There are many people who wander through this life without ever realizing their passion. This can be because of either mental illness or outside influences blocking them from realizing it. I feel sorry for them since I get to enjoy my passion for a living every day. But, I also reach out to them and encourage them to do the same. Work is not meant to be a chore, it is meant to be a labor of love. And, if you are good at what you do, you get paid good money for it. And many times, the ones that are really good at it are the ones who are truly passionate.

To those whose spark is dimmed due to mental illness holding them from seeing their passion, I say get the help you need.

You can start by simply dialing 211 on your phone or going to http://211.org and you can find resources to connect you to the help you need. There are people out there that care and can help. I know, I was once one of those wandering lost in the world before I got treatment. And, now you see me here every week posting a column.

And, for all I know, your passion could be studying earthworms. If it is, more power to you. As long as you are happy and fulfilled doing the work you enjoy. I will gladly sit down with anyone and discuss their passions and what makes them tick any day of the week to help them move forward in life. It gives me time to pause to think about my own career choice after graduation myself as I think about it.

We’ve all been at a point in our life where we get stuck. The important thing is making choices to get ourselves unstuck so that we aren’t just wandering aimlessly through life and the world with no purpose or goals. It tends to leave us empty inside and feeling unfulfilled.

Start with taking a look at where you are and then look at where you want to be. Make some long-term goals as well as some short-term goals. Make sure to include your passions in those goals. Those things that make you tick and that you can’t live without. Then start working towards them. Take it a day at a time and you can break things down into smaller pieces so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. And, ask for help when you need it.

There will be bumps in the road along the way, but Rome was not built in a day. Neither was America, and it is still being built and rebuilt as we speak. Realize that you never stop learning in life. That is part of what the journey of life is about. Embrace that part of it and enjoy it, so you can have more fun along the way. Come on, take my hand and pick yourself up. Take that first step along a journey that will prove to be wonderful if you will just let it, by taking the first step. It’s never too late to start, trust me.

*Tips his hat and walks out the door, waving for others to follow him*.