What is passion?

Passion is an intense force that fills us with vitality to do something with great enthusiasm.. It is related to a deep interest in a cause, idea, person, activity or object. Have you ever experienced it?

When we allow ourselves to be flooded by it, our motivation increases and the connection we feel with our own life strengthens. With passion on our side we not only enrich every moment, but we give meaning to every moment of our existence.

In this text we will explore what passion is, its typology and how we can connect with it in a healthy way. We will also examine the keys to living a passionate life and how to overcome obstacles that may arise along the way.

Passion: a feeling that motivates us

Passion is a very intense feeling that involves desire and enthusiasm for something. It reflects a particular interest in a cause, idea, activity, person or object. In an article on well-being and passion, Robert Vallerand defines it as: “a strong inclination toward a self-defined activity that people like (or even love), find important, and in which they invest time and energy on a regular basis.” ».

We say that someone is passionate about something when they establish a very strong affinity relationship with it. There are passions that exalt the human condition and constitute the seasoning that leads us to materialize the greatest achievements. So according to the book The psychology of passion: A dualistic model, be passionate about an activity It provides joy and meaning in life, this makes existence worthwhile.

Passion is a reality that defines us, that is, it expresses a significant feature of our identity, of our personality. It is important to distinguish between a passion and a hobby, since they are terms that tend to be standardized.. For example, it is one thing to be a “trumpet player,” which is a passion, and another thing to “play the trumpet,” which could be taken as a hobby.

Activities that involve true passion require enormous amounts of time and energy.. They are authentic convictions that satisfy us.

What are their characteristics?

Passion can be expressed in different areas of life: love, work, community, family, etc. Some of its main features are:

Force: It is an intense physical and/or mental capacity loaded with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. It makes the individual feel overwhelmed by his impetus. It can affect thoughts and behaviors.Latency: The period of time that remains is greater than that of passing interests or whims. Passion tends to last longer, although over the years it can vary, depending on the evolutionary change of the person and the context.Concentration: It makes the person focused on that activity, object or idea that they are passionate about. Therefore, attention increases. This is related to the state of flow or flow.Satisfaction: Passion causes pleasant sensations in the body. Pleasure, gratification and well-being increase. Likewise, other positive emotions appear such as joy and happiness.Persistence: It encourages the subject to persevere in what they are passionate about, despite the difficulties that may arise along the way.Dedication: It makes the person invest time in it and sacrifice or negotiate other areas of their life to have more space to dedicate to it.

Importantly, these characteristics can become negative if passion is not adaptive and unbalances functioning in other areas of life. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a proper balance and a healthy perspective on passion.

Types of passion

According to a research article published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, there are two types of passions: harmonious or obsessive. Both can be distinguished based on how the activity is integrated into the identity. Let’s look at each one.

harmonious passion

It is the one that is integrated into our identity; since we value ourselves and choose activities of our own will. To do this, we need both to master ourselves and to be attentive to our performance to improve skills.

The authors of the cited article maintain that this type of passion “results from an autonomous internalization of activity in identity.” In other words, the person has freely accepted the activity as a meaningful part of themselves.

This internalization generates a lot of motivation and engenders will and approval for what one is passionate about.. With this type of passion we do not feel overwhelmed and we perceive ourselves in harmony with life.

Besides, is linked to the flow state. Therefore, when we are immersed in an activity for the pleasure of participating, we can lose sense of ourselves and time. We feel that we effortlessly improve our concentration, we are flexible and open.

obsessive passion

It involves relentlessly pursuing what we are passionate about. Therefore, we might feel that the activity takes over us. It is a compulsion to activity.

In 2003, Robert Vallerand and his work team indicated that this passion emerges from a controlled internalization of the activity in one’s own identity. That is, we assume it as a consequence of intrapersonal or interpersonal pressure. That’s why, even though we like it, we feel obliged to participate in it. We can’t avoid it. Passion controls us.

