites you. You may even develop a multitude of passions as you become more confident stepping outside of your comfort zone. As you try new things, you can see what fits for you. When I started exploring different creative outlets, I found what I liked, what I was good at, what felt natural and what didn’t. I let the things that didn’t feel right, go. There was no need to force it, but I had to try it.

Because like I tell my kids, you’ll never know if you don’t try.

Give your passions life.

This is an old trick that I’ve talked about before. Make a vision board. This helps make your passions and dreams tangible. It makes them real and gives them validity. And it helps you get a clear focus on what you really love. Maybe it’s a dream vacation. Maybe it’s a new job. Maybe is a goal to run a marathon. Whatever it is, a vision board is a tool to help bring to life what is inside your mind and heart. It doesn’t have to be a board, it can be whatever works for you. Mine is a wire bulletin board of sorts.  I use clothes pin to affix images, quotes, goals, inspirations, etc., on it. Every day I can look up and see my vision board . . . it keeps me focused. It keeps me excited.

Create a “war room.”

I’ve talked about this before, too. If you can, create your own space. This is very important. Make this your space. Since I have been married, I have never really had a space of my own. (Unless you consider the laundry room or kitchen my personal space. NOT!) But for almost 20 years, I didn’t have my own space. My kids had their rooms, my husband had the garage and his man cave, and I had nothing. Do you have your own space? Even if it is the corner of a room . . . make a space to dream. A space that is just for you. My family now calls my space “the war room” because they know big plans and missions are being developed in there. Passions are being turned into dreams.  🙂

Put it out there.

When you start to see a passion as a dream, write it down. Get it out of your mind and onto paper. Keep a notebook and take 10 minutes a day to write. Write what is in your heart. Write down your vision for your dreams. Write down what you are discovering about your passions. The more you write them the clearer you will be on the direction your passions will take you. Once you are comfortable with this direction, put it out there. Start telling people you trust. See the response you get. Keep telling people. Keep putting it out there. You’ll be amazed how the universe responds when you start giving your passions energy.

Feel the love.

Surround yourself with people who “get” you. Who support you and the new journey you are on. You will find out real quick who you can and can’t talk to about your new-found passions and dreams. For some reason, there will always be people who try to discourage you. Don’t try to change their minds. Just don’t share your heart with them anymore. Make a mental note of who supports you and who it is safe to share your passions and dreams with.

Tell those people how much you appreciate it. Repeatedly.

You will feel so grateful to the people who are in your corner.

Fake it till ya make it.

You will have bad days. You will have days where you feel like your passion/dream is a stupid idea. You will think there is no way you can turn your passion and dream into reality. You will pout and you might even throw a tantrum. It’s okay. Don’t give up.

Keep dreaming. Keep nurturing your passions because for all the discouraging days, there are a multitude of days where you heart will sing because it finally feels free. Free to be itself and shout from the rooftops who it really is.

So, when you have those bad days, tell yourself it’s okay. It will get better.

If it was easy, everyone would do it.

Don’t quit. It’s easy to quit.

Anyone can quit. And you’re not anyone.

[Tweet “Don’t quit. Anyone can quit. And you’re not anyone. If it was easy, everyone would do it.”]

Get out of that comfort zone . . . and stay out there.

Take action. It’s one thing to think and dream about what makes your heart soar but it’s a whole other enchilada to turn your passion into a dream . . . and then into reality.

So step away from complacency and take action. No matter how small, take the first step. I promise you, that will be the hardest one.

[Tweet “Take action. No matter how small, take the first step. I promise you, that will be the hardest one.”]

How do you nurture your passions and dreams? I’d love to hear about it.

Salty Kisses

Karen

 

Photo: Dollar Photo Club