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It’s been a while.
A while since I’ve written and shared my thoughts. Did I lose my passion for writing? Hardly? Did I quit having topics which I wanted to express my opinion? Hardly. My passion was redirected where I thought it should be and, after 18 months I have regained the passion that truly drives me. Some of you may remember me from my writings which centered about living authentically by acknowledging my bisexuality and living in an open relationship with my now ex-wife.
Living authentically has been a long process. One does not just say that they will begin living authentically and immediately achieve it. Hell, after 18 months of claiming my authentic life I am still trying to achieve true authenticity. While I have been living authentically (in my opinion) in my personal life, I have struggled with living an authentic professional life. My profession has been hard and I know I have been working in a field where I feel inadequate, sorrowful because it doesn’t bring me joy, and it my passion has not been fueled.
Having an authentic profession is hard for many because many just fall into their careers. Many do find that where they fall do bring some passion, but many stay in jobs because it is a way for survival. The happenchance job provides security for family, keeps the lights on and food on the table, and/or provides the status that many think they need among society.
This is all true, but does it bring true passion?
For the last 10 years, I have been in a happenchance job. My background is English and history during my undergraduate career, and public administration for my graduate studies. My happenchance job is a quantitative regulatory compliance officer. The duties involved incorporate skills related to Excel, Access, quantitative reasoning instead of qualitative reasoning, and having interaction with a computer screen instead of serving people. Serving people has always been my passion. Whether it’s those I love: family, my children, my friends, or just random strangers, I always have had passion from helping others. I feel my day is accomplished when I do.
Eighteen months ago I began serving my own self and began accepting my authenticity, and I had never been happier. Now, I need to extend that full spectrum. I am done sacrificing my complete happiness just to muddle through each day. This way of life only makes me feel as if I am surviving not fully living. This feeling is not what twenty first century men and women should accept. Living authentically not only encompasses personal aspects of life but professional aspects, too. Only when both are achieved full passion is realized.
As a father, I want to showcase to my children fully, realized passion is possible to achieve. This achievement is when glass ceilings are broken, breakthroughs are realized, and life is truly loved and enjoyed. Passion is necessary to achieve true success, true love, and valued contributions to society. So, while we have set backs and realizing passion is ever-changing and definitely not static, never lose sight. Never sacrifice, never believe it’s unreachable, and always believe passion is needed in the world we live in today.
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Photo: Unsplash
