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Gabrielle Bernstein

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How to Follow Your Passion When You're Just Trying to Pay the Bills

Posted: 01/19/2012 12:50 pm

During tough economic times, many people think they need to sacrifice passion and focus solely on earning money. From a spiritual perspective, this is the exact opposite approach to generating real abundance. Yes, paying your bills takes practical action. But it also requires an internal belief system powered by inspiration and passion. Without an emphasis on passion, it's likely that no matter how many actions you take, you'll still wind up feeling stuck.

Neglecting passion blocks creative flow. When you're passionate, you're energized. Likewise, when you lack passion, your energy is low and unproductive. Energy is everything when it comes to earning. Quantum physics teaches us that our bodies are made up of subatomic particles that are energy. Your thoughts, attention and focus affect your energy and therefore everything around you -- including your bank account. So when you're thinking only about the mundane to-do lists and practical action steps, you're lowering your energy and in effect lowering your earning power.

Your life becomes what you think about most. When you focus on following your passion and letting inspiration flow, your energy is raised and your earning capacity is strong. But when you're uninspired and bogged down by low-level thoughts, your attracting power is weakened.

Now that you have a better understanding of the earning value of passionate, positive energy, it's time to take it more seriously. Read on for three simple, effective ways you can bring more passion into your life -- even if you're crazy-busy.

Who said your job had to be your only source of passion?

Our culture places such a huge emphasis on our careers that we lose track of our passion projects. But who said your job had to be your only source of passion? A dear friend of mine is a powerful example of balancing passion and career. He works in corporate America but moonlights as a guitar player. Though he spends his weekdays at a desk, he spends his weekends indulging his passion projects such as gigging with his band, writing, drawing and learning about art. Though he dedicates a lot of his time to his career, there is no lack of passion in his life.

The passion of being of service

When we're of service to the world, we feel inspired and passionate about the work that we do. Perhaps the work you're doing is service-related -- getting clear about the ways in which it serves the world may make you more passionate about it. If that's not the case with your job, maybe you volunteer for a local charity once a month, or find a way to participate in your community, or promote bigger causes. Awaken a service mentality. When you serve the world, you serve your soul.

Shift your perception about the way you make money

If you're hung up about the fact that your primary source of revenue doesn't come from your true passion, shift your perspective. Be grateful for the work that you have and focus on the good stuff. Find even the smallest part of your work that ignites your passion. Maybe you love interacting with clients, or the neighborhood where you work. Maybe you're learning something new by being on that job. Focus on what you do have and you'll create more of what you want.

Take these action steps seriously. We all have work to do to support our economy, and if we're void of passion we won't have the energy and inspiration to serve. The more passion we ignite in our lives, the higher our earning capacity will be and the more we'll impact financial growth in our country. When we all raise our thoughts we'll raise our bank accounts -- and greatly serve the world.

Featured in the New York Times Sunday Styles section as "a new role model," motivational speaker, life coach and author Gabrielle Bernstein is making her mark. Expanding the lexicon for the next generation of spiritual seekers, Gabrielle is the #1 bestselling author of the book, Add More ~ing to Your Life, A hip Guide to Happiness. In September 2011 Gabrielle launched her second book, Spirit Junkie, A Radical Road to Self-Love and Miracles. In 2008 she launched her social networking site HerFuture.com for young women to find mentors.

For more by Gabrielle Bernstein, click here.

For more on mindfulness, click here.

 
 
 

Follow Gabrielle Bernstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/gabbybernstein

During tough economic times, many people think they need to sacrifice passion and focus solely on earning money. From a spiritual perspective, this is the exact opposite approach to generating real ab...
During tough economic times, many people think they need to sacrifice passion and focus solely on earning money. From a spiritual perspective, this is the exact opposite approach to generating real ab...
 
