The Passion Audit: What Truly Lights You Up?
So far, you’ve started rewriting your narrative, identified hidden strengths, and dusted off your life résumé. But now it’s time to get personal: What truly lights you up?
We’ve spent so much of life doing what we “should.” Being who we needed to be for others. Showing up where we were expected.
But this chapter is all about showing up for you. And that begins by listening to the quiet but powerful voice of passion.
What Passion Really Looks Like
Let’s demystify passion. It’s not always fireworks and instant clarity.
Passion is:
• What energizes you, even if it’s hard
• What you lose time doing
• What you keep coming back to
• What you’d do even if no one was watching
• What sparks aliveness, curiosity, and purpose
Your passion isn’t always a job. Sometimes it’s a practice, a cause, a community, a craft. But it can guide your next step.
Why We Stop Following Our Passion
Somewhere along the way, many of us put our passion on pause.
We tell ourselves:
“It’s not practical.”
“I’m too busy.”
“I’m too old.”
“It’s too late.”
But here’s the truth:
If you’re breathing, dreaming, or even longing, it’s not too late.
Your passion doesn’t need to become a profession, but it deserves to be part of your life again.
Finding the Clues
Often, the clues to what lights us up are already around us:
• What books or topics are you drawn to?
• What do you lose time doing?
• Who do you envy (in a healthy way), and why?
• What did you love doing before the world told you to “be realistic”?
• What sparks a sense of flow when you do it?
Start noticing. Passion leaves a trail.
Follow the Energy, Not Just the Logic
Your next step doesn’t have to make perfect sense.
It just has to feel true.
Follow the energy. The spark. The pull. The thing you secretly wish you had more of in your life.
That’s where your reinvention begins.
Next Week: The Confidence Gap. How to Act Even When You’re Unsure
You’ve got the fire. Next week, we’ll tackle the fear and how to move forward even when your confidence isn’t 100% there yet.
Week 4 Reflection Worksheet
The Passion Audit: What Truly Lights You Up?
Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________
1. Spark Clues
Answer honestly and intuitively:
• What do you love learning about?
• What activity makes you feel most like yourself?
• What have others told you you’re good at especially things you enjoy?
2. Flow State Finder
Think of a time when you lost track of time in a good way. What were you doing?
What does that say about your interests and strengths?
3. The “Jealousy Compass”
Is there someone you admire or envy? What are they doing that excites something in you?
What part of that is calling to you?
4. Passion in the Past
What did you love doing as a child or young adult before responsibilities took over?
How can you reconnect with that now?
5. Gentle Action
What small step can you take this week to explore or reconnect with something that lights you up?
Affirmation: “My passion still matters. It’s never too late to honor what lights me up.”