There is an all-or-nothing mentality that permeates much of the self-growth industry.  Once you find your bliss, you have to drop what you are doing to go make money at your passion.

One of the teachers at my retreat said, regarding enlightenment, “What good is being enlightened in a dark, quiet cave?  Are you going to live in a cave for the rest of your life?”

So, sure, you can ‘live your passion’ and maybe you can make money at it.  But, whether you do or don’t, there will still be times when you are not living your passion.

If your passion is painting, there will be moments when you are not painting.  You will go to the store and not paint.  You’ll go to the bathroom and, hopefully, not paint.  You will sleep, eat, and shower – all without painting.  While you do these activities, you may be inspired towards what to paint or how to paint and research on your ‘field’.  But you will do no painting in these moments.

Going through your day and, at times, not actively enacting your passion gives you time to be ‘with’ your passion, to ‘miss’ your passion.  How can you understand light without dark, black without white, Chez Fabulous without McDonald’s?  If you are in a loving, amazing relationship, you probably have to leave your Beloved for the day and work.  But though you are not in your spouse’s presence, talking to your husband, or playing with your wife, you can still mentally be ‘with’ your loved one.

It’s a kind of meditation, being conscious of that which you love and bringing it with you wherever you are.  Take your enlightenment out of the cave, your passion away from the canvas.

You can live your passion without constantly doing your passion.

So my friends, if you are working in a field that is not your passion, do not feel guilty.  If how you make money has nothing to do with what you love, know that all is still right in your universe.  Do the job that you have as well as you can, and take pride in the work that you do.  Make steps towards changing careers if you like, but don’t worry if you are only taking baby steps.

The only person that needs to be comfortable with the steps that you take is you.