Simply..passionate....

5/4/2018

What are you passionate about?

I read that fear is overcome by passion.

Would you agree?

And would you agree that you can make a choice to be passionate about something?

A blog break while I ponder this (and test it).

16 Comments

Madeleine

5/4/2018 04:05:11 pm

I'm passionate about the piano, growing and eating wonderful food, beauty (in art, nature, home etc), the improvement of the environment, my animals, and many other things.

I think some of us are born more passionate than others, and maybe some people have passion knocked out of them. I was certainly born with more than average passion which must have driven my parents mad! I would fall in love with ballet, piano etc... and not let up the pressure until I was allowed to learn those things!

I don't think you can make a choice to be passionate about something. For example, car racing and country music - I couldn't become passionate about those for love nor money, but if someone I loved was passionate about them I would do my best to be interested!

That said, sometimes a student is sent to piano lessons because parents think it's a good idea. A reluctant student can become passionate over time through the enthusiasm and skill of the teacher.

As for passions overcoming fear, I'm not sure. I can certainly say that I have used my passions to distract myself from my fears!

Now Freda, I am so curious as to how this question arose in you...

Madeleine.x

Freda

13/4/2018 11:00:50 am

So am I Madeleine. Curious that is, and still working it all out. I love your thoughts and will be coming back to this subject in the context of this busy and exciting April. (Head is in a whirl!)

Sheena

5/4/2018 11:57:13 pm

Gardening is my passion and I do it as I walk, talk and breathe with no real conscious decision. I don't talk about it a great deal though and people may not even know I do more than cut the grass.
I enthuse to many people about the joy of singing nowadays after I chose to join a choir 8 years ago and I adore singing, the feeling of camaraderie and wellbeing that comes from singing in a group but it doesn't spark the same emotion as gardening.
Maybe the choosing dictates the emotional response for me.

Freda

13/4/2018 11:02:08 am

Gardening used to be one of the very few things I did where I wasn't thinking about something else at the same time! This subject will roll I can see....

Julia

6/4/2018 04:00:58 am

My thought is that when passion for anyone, or anything, or any activity is ignited..it is because somehow a doorway has opened inside ourselves..and we are suddenly feeling truly ourself. We are in the moment, present and accepting of ourselves. That might even give us a feeling of fearlessness. But it is a deep KNOWING that this (person, activity, interest) is RIGHT for us. Daring to follow a passion sometimes requires great courage. I will have to think about how fear could be overcome by passion. and i do not believe that i personally make choices to be passionate...a spark is ignited! And if i am lucky, i have paid attention in that moment..and passion begins to flourish, if it is nourished. (Ok..strange thought here: perhaps unrequited passion becomes obsession?)

Freda link

13/4/2018 11:03:58 am

Wonderful. I am going to ask your forgiveness for not answering in full at the moment....a lot to process here! I love the thoughtful and considered comments you all give.

Viv link

7/4/2018 12:33:57 pm

My passion must be gardening why else would I have been out all day today in the drizzle trying to plant holly bushes in the mud!
I am intrigued to know what passion you might be about to indulge in that has led to this blog post and if it is something that might raise your blood pressure a little as you mentioned the word fear. I am thinking a hot air ballon ride or a parachute jump maybe!

Freda

13/4/2018 11:04:49 am

The long-awaited trip to Venice Viv!

Susan

9/4/2018 07:41:21 am

Hello Freda.
I do agree that fear can be overcome by passion: I've found the fear of trying an activity is kept at bay, if I really give my whole attention to the activity and what inspires me about it.
I don't think that I can make a choice to be passionate about something, but rather I can choose to try something that I'm uncertain that I'll feel passionately about, just to give it a chance.
Wishing you very well while you test it. x Susan

Freda

13/4/2018 11:06:00 am

It has a lot to do with deciding to commit to something I think....more on this soon. Thank you so much for commenting.

Linda

9/4/2018 02:48:15 pm

I suppose we can choose to learn more about something, or experience something, and that increased knowledge can spark passion, but I don't think we can force that passion to appear.

As far as passion overcoming fear, I agree that it would in, say, an example of someone standing up for rights in their community and overcoming a fear of public speaking, but I can't see someone with a fear of heights becoming passionate about sky-diving.

I'm intrigued as to how you are testing this idea!

Susan

9/4/2018 11:42:33 pm

Hi Linda,
Following on from your thought re your sky-diving example ....I realise that I've only succeeded in overcoming such marked fear, if there's an outcome that I feel passionately about achieving, however faint and tiny that point of passion feels at the outset.
It has been suggested to me, to transform fear into excitement or anticipation, but this hasn't yet worked for me: if I focus on my feelings during the activity, I feel more scared. It seems to work better for me, if I focus on my end goal plus the specific actions that I am making to reach that. Good wishes, Susan

Freda

13/4/2018 11:08:46 am

I love that you talk to each other while I am away :-)

Freda

13/4/2018 11:07:56 am

In lots of ways this month Linda!! I like your examples of how passion might overcome fear....we will keep this thread going....it's fascinating.

elizabeth musgrave link

11/4/2018 09:41:25 am

Interesting questions. I am not sure you can choose to be passionate about something although I am at the moment testing whether I can rediscover a lost passion through the 100 day project. And can passion overcome fear? Yes I think so. Years and years ago I read the book called something like "Feel the fear and do it anyway". That worked then and works for me still.

Freda

13/4/2018 11:11:14 am

I think rediscovering passion is really my subject just now. I liked that book tool

Thank you all for your great comments - as I said to Madeleine my head is in a whirl and I have a wedding to go to tomorrow but back soon I hope (then to Skye..). Bear with me as they say..

Simply..passionate....

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