Recently, I published a blog post about how I’ve developed a new passion for photography.

Discovering a passion for photography just seemed like a natural step to me. It just kind of fit. When I already had a keen interest in videography (insert shameless YouTube plug here) and digital media, photography just clicked into place like the missing piece of the puzzle. And it definitely lends itself to the work that I do for this crazy ‘Not So Secret Life Of Us (NSSLOU)’ project that Renee and I started.

So it’s not hard to imagine that the talk around our household over the past few weeks, has focused heavily on photography and pursuing our collective passions further.

Coincidentally (or bizarrely enough if you will), while Renee was catching up with my brother’s wife (Anita) over lunch the other week, they started talking about pursuing your passion/s. But the twist to the conversation was, pursuing your passion/s whilst working a relatively normal day job.

While they talked, Anita made mention of an article that she had recently stumbled across that gives the reader a slap in the face about finding and pursuing your passion in life. In the article titled ‘Screw Finding Your Passion’, the following questions really caught not only Anita’s attention, but also mine.

“Since when does everyone feel entitled to love every f***ing second of their job? Really, what is so wrong with working an OK normal job with some cool people you like, and then pursuing your passion in your free time on the side? Has the world tuned upside-down or is this not suddenly a novel idea to people?”

Wow… Just… Wow…

This could quite possibly be the most philosophical and relevant thing I’ve read for years. It was like he was writing this specifically for me. A feeling that I know Anita shared.

All this time, without even knowing it, I was doing exactly what he was talking about in his article. I have been pursuing my passions in photography and digital media in my free time alongside my job.

What I had failed to recognise, is that I am incredibly lucky to have been able to do this. I am fortunate to have a good, steady job, regardless of the fact that it isn’t directly related to my passions in life. I am fortunate enough to have found what my passions are. And I am even more fortunate to be able to pursue these passions in my spare time.

What I was guilty of however, is falling into the trap that most people fall into. The trap of thinking that I needed to be making money doing what I love, to be seen as truly following my passions.

Quite simply, this is not the case.

Like many of you out there who are working on your own projects in your area of interest, when Renee and I started our NSSLOU project, we had a clear vision as to what we would like it to become in the future.

But, because the future was increasingly becoming all I thought about… Because I was constantly thinking about how we could turn this into something that we were getting paid for… I lost sight of why we started NSSLOU in the first place.

The NSSLOU was always, and still is, an avenue for me to “work” in the areas I’m passionate about and share it with the world.

It was a way to document our lives for our future generations to look back on (slide night anyone) to see what life was like when we started and raised a family.

It was a way to share our stories and experiences with everyday people in the hope that maybe someday, someone out there read one of our posts and realised that hey, they weren’t the only ones who went through this or that. And they certainly aren’t alone in this crazy journey we call parenthood and life.

So after coming to these realisations, I have come to understand that I need to stop thinking about turning the NSSLOU into a paying job. And what I need to do, is get that enjoyment and fulfilment back that I had when we first started this crazy ride that is the NSSLOU. I need to get back to really enjoying my passions without the stress of worrying about the fact that it’s not paying us money.

So what does getting back to enjoying my passions mean to me?

Well, it means that I want to get out and take all those amazing photographs on our new camera that I’ve often thought about… I want to film and edit those amazing video ideas I’ve had but have never started work on… I want to get back to being proud of my writing and blogging right here on NSSLOU.

I have even gone as far as thinking about going back to do some study in the fields I am passionate about. So much so that I have found some courses that I am interested in that are available through SAE Creative Media Institute and The Academy of Design.

But I wouldn’t be going back to study for my career (although if an opportunity presented itself I am sure I would consider it). I would be going back to study purely for fun. Purely because I love photography and videography and digital media, so why not go back to study it to better my skills.

You often hear people say, ‘there’s no time like the present’ or, ‘there’s no better day to start than today’. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

So, today marks the day that I get back to really enjoying our NSSLOU project. Today marks the day that I get back to really enjoying my passions.

Don’t get me wrong though… The vision we have for the future of this crazy NSSLOU journey we are on is still there. And there is nothing to say that this vision won’t come true.

But for the moment, I have come to realise that first and foremost, I can enjoy working on our NSSLOU project and my passions purely for fun.

Whatever comes in the future, comes. I will be ready for it.