Passion Is an Inside Job |
Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a joyous, romantic occasion, but often it can bring awareness to what’s missing, a sense of disconnection, or deep fatigue.
I’ve observed this gradual wearing down, even when it comes to the couples I advise, people in relationships that seem to thrive. Often, these couples are confused as to not only where the passion went but also what could have sent it packing. Looking for their partner to ignite their passion, they blame the other for the state of things.
I once had a client called Nancy. Nancy came to see me in a state that many people recognize all too well. A mother and entrepreneur, she had built a company around improving education for students, teachers, and parents. But after months of financial pressure, layoffs, and slow growth, she was exhausted and emotionally depleted.
“I’m holding everything together,” she said. “But I feel empty. Like the fire is gone.”
Nancy had white-knuckled her way through life for so long that her passion for what she loved had been snuffed out, like a candle in a room with no oxygen. What Nancy needed more than a simple break was to rediscover her passion and to finally cease abandoning herself for some future reward that won’t ever arrive or be enough.
First, I invited Nancy to place her hands on her heart and offer herself a moment of compassion. As she did, her body began to soften. Her breath slowed.
“There’s this tight knot in my........