 
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Macey Leigh Thompson
06:02 PM on 01/21/2012
Love this Blog! Thanks!
08:55 PM on 01/20/2012
It's a valid lesson, but the author would be better served by staying away from fake science: "Quantum physics teaches us that our bodies are made up of subatomic particles that are energy. Your thoughts, attention and focus affect your energy and therefore everything around you -- including your bank account." Quantum physics is not about finance.
10:07 PM on 01/22/2012
I see the point as being what you radiate can help you in all areas of your life, including finance. It's about a whole, and not compartmentalizing.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Dan De Leon
dj remixer producer filmmaker at djdandeleon.com
03:40 PM on 01/20/2012
Wow!
10:46 AM on 01/20/2012
Great post. Thanks!
09:36 AM on 01/20/2012
Love these ideas, Gabrielle. I understand that feeling of being so overwhelmed that you can't get out of your own way to see other possibilities. Something that's worked for me is to only ask 10 minutes of myself to devote to something separate from the have-to's of the day. I can't change my job in 10 minutes, or finish a painting in 10 minutes, but just focusing on that for a few minutes can give a feeling of more energy and control, and then I usually see I can find a little more time for it than we thought. And if it's a scary task, 10 minutes makes it not so daunting, too -- I can bear it for 10 minutes!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
SShaw490
A man hears what he wants and disregards the rest
07:18 AM on 01/20/2012
I've always loved my work and did it with a lot of energy and passion, so I was lucky that my vocation fed my family and my soul at the same time. But over the last few years I find that my work no longer interests me and feels like drudgery - an unpleasent task to be accomplished with as little effort and attention as possible. I've been thinking I need to do something different, but as you said, there's the little problem of a paycheck that my family really needs. So I think the way for me to look at this is to simply recognize that my work is a blessing despite my lack of emotional investment in it; and also recognize that I'm not going to have to do it forever. And if I wasn't doing that, what would I be doing? What is my new passion? And can I start doing those things while I'm still working? Sure I can - I've just fallen into the cycle of disinterest/depression that poisons my work AND my passion. I think it will be helpful to put work in its place - as a temporary utility - and focus myself on the things that really move me.
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brooklyncitizen
Soror quaerens lucem
01:08 AM on 01/20/2012
I began volunteering at a homeless shelter last year and really found it so rewarding...and frankly fun. THe people are simply great.
I asked them to calendar me for the first week of each month this year.....I love it.THis issue has bothered me for some time and I felt a sense of shame each time I see someone on the street.

There is no time like the present to live according to one's values...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Connie Markley Boppre
06:56 PM on 01/19/2012
i've asked this question my entire life.
06:12 PM on 01/19/2012
Wonderful Gabrielle, I'm at this point in my life now and feel quite fortunate to be able to choose where I am seeking my new career. I have decided to give back and will be volunteering next month in a hospice, which I'm looking forward to. Its so true that when you seek employment do so and first seek something you're passionate about and make sure the money is secondary. In doing so, the money will flow because you are doing it genuinely.
05:04 PM on 01/19/2012
Great article, Gabrielle. So many good points. I especially love your example of your friend who works corporate by day and plays guitar by night.

I like that you recognize that some people aren't able to walk away form the job they hate and need to find something about it that they like and focus on the positives.

By making an effort to get involved in community service or a hobby, it allows people to ignite their passion which then opens the door for new opportunities.

I was fortunate when I found myself in a job where I made a lot of money & took lots of vacation, but was miserable, I was able to walk away. I sold my house, quit my job and moved to India on my spiritual journey. That was a move was toward my my passion and my soul mission. Now, I now coach, teach and mentor women all over the world, empowering them to have the life and love their hearts desire. I also volunteer as a mentor to at-risk girls at a local high school. Every day I'm thrilled to do what I do in my career, and love giving back, too. To those who can: I say WALK AWAY and follow your heart!

Thanks so much again for an inspirational article!

Pamela
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brooklyncitizen
Soror quaerens lucem
01:09 AM on 01/20/2012
what an inspiration!
Bravo!
03:38 PM on 01/19/2012
Great post! It took me over ten years to figure out what made me happy. I was passionate about being in the fine arts and burned out rather quickly. I had to find a new path to my happiness and learn how to create new opportunities through different perspectives.

The best part is that happiness is all we are looking for. If you can accept the comings and goings of happiness you can brave any economic or social storm that comes your way.

http://progressivetransformation.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-is-happiness.html