So how, as the insanely busy people we are, would anyone ever do this?
I struggled with this and I still do.
I actually forgot what I used to love as a child.
I had lost asense of purposewhen waking up in the morning.
Then, I observed my friend, and it was completely different for her.
She told me she would often go into a state of flow when she was writing about her interests.
She told me it energized her and gave her clarity.
She told me that one day she may turn it into a career.
“What?!”
“How does she have time and energy for this?”
and even more importantly, “How did she even find this project?”
This is why I wrote this: to convince you to start your own passion project.
And why should you listen to me?
These two seemingly unrelated ideas that are completely intertwined.
If you’re skeptical, good!
I was the same way.
You feel clarity and complete focus.
Some athletes refer to this as the “zone,” an almost out of body experience.
Ever since I heard about this, I became obsessed with finding my flow state.
You’ll decrease your stress levels.
Cortisol and otherstress hormonesthese days are constantly in the “on” position.
Traffic, deadlines, bills and everything else are keeping the stress levels “on” for longer.
One of the best ways to turn them off is to engage in a pleasurable activity.
When you have less cortisol and other stress hormones, you stop this vicious cycle.
you could get leaner.
How does that work?
Ever heard of eating chocolate cake after a long, stressful day?
It’s because you crave those feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine.
You’ll be in a better mood.
They’re the same neurotransmitters responsible for “runners high” and are also released duringmeditation, or massage.
This happens even if you don’t get into flow state.
It can help break your technology addiction.
Checking your email, Facebook and Twitter more than 20 times a day?
What if during your mini-breaks at work you were working on something you consider meaningful?
It can help you build on your talents.
Everyone has talents, strengths and interests.
Sometimes we have lost those over the years.
Why not rediscover this and work on it?
Usually a close look at your childhood will reveal areas of talent and interest.
Remember when you would go to the library and pick up books for fun?
What was it that you loved to learn about?
What really made you look at the world in a different light?
you might build your own legacy.
Imagine how your kids, spouse or close friends describe you as a person.
Think about what you would want them to say.
You may find an alternate/side career.
As you probably know, money is really hard to make, and it’s really easy to lose.
Why not start investing in yourself right now?
Imagine you lost your job and had no other job opportunities to jump into.
What would be your back up?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have some experience from your passion project to lean on?
It’s a reason to wake up in the morning!
A sense of purpose gives you a reason to live life to the fullest.
Simply put, passion makes our lives feel more meaningful.
So, what if you want to embark on your passion project today?
Go ahead because you are the only one who knows what to do.
But once you begin, the world wont ever be the same.
Dr. Amy Shahis a double board certified MD with training fromCornell,ColumbiaandHarvardUniversities.
She is an expert on intermittent fasting for women and hasa 2 week guided group program.
