You won't believe how my daughter inspired me!

Dear Passion Seeker,

As I saw my 13 year old daughter take a deep breath, give herself words of encouragement and serve another ball into the net, I realized that I needed to take my own "Passion Finder" medicine. 

Tennis has always been a part of my life. My love for it started with my Mum's joy in watching tennis in the 80s, and a console game I was happily obsessed with as a kid. I played at school, and for fun as an adult. Then, life got in the way, and I slowly fell out of the habit of playing.

It was less of a break-up, more of a sad separation that I didn't want to confront. 😢

Yet, returning to tennis has been a whisper inside —"You should really try again." But, as the years passed, I became an Expert Excuse Maker (no one to play with, no time, cloudy day, I'm out of shape… the list was endless!) 

Each time I tried to pick up a racket, I felt stiff, slow, and discouraged.

Then, this summer, watching my daughter's courage and joy at participating without the fear of losing, lit that spark inside of me. 

So, a few weeks ago, I took a breath, said "%^%$ it", and went to Cardio Tennis, a lighthearted class at my local gym. The coach welcomed me in, got my feet moving and before long, I was back, albeit slower and with many missed balls, but BACK! 

And now, I’m reliving the thrill of playing—the sound of the ball on the racket, the thrill of a good shot, and the hilarious embarrassment of a terrible one!

If you're hearing that "whisper", here are three reminders:

It's Never as Bad as You Think! Our minds love to trick us when we lack confidence. We tell ourselves we’ve forgotten it all, that we’ll be terrible, that we'll feel ashamed. But, you’ll be amazed at how much your body and brain remembers, so go in with a neutral mindset—just give it a go, know you'll make mistakes, and try to enjoy the moments! 

Don't Let "Solo" Mean "Stop" Some passions are best practiced alone, however many others need to gain traction. Finding people who welcome and accept you for where you are is vital to you continuing – you'll get encouragement, advice and a shared journey. Even if you're shy, try not to hold back from taking a step to find those who'll ride alongside you. 

It's Gonna Hurt (But It’s Worth It) My right hand is stiff from hitting hundreds of forehands this week, but I'm wearing that soreness like a badge of honour! None of us welcomes pain, BUT, try to relish the evidence of change it gives you, and know that it will lessen the more you try.  

What's stopping you…?

Do you have a "whisper" of a passion you want to rekindle in your work or life? What’s stopping you? And what do you wish you had the courage to do about it?

Laura

Founder, Passion Collective