This is a rare time when I must disagree with Karen. I think the whole passion thing is a trap. To begin with, our passions are generally stories we tell ourselves about being happy and having some fame and prestige (and likely money). In my generation of therapist we'd call them fantasies. A second point is that following them extremely rarely leads to happiness. It leads nowhere for almost everyone. Lastly, the whole notion puts life into a context of someone sitting around with nothing better to do than decide on their best career. Paying the bills, fulfilling obligations, just plain coping with life's hardships does not seem to come up. But there is always a life context in which we are thinking about our future.

I would like to jettison the whole passion thing and instead talk about interest, curiosity, and personal exploration. These should, ideally, be part of people's lives (but even these are not relevant to the poor, the sick, etc... A lot more people than you'd think). Find time for these. Explore each one and find ways to include them into your life and you will be a happier and fuller person. And please do not forget the people who do not have the luxury of even this. I am not only talking about the homeless folks at the bus stop trying to escape the cold. These people are all around you with their health problems, financial issues, family tensions and other battles galore. Keep a tender heart while you discover yourself.