How To Infuse #Passion Into Your Everyday Routine

If you are working a job that may not be your ultimate role, that's quite alright because most of us have to work to eat. What is not conducive to your well-being is working without getting some sense of fulfillment either on or off the job. We know there is good reason to utilize passion to spark engagement, excitement, and a sense of purpose, and that is where self-motivation can be the catalyst to realizing our goals. Self-motivation is the drive to keep going despite your circumstances, and an easy way to get motivated is to do something you love.

Here are a couple of suggestions to fill the void while you are working towards your dream job: 

A) Create a proposal to incorporate your interests at work, expanding your role or adding tasks to your responsibilities.

•  Make sure you understand the company's vision or strategy and align your proposal to it.

• Discuss your ideas with a mentor or colleague who can help steer you in the right direction.

• Your proposal should make good business sense and you should have the qualifications and bandwidth to deliver on your request .

• Ask your manager to pilot your request before committing if that makes her more comfortable with the change.

Ensuring alignment with the company's strategy and the benefit(s) for the business is core to your proposal being taken seriously. Make sure your assignment will give you new skills to add to your resume.

B) Launch side projects outside of work to provide the release you need. 

• To get started, one question that will measure your passion is, will you do this job for free? Money is an important factor but not the only one. If you have an income, use this time to do something you may not be paid for but enjoy.

• Developing skills outside of your role at work can provide new opportunities, even a new career! What would you do if you could do something different?

•  Make sure your choice is not a conflict of interest with your paying job, e.g., you work for a news agency and your side project is being a lobbyist for a political party.

•  Join a group of like-minded individuals who can share information, resources, or just be a sounding board for your ideas and challenges.

These options can lead to new connections, new experiences, and new opportunities, while minimizing feelings of being unproductive or disengaged. Using this approach gives you the option to showcase your talents and illustrate to others that there is more to you than on the surface.

The ability to incorporate your passion into your schedule, even if it's not a source of income, feeds that part of you that brings elation, productivity, and enrichment to your life. By investing in something you enjoy, you are planting seeds for new opportunities to manifest. Whatever you choose to do, know that you will have to get out of your comfort zone, and that is the beginning of your growth.

Inspired to find ways to add #passion into your everyday routine? For more articles on #passion, check out the Career Mom Bluprint Magazine: The #Passion Issue on Flipboard. 

Stacey Rivers is a strategic project leader, mom, wife, and the author of the book "50 Essential Tips to Getting & Keeping The 'Right' Job". For more on career management, check out Career Mom Bluprint or StaceyRivers.com.