High school is a unique part of life.

I don’t know many people, if any, who loved high school. People who felt excited to wake up everyday and go to school. Most students live everyday wanting and waiting for it to be over. But isn’t this a sad way to spend your final few years of childhood?

It can also seem like the weight of the world is on you during this time and school can quickly become the most important thing, whether we like it or not.

When we were created, however, God implanted in each of us individual and unique interests and skills. 

That is why discovering and finding your passions is so important. It gives you a sense of purpose outside of school and outside of your grades. You don’t have to be defined by the scores you get or the classes you take.

When the Lord created you, he didn't want you to be miserable. He designed you to live a life of joy and true awakening, not tainted or stained by sin.

However, he does give us trials, in order for us to grow closer to him and in order to more fully experience his joy and glory.

Living for Christ means not being overcome by these trials and challenges and instead embracing them and all the Lord designed for them to teach us. 

Living for Christ means finding joy in the challenges.

Simple joy that is rooted in Christ. In the everyday things. Living by the quote “Stop and smell the roses”.

An easy way to do this is to find your hobbies and passions.

Not just things that everyone else is doing but literally things that you enjoy, things that God created you to love.

Open your mind to learning

Due to the nature of school, learning isn’t something that most teenagers love the idea of. In most of our minds it is irrelevant and boring. But learning is the only way that we can discover new things and it doesn't have to be distant and dull.

In order to determine new ideas, concepts and hobbies we have to rearrange our mentality toward learning.

Think back on anything that you used to or still do love. How did you get started with it? How have you continued to develop skills in that field? Maybe your experience of learning that particular thing didn’t look like sitting in a classroom with 25 other kids, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t learning.

I’ve self-taught myself gymnastics and crocheting for years (among other things). I learned through watching others (online and in person), failing (cliche, I know), and just giving it a crack.

Despite never learning these things in a classroom, I was still LEARNING and it was a lot more fun than school. When we are learning about something that we love, in a way that we love, we don’t even realise what we are doing more than just enjoying it!

The first step to discover your passions is to reframe your ideas of learning and to become a person who never stops discovering and rediscovering.

Write down everything you love

No matter how small, write down anything that has ever sparked your fire or ignited enthusiasm within you. This doesn’t have to be certain activities but also places, times of day, images, feelings, people, weather, months, experiences, animals, books, TV shows, smells, foods - everything and anything!

Get to know what excites you!

This task may seem silly or strange at the beginning but I find that it gives me a boost of inspiration and exhilaration. It makes me feel excited for what life can bring, to witness more of the glory of God.

Then, give yourself more of these kinds of experiences! Do you love crisp autumn mornings? The next time you get one, make the most of it - go for a walk or sit outside watching the sunrise! Or is it a certain kind of music - blast it in your headphones and don’t be afraid to dance!

Don’t take life so seriously, it’s your story, your passport to heaven. Maybe it’ll be stamped by many trials and hardships (most that you don’t get to choose), but hopefully many good times too.

“Try to laugh a lot because life is funny and everybody today is too serious. The only tragedy in the world, my friend, is sin.”

– Mother Angelica

Ask someone else

Not sure what things you are interested in? That’s all good! 

Asking close family and friends can be a great way to discover things that you never realised about yourself before. Things that your parents know you loved as a child but you may have forgotten or unique interests that your friends love about you.

Sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves, that we don’t realise all of our best traits. After all, we are our own worst critics.

Try something new

I know you hear this from everyone but that is because it works!!! 

Trying something, even if it fails, really is the only way to test if you enjoy it.

Here are some new things you could try to discover some unique passions:

• New sport (this one is kind of obvious): skateboarding, surfing, rock climbing, gymnastics, hand balancing, aerial sports, trampoline, sailing
• Different workout: Tabata, running, swimming, cycling, pilates, stretching, dance workouts.
• Crafts/DIYs: silversmithing, gardening, furniture makeovers, macrame, clay jewellery, sewing, embroidery, candle making, basket weaving, pottery
• Something techy: building websites, app development, coding, making games, design
• Skills: acting, photography, singing, interior design, organisation

Build a Vision Board

Get on Pinterest.

Make a board, and get pinning!

Search some of the ideas listen above ⬆ or some things you already love and save the photos that make you feel excited about life!

Once you have a reasonably sized board (or even before that) start putting it together - digitally or on paper.

I have a whiteboard project on Canva that allows me to continually and constantly add to it whenever I need a boost of inspiration. I also create yearly vision boards (that sometimes get updated throughout the year when I get sick of them 😆). Finally, I regularly make new collages for my digital wallpapers that I absolutely love!

Finding the passions God has given each of us is a defining moment. It is empowering and important to discover what makes you feel alive and inspired. 

You’ve probably been told before that we are each unique and different and that is true, no matter how cringy it can sometimes sound. 

The Lord didn’t create clones, he created people. Act like it.

The things he loves about each of us are special and distinct to just us.

Sometimes it can take years for our self-discovery to uncover what we love and perhaps that is the timeline the Lord designed for you, so don’t worry if you still are unsure about what fuels your fire.

In the end, most of our passions are sparked by situations and experiences.

In the end, we have to give ourselves permission to experience things with an open mind and heart.

In the end, the Lord knows what even we don’t know about ourselves, and we must trust Him in that.