What’s Your Passion?

I’m currently searching for my passion.  I first heard about this concept when I was reading The Help for a long ago book club.  One of the characters restored old houses.  That wasn’t her job, but it was her passion, and something she did to keep her soul fed.

Since encountering the idea in the book, I’ve seen it mentioned over and over in various formats – social media posts, motivational talks, and the like.  It’s become a sort of mantra for many people who are looking to escape from the drudgery of their current jobs and “find their passion!”

I’ve had several discussions about this with relatives, because I have no idea what my passion is.  Well, that’s not strictly true.  I know dance is a passion with me.  However, at this stage of the game, there’s no way I’m going to be a professional ballet dancer.  I am trying to get back into dancing, even if it’s only in my own home, in front of the mirror.  It feeds my soul in way nothing else does.

And while I enjoy dancing very much, I’d like to find something that I am passionate about that I could also turn into a money-making venture.

I used to think teaching was a passion, but 5+ years in the public school system cured me of that one.  I don’t even know if I will renew my license, though I feel like I should, if for no other reason than to justify the time and expense of obtaining it.  I don’t need it, though, for the teaching I do (rarely) now.  My degrees alone are qualification enough for the community colleges where I sometimes teach as an adjunct.

One of the things I am currently interested in is photography and photo editing.  I’ve spent quite a bit of time learning to use Photoshop and I love playing around with different effects with my images.  But I think I’ve hit a wall as far as self-teaching goes, and I am debating taking some actual courses (the kind you pay for) in order to better my skills.

I just can never seem to justify the expense to myself.  Why should I spend money on a course when I may never use what I learn? Why should I spend money on a course when there are so many other things that I need to use it for? (Like college tuition for my oldest!)  I’m lucky enough to get to be a SAHM, and since I don’t bring income into the house, I have a hard time not feeling guilty about spending anything on myself – especially for something that is not a necessity.

If it was truly a passion, would any of that matter?

I’m interested in so many things – photography, art, creating, painting, crochet, writing, blogging – how do I know which one I should focus on?

How did you discover your passion?  Have you found a way to make money with your passion?