Finding Your Passion - It's Easier Than You Think

How to re-capture your passion.

If you are out of work and looking for a job, don't think of it as a failure, think of it as a chance to start over. It might sound overly optimistic, but the only other option just gives you a chance to beat yourself up, and haven't you already been through enough? Even though you probably didn't want to have to go back to square one, once you're there, you might as well make the best of it. Without a job to keep you grounded, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. Do you want to go back to school? Change career fields? Move to a new city? Or, just find a better paying job as soon as possible?

You can use this time to find out what you are passionate about and look for a way to turn that passion into a career that will be rewarding for the rest of your life.

But where should you start? There is no map to happiness. We have to find it ourselves, and the first step is to realize that happiness isn't a place we can go. In all actuality, it is a place we create for ourselves - inside of us. Once we tap into it and embrace it, the joy and passion spills out and touches every aspect of our lives.

Finding your passion isn't nearly as hard as you'd think. It just takes a little time and creativity.

Here are some of the best ways to discover your passion:

Spend time with the happiest people you know - When you spend time with happy people, you start to act like them. Negativity is contagious, but so is positivity. If you surround yourself with people who are happy and passionate about their lives, you'll be inspired and encouraged to live your life to the fullest as well. Fill your support group with people who will help you "catch" their excitement.

Take time out - Give yourself some space to find your passion. Set aside a small amount of time each day to spend with yourself. Turn off your phone, get out from behind your computer screen and just take a walk, have a look around, go exploring. Use this time as an opportunity to get better acquainted with yourself.

Make a difference - It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, there is always a way to make a difference for someone. Think about your particular skills and talents. What are you good at? How can you use your talents to help others? Working to make a difference for others is the best way to help yourself. It's true that the more you give, the more you get.

Keep a journal - Writing is the best way to get in touch with yourself and cultivate a feeling of gratitude. Each day, write down some reflection or something you are happy about. It doesn't have to be long or take a lot of time. It can be a quick sentence, a tweet, a picture or even a drawing. It isn't the content that is important, it's the process.

Try something new - Take a class, learn something new, start a new project or just take a risk. Stepping out of your comfort zone is a little scary, but when you are being challenged, you're growing. Don't be afraid to try new things, and hopefully, along the way you'll find something you can be passionate about.

Don't let the job search beat you. Instead, take the time to re-discover yourself and your enthusiasm. It will help your spirit and will even make you a better job candidate.

What do you do to keep your enthusiasm? What is the hardest part of job hunting? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobsiteBlog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.