Identifying Your Passions Objective To help students identify

Identifying Your Passions Objective: To help students identify and articulate those things that are extremely important to them on an emotional level.

Dictionary Definition of Passions • Passion is a, “Powerful emotion; boundless enthusiasm; deep, overwhelming feeling; or avid interest. ” A Clinical Psychologist Definition of Passion • Passion is the , “Energy and enthusiasm wedded to a sense of purpose that gives life meaning and pleasure. ”

Passion • You might be passionate about music, sports, art, computer, horses, cars, gardening, politics, the beach, marching bands, penguins - - YOU NAME IT! • The happiest people are often those who find a way to incorporate their passions into their career. These are the people you’ll hear say things like: “I can’t believe they pay me to do this!”

Passion Exercise • Take a minute to think about the definition of, “Passion” and what it means personally to you. • Ask your neighbor and come up with a definition between the two of you.

What Makes You Grin? Think about what makes you grin or have a moment which gives you a good feeling. • Share with your neighbor.

What Makes Your Heart Race? • Think about what makes you feel something that would make you heart beat fast. • Share with everyone.

Is there something that makes you lose track of time? • Think about what activities you perform that make you lose track of time. • Share with everyone.

Words for Passion • What words can you come up with for the word, “Passion”? • Examples: Enthusiasm, bliss, euphoria, exaltation, something that makes you go, “aha” with excitement

What Drives Your Passion? • Learning to recognize the objects, events or situations that make you feel like this is an important step towards self-knowledge. • Read Textbook page 28.

Activity 29 in Workbook • Turn to Activity 29. • Complete the statements in your own words. • If, during the next few weeks you have more words to add to the list, feel free to come back to this page and add them! • You will always continue to find new passions throughout your life.