Byline: People told me to follow my heart, but it turns out my passion has a pretty great road map too. Here’s how I found it—and why it still fuels me today.
The First Spark: When Passion Sneaks Up On You
Falling in love with your passion is kind of like a rom-com meet-cute: you don’t always see it coming, but when it hits, it’s undeniable. For me, it started as a quiet hum, somewhere between watching my aunts bead intricate patterns late into the night and listening to my grandmother tell stories steeped in generations of resilience. Back then, I didn’t think of these moments as “passion”—it was just life on the Navajo Nation, a web of stories and traditions so tightly woven into my days they felt like oxygen.
But looking back, I realize that’s where the seed was planted. Storytelling wasn’t just entertainment or memory-keeping; it was survival, connection, and empowerment. It was a community gathering over frybread jokes and songs, oral history lessons dressed up as casual conversations, wisdom slipping in when you least expected it. My passion didn’t come with fireworks or a dramatic declaration. Instead, it was more like accidentally brushing hands with someone you’re crushing on: subtle, but electric enough to make everything feel like it might just fall into place.
The Long, Awkward Courtship
Here’s the thing about passion: it’s not always love at first sight. Sometimes, it’s frustrating and messy, like deciphering texts from someone who uses way too many emojis. I spent my college years chasing what I thought I should love instead of leaning into what I already did. Anthropology seemed like a stable match. Respectable. Smart. A grown-up decision. But every assigned paper felt miles away from the storytelling that had always lit me up inside. I loved learning about other cultures and identities, but I’d find myself sneaking time to write about my own: the intersection of tradition and change, the way Indigenous women balanced strength with grace, the everyday beauty of our fight to exist and thrive.
Of course, this newfound love brought its own set of challenges. Writing wasn’t always kind to me. It could be fickle, cutting, and downright evasive when I needed it most. You know those people who say, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life”? Those folks have never spent hours staring at a blinking cursor while your deadline laughs hysterically in the corner. But even in my most frazzled moments, I’d find myself coming back, just like you do with the person who truly makes you better—even if they’re occasionally terrible at texting back.
Finding My Groove: Where Passion Meets Partnership
They say relationships thrive when you finally stop trying to mold someone into what you want them to be and embrace who they are. Turns out, passion works the same way. For years, I thought writing had to be polished and formal to count. It wasn’t until I took a job bridging communication between tribal councils and government representatives that I realized the best writing often came down to your voice—raw, real, unvarnished. I wasn’t just telling others’ stories. I was also weaving my own into the mix, giving others a glimpse into Indigenous resilience, heartbreak, love, and laughter.
Passion, like love, gets better when you find a rhythm together. These days, my passion and I are something of a power couple. Writing challenges me—pulling me out of my comfort zone, sometimes kicking and screaming—but it also gives me joy in a way that feels boundless and infinite. Much like a healthy partnership, it reminds me who I am while encouraging me to become who I wanted to be all along.
What Falling in Love with Your Passion Taught Me About Relationships
Here’s where life gets interesting: the experience of falling in love with my passion taught me unexpected lessons about falling in love with people, too. Passion and romance are far more intertwined than I ever realized, and the best parts of one often mirror the other:
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You Can’t Fake Real Chemistry
Whether it’s the butterflies you get before a great date or the spark you feel when pouring your heart into something, real passion demands authenticity. Trying to force it just won’t work (trust me, I’ve tried), so stop wasting time swiping right on things—or people—that don’t make you feel alive. -
It Takes Time to Get it Right
Passions, like relationships, need space to evolve. Don’t panic if it feels awkward or inconsistent at first. Whether you’re trying to teach yourself a new skill or figure out if this is the person you might binge-watch Netflix with forever, trust the process. -
Stay Curious, Not Complacent
Passion, much like love, is more than a single high point—it’s a journey. To keep the spark alive, you’ve got to stay curious. Learn, adjust, and recharge often. Sticking to the same routine will only have you looking longingly at other, shinier ideas. (The same logic applies to your anniversary dinner plans. Don’t get lazy!) -
Love Sometimes Means Choosing It Again
Passion doesn’t always feel perfect, especially when life throws you curveballs—or distractions in the form of overdue grocery shopping and streaming platforms. Relationships are the same way: even in seasons of difficulty, choosing to show up again and again is how love stays strong.
Conclusion: Why Passion is the Love Story That Sticks
The best suspense dramas are the ones where you never quite know what’s coming next, but you’re confident it’ll be worth the ride. That’s what my passion feels like—an endless, open-ended love story. It gives me permission not just to exist, but to thrive. It asks questions about who I am and leaves room for me to answer in ways that surprise everyone—myself most of all.
If you’re still searching for your passion, don’t rush the process. Think of it as dating—it’s okay to try on a few relationships with hobbies, skills, or ideas before the right one makes you feel that heart-stopping “this-is-it” moment. And once you find it? Buckle up, because the journey ahead isn’t just about achievement. It’s for the adventure, the growth, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing you followed your heart straight into where you belong.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, my passion just slid into my DMs—another story to write, another spark begging to be chased.
