On This Women’s Day Pledge To Live Off Your Passion

Wishing Happy Women’s Day to all lovely ladies out there! In the light of the given circumstances, it’s a day that deserves the highest importance. For every odd thing that happens, we have to grow tougher, reciprocate appropriately and towards the end of it all still flaunt a happy face. We are strong and they can’t put us down! Stand up for self and your fellow sisters, follow your passion, remain safe and stay happy always. Feel proud to be a woman.

We still stay strong and happy like some of the characters I sketched! 

We women often sacrifice our passion for things that matter to us and what matter to us is governed by the feeling called "love". We have a beautiful heart that knows to love more than hate. But, shouldn't we be concerned about us at times and rather than “them” shouldn't the word “I” also matter to us? Unfortunately, it’s when we put “I” above “them”, the problems spring up and should that be bothering us anymore?

The below is a self-edited excerpt from an article I wrote for the yearly in-house magazine here and I thought the content of it fits just right for the concept I plan to discuss here. So read on.

We all have dreams – to be whatever we want to be or to do whatever we want to do. Even then, if asked “Are you living your dream?” many, including I, would still hesitate to respond with a quick YES. Life is short and it really is, and if we are not living our dreams then we aren't living at all. Dream is the destiny and the path to get there is called PASSION. It is more than just enthusiasm and excitement; passion is what makes the impossible possible. It can never die nor can it fade, give it the time and effort it deserves to achieve whatever you desire.

There was once a time when we were young, high spirited and had the urge to conquer the world. We spent sleepless nights, strained our knuckles writing those hour-length exams and earned high grades to bag those favourite degrees. Then the life ahead and how it would unfold was crystal clear and we worked our way to establish our names in the choices we made. Back then we were free souls, capable of making decisions and choices, not worrying about the consequences. We cared less, but made every effort to live life in our own terms. When everything seemed to be going just fine on a straight road then it was time for that crucial detour – Marriage! There again, most of us took “I Do” vows with men who promised to stand by us in thick and thin, and fortunately, at least a fraction of them still do live by those words. So far so good! Later when we walked deeper into the maze called life, most of us, willingly or unwillingly, made that hard decision to be “at-home companion”, taking care of family and kids. It definitely was a tough decision and only a selfless woman could make it.

However, it is one thing to quit something because you have lost interest, but another thing to quit, but regret it later. If you belong to the latter then there will be those moments of sulking over and regretting missed opportunities, envying, feeling worthless and questioning very own existence. That’s when the picture starts getting nasty, because that’s when the self-confidence gets tainted.

However, circumstances change and conditions get favourable, but we fail to notice this every now and then. What we women often overlook is that phase when our children grow up to be young individuals and our family develops a strong backbone to manage pretty much everything; that is the best time to get back to what you left once for your family. Without doubt life has other priorities, but one should also nurture that passion, the inspiring force within that drives you to accomplish anything that you set your mind to and live life to the fullest.  Because, there is no graver form of self-sabotage than forgetting or not finding time to do what you love to do.

Most of us may have forgotten what that inspiring force was, but it is never too late to discover and revive it. Some call it self-empowerment, others as life’s cause, but whatever it may be, it exudes a feeling of self accomplishment. How a dancer or singer feels after wooing her audience or a sports person feels after playing a crucial game or that moment when an artist looks at her product of creativity – it is beyond words can describe. Now following your passion may or may not assure monetary benefits, but what it does promise is a life with no regrets and only hope and contentment.

Follow your passion and success will follow. If it is just that bit of inspiration you lack, look around and you will be amazed. The great men and women that we know of did fall prey to failure and unfavourable circumstances, but kept their will to pursue their passion going and the result is for us to see.

On this International Women’s Day, let’s keep aside some time for “self” to follow our passion and live our dream, every other day. Well, this is definitely not something we have to take up reluctantly, but willingly!

All the best for your efforts at it!