How do you find your passion? Well, let’s start off with the fact that a passion is something you are enthusiastic about — something that inspires you.

For me, I have many passions, but I didn’t discover them all at once. I am a dancer, a writer, and an artist, and I am very passionate about each of these areas. My strongest passion, however, is my love for dance. This didn’t happen right off the bat when my mom put little two-year-old me in a dance class either, but it developed as I grew.

The road of dancing hasn’t always been smooth, though. I felt very discouraged at times since I could not do as much as the other girls; however, I made it my goal to strive to be better every day. Now, it’s sixteen years later, and I can do so much more than what I had even imagined doing as a kid. Dancing inspires me every day, and I hope to inspire others through my dancing.

That being said, your passion is more than a hobby. It’s something that makes you happy. I can use dance to let out my anger or my sadness and to express myself when words aren’t quite enough. Being able to do this has been the greatest therapy through the ups and downs of life, and I’m not sure how my life would be if I wouldn’t have found this passion.

So, how do you find your passion?

Start by looking at your talents and interests:

• If you are interested in dancing, you should take a summer dance class to try it out.
• You could also take classes for music or art.
• As an artist myself, I’m inspired more by creating rather than learning. If you feel the same way, you could get a sketchbook and try drawing the things you see around you.
• If you are interested in sports, you could join a summer sports team. Or, if you are interested in writing, you could keep a journal and try journaling.

I most recently discovered my passion as a journalist and writer when I applied to Germ. I am even now considering taking journaling in college! This just goes to show that you never really know what you could like until you try it.

My best advice for those who are trying to discover their passions is to be open and to never get discouraged. Be open because there are many different passions in this world; you just have to find the right one for you. Don’t get discouraged if someone else is better than you. You have to learn that there will always be someone better; don’t let this get in the way of you discovering your passion. And last, but definitely not least, be passionate. Commit to whatever you choose wholeheartedly. If your heart’s not in it, then it will never become a passion. You will really know when something has become your passion when calling it your hobby or your sport just doesn’t suffice.

I wish all of you the best of luck in finding your passions, and I hope that they affect your life as positively and as greatly as my passion has affected me.