As human beings, we are very versatile people, but also very indecisive at specific points in our lives. Sooner or later we find something that we consider our passion. It could be anything; our passion often dictates a job that we long to pursue, and the actions that we take in life. Some of us may be so passionate about swimming or snowboarding that we make it a goal to one day compete in the Olympics, or we may be so zealous about painting or drawing that we dream of having a piece of our art on display in a prominent museum. Whatever our passion is though, sometimes it becomes a deep part of who we are as people.

What happens when the criticism breaks your spirit though, or when the outside factors of life get in the way? The stresses of your surrounding environment grow larger and begin to overtake your mind and your spirit to the point that you feel like your numb or your world could shatter to pieces at any minute. How do you keep pursuing your passion then?

I, unfortunately, had that happen to me recently. I would go about my days as usual work, exercise, helping take care of my grandmother, but whenever I sat at my computer and opened a word document or attempted to pen something in one of my many journals, nothing. I just couldn't get the words to come out no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't comprehend it. I assumed that I was just a major case of writer's block that would eventually blow over, but I could not get the words out. So for a while, I gave up.

As time went by though, I realized that not being able to do what made me so passionate about only made me even more upset. Writing anything was my escape from the stress of my environment, one of the only outlets I had for letting out the thoughts I did not wish to share with people and the things that would pop up in my imagination. I felt like I was letting people down, like the people who would view the online content I created; but more important, I was letting myself down. My passion had never made me unhappy or uncomfortable, what reason did I have to stop? I shouldn't give up on something that I love so much because I could not handle the other stresses of my environment, in fact, that probably should have given me the idea to write more. Now here I am again, writing, and I feel great about it.

Bad experiences and adverse environmental factors can take a toll on your overall being and make you depressed or lose your way at times, but there is always going to be that one thing that drives you to keep going. If it genuinely disinterests you and makes you unhappy then, it's okay to change your interests and find something else to pursue. When you discover what it is though; don't give up and lose it, because losing your passion would be like losing yourself as well.