Commitment: the importance of finding those passions in life

Whether it’s committing to be with someone, or choosing a career path, or even a long-term mortgage, making these decisions can be tough sometimes, especially when the direction you want to go in life is not so clear. So how do we make these decisions, and actually be happy with them?

I think it boils down to passion, even with the house (I mean in the sense you would be living in an area that you truly love). You shouldn't even be considering commitment to a person if you don't have passion with them. It is the same with a job/career. I mean, you can always force yourself to, without the passion. But, chances are that neither situation will work out, nor even if they did happen to work out, things wouldn't be that great and you wouldn't be all that happy.

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If you are ever in a situation in which you are doing something that you aren't passionate about, or at least working up to doing something that you will be passionate about, I think it should be time that you sit down and re-evaluate what you are doing with your life. Our lives are not meant to be lived simply upon the basis of "living" and accumulating possessions -- that sounds like a nightmare.

You would be just living day to day, functioning no more than a zombie would. You wake up, brush your teeth and shower. Eat breakfast. Go to work. Put up with bullshit. Drive home. Eat. Do something. Sleep. And then it repeats all over again. This is not the formula for living happily.

I will say that if you are stuck working a job that sounds like that, having someone by your side that you feel passionate about can make life so much better -- give you a reason to live, and a sense of meaning in life. True, it might not fulfill this grand purpose of wanting to do something "great" in the world, but maybe our idea of doing something great doesn't have to be at a grand scale: just being that someone that makes another smile can be a great thing in-and-of itself.

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So back to commitment, what is it, and why do we do it? Some people commit for good reasons -- they love someone, or they love something (job, hobby, etc). And others commit for the completely wrong reasons -- feel like they have to, societal pressures, impatience to wait for the right one (whatever the reason) -- you would know in your heart if you didn't commit to something for the right reason.

Commitment is a way that humans, we create a sense of stability in our lives. It’s a way that we focus much of our energy on one (or a few) things over an extended period of time. That is why it is scary, to some. We can feel trapped if we commit to a job or another individual. But, at the same time, it can feel like a new beginning, and provide us with a sense of purpose. Like when you get married, or have a kid -- these things can redefine your outlook on life, and who you are living it for.

When you love someone, or something, making a commitment to it is much easier than if you didn't -- that should be obvious. But some people never find that love, that passion for someone or something. These people often commit, though there are still some that do regardless of not finding that passion. Both instances (of not finding a passion) are very depressing, and I could only imagine that it would make your world look and feel dark and bleak, and practically meaningless. You would be placing value upon valueless things, using energy towards things that deserve no attention, and living a life in a way that is not living.

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Though these concepts and ideas can be open to interpretation, and are very subjective to each perspective, these are simply my own views. I am sure that there will be people who disagree with what I have wrote, and I am fine with that. All I was trying to do is to make people think: "Am I happy? If not, then why?" -- I ask myself this from time to time. This allows me to step away from my life, and maintain a clear perspective on where I am going. It is too easy to get caught up in your daily and forget about your own happiness.

Hope you enjoyed reading this, and maybe took away something helpful.

Peace and love,
-Daryl Simons Jr.