Many people unknowingly build their lives around fixing past hurts, resulting in burnout. Instead, identifying and embracing one’s passion is essential to moving forward and achieving a productive, joyful life.

We, humans, often spend our lives “creating” new outcomes to past traumatic events. We feel a need to repair what went wrong and end up building a life around fixing what hurts us through careers, hobbies, and lifestyle choices. However, this approach often leads to exhaustion and dissatisfaction.

Consider a person drawn to a career in finance because financial resources were scarce during their formative years. They excel academically and believe finance is their calling. Yet, they are actually at war with this field, armed with a goal to defeat it. Tragically, the profession may defeat them as it did their family in the past, leading to burnout and confusion.

The underlying issue is that their job was never their passion. They had no love for finance; it was a trauma-based pursuit. Trauma requires our attention so that we can free ourselves from the pain. In other words, “shit happens; don’t immortalize it.” Unfortunately, many people continue to engage in “trauma projects” or “drama games,” setting up situations that resemble early struggles and trying to solve them.

Once we recognize and accept our trauma, we can stop playing these drama games. This realization frees us and those around us, allowing for more substantial relationships and authentic living.

When we hit rock bottom, it is an opportunity to rebuild our lives with passion instead of pain. This transformation begins with recognition, followed by identification, resolution, and acceptance of past trauma.
Moving through these stages frees us to pursue our true passions and live a fulfilling life.

By focusing on our passions rather than trying to fix past hurts, we can create lives filled with joy and purpose. Embracing what we love allows us to move forward, unburdened by the weight of trauma, and achieve true fulfillment.

My article is inspired by the romance novel “The Goodbye Bride” by Denise Hunter I highly recommend this book about love, loss, and forgiveness.

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. If you believe you may have unaddressed mental health issues please seek professional help. In fact, I also recommend the eBook “Managing Depression Successfully: A Therapist’s Guide to Strategies for Recovery” from Cinthia Taylor, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)