“Because commitment to the activity is outside the person’s control, it eventually occupies a disproportionate space in the identity and causes conflict with other activities in life,” the aforementioned authors state.

Thus, we lose the sense of self-control, and by not stopping, it causes us harm, exhaustion, feelings of guilt and shame. These are not essentially negative emotions, but they become so when we experience them very frequently and do not give space to others.

Obsessive passion involves rigidity when performing the activity. Therefore, there is difficulty in adapting or distancing ourselves when necessary for our well-being. A fact that could affect not only the activity in which we are engaged, but also other areas of our life.

Contrary to what happens with harmonic passion, in obsessive passion we find it difficult to be connected to the present moment.. It might even be difficult to define ourselves apart from this passion.

How to connect with a healthy passion?

There are several ways to connect with a passion that is nourishing for our lives. Let’s look at some:

Visualize. It is about reliving in our minds a moment in which we have experienced a harmonious passion, derived from our jobs or some significant activity. By visualizing those moments we can recognize those elements, emotions and sensations that made them special.Anchor us to the present. Thus, we will commit to the activity. Being present involves placing all our attention and energy on what is happening, on what we are doing here and now. By being present we can immerse ourselves in what we are so passionate about. This, in turn, will make us feel more satisfied and connected.Make decisions autonomously, and not depend on the results. Do it based on our values. To do this, we need to identify what matters and motivates us, and then choose based on those principles. In this way, we ensure that what we do is in line with what we feel and believe. Thank. Doing what we like just because we have that opportunity. Gratitude connects us with healthy passions. Cultivating this attitude towards these exciting activities will allow us to value them better and will make us live them in a healthier way, since gratitude has enormous benefits for our existence.Let’s be flexible. It consists of adapting to different situations to better handle unplanned events. Flexibility allows us to find new opportunities and passions. Likewise, it helps us overcome the obstacles that arise in life. Being flexible is essential for a healthy passion, since it keeps us away from rigidity and obsession.Reduce activities that cause us conflict. That is, those that cause a negative impact in some area of ​​our lives. By reducing the influence of conflicts we can make more space in our lives to dedicate ourselves to what we are passionate about.Carry out activities in tune with our identity. Put into practice what gives us satisfaction and joy. Eye! With this we do not mean that we should only be happy, but we do mean that emotions that frequently cause us discomfort do not predominate.

Passion stimulates enthusiasm and determination. It is a way to promote growth and generate resilience—the ability to overcome our problems. Furthermore, as a source of energy it has incalculable value and constitutes a precious place for inspiration when we are the ones who govern it.

Keys to living with passion

When we are passionate about something we don’t mind putting in a lot of time and effort. On the contrary, dedication to what we like is rewarding and pays off. Therefore, it is important to discover what we have an affinity with, what sparks a special interest in us. That which lights up our hearts, that no matter how much time it takes of us, we never tire of doing it.

To fuel the passion in our lives It is vitally important to investigate within ourselves and find what shakes our soul.. It is not enough for it to be entertaining, it must be something that moves us. Then we must ask ourselves where we want to go in that area, so we will find enough motivation to deploy our energy.

A strategy that does not fail is to start from what we have skill in.. This is essential when undertaking any project. Focusing on that not only broadens our horizon, but brings us closer to those who have similar interests. This will generate a panorama in which there are great possibilities of success.

To take into account

Conformity is the main enemy of our passions. Therefore, it is better to assume a humble but ambitious attitude at the same time and take an example from the great men who have gone all out for their ideals. We cannot put limits on our dreams, many passions disappear when our fears surface. Therefore, we must be tenacious and take risks.

It is imperative to keep everything that is negative away from us. Recover the dreamy and curious attitude that we had as children and remove all mental limitations that put limits on what we want to achieve. We cannot continue to waste our time and energy on things that do not correspond to what truly thrills us in life.

Few things are as stimulating as sharing our passion with others.. It allows us to reconnect with our interior and give what…