I have struggled with ‘Follow Your Passion & Find Your Purpose’ at least consciously for the last 5 years, it all started a few years after my brief but intense marriage followed by quick divorce before I could fully comprehend the depth of what had happened. Once the PTSD calmed down and the depression started to lift I had a new chance at life and even a happy one- I really wanted to do it right this time.

I started to explore what it meant to find your purpose in life and that I might even have one, too. Over the last 5 years I have bought books, attended speaking engagements, downloaded several PDF workbooks, made vision boards, listened to Podcasts, followed mentors, read quotes all to assist me in figuring out how to follow my passion. You name it, I’ve probably read/tried it.

These books, workshops, people and PDF’s created a drive in me to start trying new things like fly a plane, backpack through various countries, take on bigger titles at work, learn SEO (even what it meant), start my own company, become location independent, sell my art, write ebooks, take on leadership roles for organizations, etc. But I can honestly say I feel further away from my destination of finding my purpose than I had hoped. Shouldn’t I know by NOW?

I want to be able to wake up each morning excited to get out of bed more so than hitting the snooze button- to me that’s a tell-tale sign that I have found my purpose.

Some people are trained into their passion by default of culture or tradition, others (I call the lucky ones) learn theirs at a young age at the right time and make a good living off of it. But I hope  feel that there is a bigger crowd out there that are just as lost as I am and are unclear about how to go about finding their purpose in life.

Being brave enough to try new things and to live spontaneously with a constant crave of knowledge is practically a recipe for disaster if not applied in the correct order.

“Follow your passion and you will find your purpose.”

You’d be surprised how many big names in business support this quote in one way or another. I’m calling B.S.

Passion is a strong and uncontrollable emotion that changes and expands as you change and expand in life- how can you keep up with your passion if it keeps changing and shifting?

I say follow your strengths to find your passion. You were given certain gifts for a reason and some of them are only uncovered if you dig deep beyond your fears and past your comfort zone….which is why I believe they are called Gifts.

I cannot recall which article I read recently, but the woman who wrote on the topic of passion wrote for a big business magazine and she said you cannot logic your way into finding your purpose through mind-mapping, lists and vision boards (although they are a great starting point). The only way to find it is to put those items into action. Start DOING things.

I’ve been wanting to do this project for many years and starting January 1 each month I will do a different 30 day challenge that will encourage me to face my fears, expand, improve and get me to my true calling. I will post about my findings/challenges/victories let some ideas fall by the wayside and see which ones stick beyond the 30 days, 2015 is the year I find my Purpose!

Instead of just posting them on some construction paper and chipping away slowly I am going to focus on a different goal each month with a plan and a breakdown and DO them even if I think they have nothing to do with making money or defined as logical.

12 Months + 12 Bucket List items= FINDING MY PURPOSE.

Some of the items on my list like become a millionaire, own a home or own a private jet might not materialize in a year, so I will stick to the tangible ones that can be explored within 30 days.

I will focus on the items that keep showing up on my vision boards that bring me happiness but keep getting put to the side. I talk myself out doing/learning them saying they aren’t logical choices, it doesn’t pay my bills, I need money to do them, I need more time, and so on.

Excuses are starting to bore me.

Here is a sneak peek of some of the items on my list:

• Write a Book
• Create my Life Mission Statement
• Create a joyous atmosphere at home
• Invest in a Start-Up
• Put together a Will (like adults do)
• Be Financially Healthy (also very adult like)
• Go on a trip without a predetermined destination
• Learn Martial Arts
• Yoga Certified
• Detox Program (eating whole foods)
• Become a Photographer
• Become a Life/Business Coach
• Rock Climb
• Learn to Ride a Motorcycle
• Learn a foreign language, fully!
• Be at the top of my health
• Work smarter not harder
• Volunteer or start a non-profit
• Learn a musical instrument
• Learn how to brew alcohol (beer, wine, moonshine, infused vodkas or gin)
• Learn CPR
• Take an Art Course
• Conquer my fear of heights
• Learn to Dance

I’m not sure which ones I will focus on- I only get to choose 12 🙂 but I encourage you to join me to choose one things a month for the next year you want to accomplish and dedicate one month exploring it.

If you will join me please comment below what your January focus will be, I will announce mine on New Years Eve once I am back in the States and unpack into my new apartment (only two more countries and 3 more states!)