Follow Your Passion

 

Passion is such an evocative word and can be used in so many contexts. At an event which The Centre for Emotional Health held last year to launch our collaborative report with DEMOS, my amazing team were ensuring that I ‘worked the room’ and spoke to all the people that a CEO ought to speak with – they are particularly good at this kind of hospitality and connection. I met one of our patrons for the first time and she asked me what I meant when I talked about emotional health.

As anyone who has been fortunate, or unfortunate enough to ask me a similar question will know, it is a subject I can speak at some length on! With my customary enthusiasm I launched into the definitions we use and why it is important. After some time, she looked at me and with a smile said “Well you are clearly very passionate about it!”

And I am. I’m passionate about something which has had such a profound and positive impact on my life but also because of the impact I see it having on the many people who benefit from attending one of our training programmes. Emotional health is such a foundational element to life and like so many other similar things it is often overlooked. I know my mental health is stronger because my emotional health is good. I know that my relationships with my family, friends and work colleagues is better because my emotional health is good. I know that my productivity at work is better when my emotional health is good.

It is not of course a static thing and ebbs and flows with the tides of life, but, and it is a big but, I can ride these tides because of my emotional health. There is a wonderful positive reinforcement cycle which means there is always a way forward, always something I can use to help when it is tough.

I think I would describe myself as a passionate man in all sorts of ways and I am definitely passionate about those things I believe in and which I believe benefit others as well. I am fortunate to work in an organisation which allows me to both pursue and express this passion. An organisation which supports me as I continue to work on my emotional health (it is a lifetimes work…) and allows me to support others as well.

I write this on a Monday morning. Not only that but a stressful Monday for a variety of reasons and so this is to remind myself why I do what I do and what is important to me and to share with you the importance of passion in who you are and what you do. So, this week, let’s be our fully passionate selves. Have a good one.



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