Lately, I’ve been thinking about the connection between passion and change.  When I hear people talk about passion, they speak with excitement about the future. When I hear them talk about change, that same passion often dissolves into concern, resistance, and avoidance. What if we could intentionally connect our passion for life to any changes we’re facing, whether they were expected or not?

Not too long ago, my husband and I were consulting a company that was moving to another state. Some people who worked there were losing their jobs, while others were faced with a decision: to move and start a new life somewhere else, or stay where they lived and find a new job. The common denominator they all shared was change. A few people were lamenting their fate and wondering why this was happening to them, though most found it simultaneously unnerving and exhilarating. Unnerving because there was uncertainty about what was next for them. Exhilarating because change was calling them to a new adventure. They all understood, at least theoretically, that change happens, whether you like it or not.

Take a moment and think about any change you are in the middle of now, or anticipate in the near future. Change can be anything that impacts the current state of your health, wealth, or happiness. Notice how you feel about it. Does it feel like a door is closing? Change is the closing of one door, but it’s not the closing of all doors.

Getting in touch with what ignites your passion may be the catalyst to opening the next door.

We asked the group we were coaching to consider that the unexpected change they were going through, gave them an advantage—the advantage of breaking free from their comfort zone to think about the opportunity to initiate something new.

When we asked the question, what ignites your passion, they spoke about what mattered most to them. A staff accountant was especially inspiring as she spoke about using this change to do something she always dreamed about.

Her vision was to care for the elderly. When she went to college her plan was to be a nurse, but her family urged her to become an accountant instead. She dutifully accomplished that role for over 10 years. With her job in transition, she decided now was the time to open a skilled nursing company, with a focus on elder care. When she gave voice to her passion she realized there was no lost time, and that her accounting background actually made it easier for her to start a successful new business. When she spoke, it was through tears of joy. She inspired her coworkers to use this point of change as a wake-up call to live their own vision.

A clear vision gives your life meaning and direction. It’s an inspired purpose, an intention that brings something new into being. You can take advantage of all you’ve learned to move you in the direction of your passion, and let your vision organize your actions.

Any current change that is occurring in your life right now can be used as a catalyst for these questions: What ignites your passion? What is your vision of a life worth living? Stay with this inquiry long enough until your passion starts to emerge. Let the questions engage what’s possible for your body, mind, work, and spirit.

Be patient and have fun with these ideas. You can create what you’re committed to, even if at the beginning it seems impossible. Look for what energizes or renews your sense of purpose. This inquiry will liberate your thinking and add to your life. You may also discover an appreciation for your current circumstances and the doors they can open.

I invite you to take the time and meditate, journal, or dialog with someone you love on these questions. Let me know how you’re using the changes in your life to ignite your passion.