When you are clear

A couple weeks ago I read a book called The Passion Test. I was never a really big fan of the self help section but I had some time and took a look. As my family will contest I have always tried certain things and while I was trying them I would call it “my passion”. Let’s see I can list some of my “passions” I have had over the years: piano, basketball, rollerblading, video making, snowboarding etc. My sister always made fun of me but I think the reason I had so many “passions” (some failed some didn’t) was because I am the type of person where I felt like I never really excelled in anything I was just always good and a lot of different things. Which my mom would say makes me “balanced” but I wanted to excel. During my brief time of unemployment I was able to read a lot and came across the Passion Test.

The book basically told me that I have been wrong my whole life. That the things I called my passions are more hobbies and goals. That being said those things can turn into passions but it sometimes that takes time. The authors Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwoodcreated what they call a “system” of living your passion. Right away you start taking the test. I didn’t really understand how long it was going to take me to read this book because it was also very interactive. At times I had to set down the book and wait days before I could start reading it again.

I started by creating a list of 15 different “passions”. They taught me right away to think BIG because by thinking BIG more will happen. Sitting down I thought of 15 different things and then by the next couple of chapters you have it broken down to your top 5. This was perfect for me because I had no idea what my next step was and they guided me to figure out what is really important in my life right now. The key is to know that your passions will always change and evolve over time. Sometimes you will fulfill your passion and want to advance it and grow from it.

“When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, only to the extent you are clear”

This test is your own; you’re supposed to take it in one sitting usually about 30 min max. The question you first need to answer they say is “When my life is ideal, I am __________.” Close your eyes and make the list. You then go from 15 to 5 by taking one and sizing it up against another one, which is more important.

From this list here are my top passions I came up with:

1. Enjoying my work life
2. Traveling to a new place every year
3. Speaking to small or large groups
4. Doing video taping and editing for fun
5. Maintaining healthy relationships

Here are some parts of the book that stuck with me. “What you put your attention on grows stronger in your life.” By putting attention onto joy, happiness, and growth, those things will come to your life. “Fear is vividly imagining exactly what you don’t want to happen, happening” If you think of a fear or something bad, just say “cancel and replace that thought with something you choose to create”.

Ok, I will keep going on this topic if you would like, let me know if you like it or not because there are more steps.