A passion project is something you work on, outside of school or work commitments, because it fulfills you. It can be anything you decide to do which brings more joy and happiness in to your life. Passion projects are something to look forward to, no matter how busy you are, you’ll want to find time in your busy schedule to do what you love. Finding a passion project that makes you come alive is a form of self care.
There are so many reasons to take on a passion project in addition to your other commitments. Do any of the following statements sound familiar to you?
1. Your job sux balls – it pays the rent and bills but you hate it.
2. You are bored on the weekend, or in your spare time.
3. You are stuck in a routine.
4. You need a creative outlet to express yourself.
5. Your life feels like it is lacking meaning.
6. Life just hits you with a curve ball (you got dumped, sacked, or you’re unwell …anything).
7. You’re tired of complaining about how your life is the pits and gossiping about other people.
Choosing a Focus for Your Passion Project
To work out what passion project you might like to start, brainstorm your ideas down on a piece of paper. Think about the activities you used to like as a kid, or the things you wanted to be when you grew up. This will give you some insight in to your personality and what motivates you. Think about the people you have read about online, in magazines, or the news where you wish you were doing what they were doing.
Some of the passion projects ideas I am drawn to are:
- Keeping a grateful journal or jar
- Learning to marble, letterpress and do calligraphy
- Create your own Year of the Brave list
- Making presents and gift cards for your friends and family
- Photographing your life and city
- Renovating a retro caravan for an art studio
- Starting a blog or guest blog for someone else
- Create your own Bucket list
- Volunteer your time at a dog shelter, Dress for Success, soup kitchen, or another charity
- Editing a paper ezine
- Collecting records or something else nostalgic
- Designing a female focused cartoon
- Starting an handmade online shop
- Learning the guitar from watching YouTube videos
- Learning to tie-dye, make micro macrame jewelry ,and mindful origami
Getting Started with Your Passion Project
The great thing about passion projects are there are no real rules or guidelines.
For some people, the hardest part is working out what you are passionate about. This might be compounded by anxiety or depression, which naturally makes it harder to get those wheels out of the mud and spinning again. Other people might like to focus on a couple of their passions, for a couple of months to a year, and then swap over to a couple of their other passions in the future.
Please don’t set yourself unrealistic deadlines. I like to make my projects without goal posts. They are meant to be fun without any pressure. So, avoid projects like making yourself in to an athletic model in 6 weeks by eating protein powder, cotton balls dipped in Gatorade, and other egg white disasters. That’s a recipe for torture. Any project which you have to complete every day for a month (or a year) is just setting yourself up for failure. These are almost impossible to stick to. Be gentle on yourself when you are indulging in your hobbies and personal interests.
The vital thing about your passion project is that it adds liberal doses of glitter sprinkles and rainbows into your life. We all need a little more passion in our life.
It’s your life. It’s your rules. So create your own adventure today.
