How do I find my passion:)

[lewber]

So, I've posted about this before, but I'm bored. I need to find a new career/hobby/passion as I enter into the next stage of my life. How do I figure out what to do? I'm lacking in motivation and direction. How do I get started and quit wasting time and spinning my wheels.

I'm willing to go back to school. I do not like my current career so I'm sure I'll have to. I've been thinking about this for years. I could have been done by now!

Give me a kick in the backside and tell me how to get started.

[regentrude]

I was there and posted about it last year. The thread got really long, and people had many suggestions. check it out:

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/588827-bored-intellectual-challenge-so-sahm/

[lewber]

Thanks! That was helpful. Did you end up trying any of the suggestions?

I have some ideas I'd like to try, but I'm scared. I have akways had a hard time self motivating, taking the plunge. I need to be forced to make a change. A deadline. None of that has happened, so I stay the same old boring course:)

[MommyLiberty5013]

Usually a passion develops from an interest. What are you interested in? What gets you inspired? Or what do you hate about society that you want to change? Who in your life do you want to advocate for?

 

If you know and it's just motivation holding you back, then it's possible that it isn't a real interest, but is rather what you have convinced yourself to believe your interest is.

 

People who have a passion hit slumps and ebbs and flows, but they generally don't have trouble just getting out of the gate.

 

Also, just an opposing idea, what if you don't have a passion? Some people don't. That's okay. I don't. I just have various interests that I itch every so often.

[regentrude]

Thanks! That was helpful. Did you end up trying any of the suggestions?

I have some ideas I'd like to try, but I'm scared. I have akways had a hard time self motivating, taking the plunge. I need to be forced to make a change. A deadline. None of that has happened, so I stay the same old boring course:)

 

No, the suggestions did not work for me, due to limited local opportunities plus personal preferences plus beig a raging extrovert.

 

But (see update in #223), I found something I want to do. I am writing. That may help me figure out a plan.

Edited August 16, 2017 by regentrude

[Carol in Cal.]

Start by taking a half a day and making a long list of everything you ever enjoyed or were curious about or wanted to try.

It helps to imagine yourself year by year.

 

I mean, I used to be interested in flying.  I'm not anymore, not at all, but when I thought back I remembered this (had not thought about it in years) and some other stuff as well. 

 

Then sort of go through the list and figure out which three are the most interesting to you.  Then you can ponder them over time, and figure out how to add little bits of them into your life, or how to make a Big Fat Change. 

[Selkie]

Start by taking a half a day and making a long list of everything you ever enjoyed or were curious about or wanted to try.

It helps to imagine yourself year by year.

 

I mean, I used to be interested in flying.  I'm not anymore, not at all, but when I thought back I remembered this (had not thought about it in years) and some other stuff as well. 

 

Then sort of go through the list and figure out which three are the most interesting to you.  Then you can ponder them over time, and figure out how to add little bits of them into your life, or how to make a Big Fat Change. 

 

I agree with this advice. My greatest passions are things that I've loved ever since I was a kid.

[lewber]

This is good advice. I have thought about this, but not written it down. I always wanted to be a teacher, but ended up as an accountant.

My DS is in public school, but I love learning about curriculums and classes here. We after school. I read about education theory. My two intense long term volunteer activities are for large child development centers. But I'm not sure I can be a teacher. I am interested in neuro- psych testing, gifted education, college and academic counseling.

I will look into this, but if this generates any ideas here, please share! :)

 

ETA- clarification

Edited August 17, 2017 by lewber

[PeterPan]

If you were here, where I live, I would hire you in a hot minute as an ABA tutor for my ds. There are lots of people snapped up in the ps to work as aides for kids with autism. You might do light educational work (reading papers, explaining things), help them stick with the group plan, whatever. There's training for it, and it's in such high demand that you can pretty much just set your hours. It's non-committal, doesn't require a masters, and is something that you could do for a season and then move on from. And since I need a worker right now, I say go to the job boards where your local behaviorists or ps are listing and get one. They're probably looking. :)

 

The training for them is RBT, and I'm guessing they'd hook you up. Not all ps or behaviorists require RBT.