Happiness, Passion & Contentment

How to live fully until you die

Filled with passion. “Hah”! Jane exclaimed as we read her astrology on her 65th birthday, “I’m done with being driven, passion is for young people! I want to be happy, not pushing and striving for more and different!”

Jane recently retired as the nurse manager of a large regional hospital group and she’s trying to figure out what’s next. She’s also been a singer/song writer, yoga instructor, co-owner of a catering company, and she continues to sing with three bands and is an avid gardener. Living life with passion? Seems like she does to me. Yet she bristles at the word, passion, definition: an intense desire or enthusiasm for something, an intense emotion compelling action.

Being passionate has its rewards. A Greek postage stamp with my face on it! In recognition for my business and humanitarian work.

I skipped grades and rushed through grad school so that I could change the world. I quickly assessed the next rung in each new job and mentally committed to beating the time frame and standards for the next step up. I was determined to do good and do well as fast as possible, and as much as possible. Suddenly, one day as I looked out the floor to ceiling windows from my corner office, I stopped.

Is there more to life than going full out, nonstop to achieve and give back? The moniker that Saul, the wise old-time associate in the company, gave me and I’ve ignored up to now, came crashing into my consciousness: “The lady without a life”. Is it ok to relax once in a while and do something just for fun? It took me decades to get to the point I exhaled. I resigned and moved across the country not knowing what I would do next.

Smelling the flowers takes on deeper meaning when you are in the middle of a flower field. Yes, stop and smell the flowers too.

Being driven now is seen by some as a negative, that you’re not content with the ways things are. Is that wrong? Passion manifests in different ways. Now, I’m as passionate about the things I care about, but I approach them from another angle. Oftentimes now I find similar minded groups/people to collaborate with instead of leading the charge. I support, coach, and contribute to causes more, versus active hands-on leadership.

The key is to stay involved in what has meaning and makes a positive difference. Yes, generating revenue is a…