This is a question I really started seriously thinking about two years ago. My husband & I made a big move from Virginia to Florida and while I stayed at the same company, my position drastically changed. I was no longer challenged, motivated, or felt like I had a purpose. Feeling like this every day is not fun and it definitely makes you think about your life & your future. Will I feel this way every day 9-5 for the next 5, 10, 15, 20 plus years? Will I still be sitting here trying to find fulfillment in my work? Oh god 25 years until retirement? Are you kidding me?! There has to be more to life than this. Let me be clear, I was lucky to have a stable job but it just didn’t do it for me.

At this point, I had been teaching spin class before/after work for a couple of years and loved having my little “fit family” and helping members at the gyms, but I never really considered turning it into a career. Most people don’t actually enjoy what they do everyday right? I heard it all the time, I ask co-workers & my elevator companions going into work how they are doing and it’s “Well I’m here right?” or “Is it Friday yet?” Well that just didn’t seem right. Yes, that was me most of the time too and after college I just thought that’s what we all do, work 40 hours and live for the weekends. Well let me tell you that mentality got way harder to grasp when I was in a position I dreaded every day. And guess what kept creeping into my head – FITNESS!

Could I really make it a career? Should we being making a living doing things we love? With the life experience I’ve had, I know all too well that life is short so why waste it unhappy? I was at a breaking point with my job (I had many nights of tears) and just when I thought I would be forever stuck, an opportunity appeared. Funny how life is sometimes right? I don’t know if I believe in this whole everything happens for a reason or we should leave things up to the universe, but the hope & freedom that this opportunity provided was exactly what I needed. That opportunity was Beachbody coaching & before you get all “oh here we go another network marketing thing” on me (believe me I felt the same way), the positive community & inspiration it gave me was exactly what I was craving. Maybe I couldn’t go full-time into fitness or something else I liked (OMG I applied to a TON of jobs & never heard back), but I could work this side gig outside of work & just see where it goes. It lined up with my quest for purpose, my love of fitness, and my desire to help others. While coaching is a whole other blog post, the point is I finally started to understand this whole living your purpose thing & I had a new mindset about where my life would be in 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. I know not all our passions can turn into careers & incomes but in this crazy unknown life we live, it’s definitely worth giving it a chance & exploring a little bit. I think at the end of the day we all just want to lay our heads down knowing we are happy and we made a positive difference in the world someway, somehow.

What are your thoughts on living out your passion? Are you someone who is living your passion? If so, I would love to hear what it is you are doing! If not, are you thinking of doing something you love or are you happy where you are?

And my friends, when in doubt, sweat it out.