I need help finding my passion (maybe yours as well)

Now that I am feeling better, I want to pursue something. I want to find my passion and make it happen. I have dabbled in so many things over the years during short bursts of hypo/mania that I never got good at anything.

Help me find my passion...

Something creative? That's what I do. Whether it's writing, painting, sculpting, acting, or working on digital things in Adobe's creative suite.

A while back, didn't you want to do glass blowing? Is that still of interest or a possibility? Or is it one of your dabblings that you don't want to go back to?

Perhaps looking for your passion is too broad a statement. Maybe looking for something that just interests you and trying it out would be the best place to start. I know my passion is my writing first and foremost. However, my well is currently dried up, so I distract myself by playing video games during the productive hours of the day. Finding your passion may not lead to immediate action. It all depends on your anxiety level. I have huge creative anxiety these days, so I shy away from my passion.

Not trying to discourage you. Not trying to be a lead balloon. Your passion may lead to accomplishing a lot, especially if you're hypomanic. I'm stabilized, so it's hard for me to care about what I used to when I was depressed or manic. I think my mood swings made for better creativity. I envy those who are still able to go to extremes even though I know there are terrible side effects from these episodes.

One exercise you can do to help find your passion is to write on a piece of paper all the things that you're interested in and do free association. Say you write down knitting...then that reminds you of your grandmother (write it down)...then that reminds you of her cooking (write that down) then that reminds you that when you were younger you wanted to be a chef (write that down). You can draw lines and circle things to connect your ideas together. This is a practice we used in acting class for creating a new character, but it applies to anything. Your subconscious will start giving you the questions and the answers you were searching for. Hope this helps.

I haven't been able to find an affordable glass blowing class. I am going to sign up for another watercolors class which starts next month.

I do like to write and I think I am good at it. I haven't had the disclipline to see a project through, although I have a years worth of journal entries that I could do something with.

I want to find that thing that when people think of, they think of me...

BNLsMOM - if you like writing, there is a great forum where you can share, learn, and get input from people. absolutewrite.com..you might consider taking a writing workshop, too. It combines lessons with peer reviews.
I like thinkers ideas, too. I haven't had much motivation for my writing lately, so I'm concentrating on knitting and crocheting. My daughter convinced me to start my own e-store and now I sell my stuff.

Wow, can I ever relate to this, BNLsMOM. Dabble indeed. Often accompanied by some delusional idea of how to do it for real, like all the time and how everyone would want some, because of the sheer fabulousity. (And if you saw some of them, you'd laugh so hard...) Then the switch would flip and I'd want nothing to do with it and wait for the next big thing to hit. (Always did, and who knew what on earth it would be(!)) I did find one thing and really ran with it. But as the situation currently is, I lack access to one really critical tool, greatly limiting what can be done with it. I'm working on seeing it as an opportunity to get even more creative with it. Working on.) I have found one other form of art that is totally accessible with nearly nothing-- making a creative outlet that is always available. Yea.

All this is not to be a drag (really, though reading the above may well lead to that conclusion!). Thing is, think about it. You are a jack-of-all-trades. You may probably have thought of this and considered it a negative thing. BUT. Consider how some of those things might be able to be put together, creating a thing that is not already out there, so to speak. This is the very essence of what original truly is. What will set you apart and, as you say, when people think of it, they will think of you!!!
And, this ability to bring together divergent ideas is something that BPs have ability in in much higher occurance than the general populace. (Wish I could think of what this kind of thinking process is called -- remember reading about it, but no idea where!)

It may well take some backburner time, or setting some different things together, so that possibilities become a visual revelation, but you may well be very surprised what you come up with! Good luck!

I was going to . Stability and passion don't happen for me at the same time. But I was always artistic through out all my life. Photography is of a special interest to me. Maybe I should play around with the features on my camera. I carry it with me all the time.
I never post my own pictures by the way.
It is a good topic.

The best compliment that I ever received is, "Not only are you interesting, you are interested." This simple, off-handed comment has driven me to pursue anything that captures my interest whether that be marvelling at a small, shiny object, welding, researching criminal case law regarding adherence the Constitution, quilting, perfecting the PERFECT chocolate cheesecake, changing the oil in my car, SCUBA, skydiving and having slumber parties with my teenager and lots of gross horror movies.
My passion is just that... passion. Whatever catches my eye, I want to fully experience and live to the fullest while using restraint and maintaining balance in my life.
Once I took the pressure off myself at having to pigeon hole myself to one talent or one signature that defines me, I found so many more doors open, so many more possibilities than I have ever considered. My epitath will read "She lived life."
Hugs, Colleen

I remembered last night that I wanted to get an MFA in creative writing. I am going to look into that and see if there are any programs I can get online. I know there are a few programs near me, but with the kids, online would work out so much better for me.

Cool. I loved taking creative writing classes at my college too. I wrote some of my best short stories there. Something about my work being read and reviewed in class made me step up and achieve at a higher standard. I wish I still had that discipline. There probably are online classes to get an MFA in writing. After all, you can type and email all of the exercises...no ppt presentations or overheads necessary. And they probably do online chat sessions to discuss how the piece worked or didn't work for each student. Maybe I'll do that too after I graduate.