What’s next? A lesson in staying true to your passions

Today marks the first day of Spring, one of my favorite seasons! The energy of the season is renewal and fresh starts. The weather is starting to warm up and has the potential to ignite the internal fire of motivation and inspiration.

I am a lucky girl. I get to do what I love and call it work.

Through teaching yoga, I constantly receive spiritual and physical rewards. Watching my students grow is so gratifying and fulfilling to me. Designing jewelry lights my fire in a way that I can’t explain.

However, these last few years have been a rebirth for me in redefining my passions. After a 2-year hiatus from teaching yoga, I was hired by Equinox in 2008. The return to teaching wasn’t necessarily on my radar, but the opportunity arose and it felt right. I took it.

Around the time I started teaching again, I made a really difficult and sad decision to wind down my first business: Tracy Matthews Designs, Inc. While I knew it was time to let it go, it was very painful. It left a deep inexplicable void in my life.

When it was all done, I was left with the haunting feeling: “What’s Next?” I knew that jewelry and yoga were both my passions, but how could I redefine them to gel with each other in my life?

I was lost and in transition…

It took awhile for me to figure it out, but I kept my faith in the feeling that I was staying true to myself by keeping my passions as my livelihood.

First was yoga, my saving grace. I finally realized just how important yoga is to me. My creativity is abundant and free flowing when I am teaching and practicing. I know that yoga will always be in my life, spurring me to move forward.

Second was jewelry. I had always known that I was meant to be a designer. I just wasn’t sure how it fit into my life anymore. I started working with private clients. It was completely new territory for me. Previously, my main client base was retail stores. My new business started slowly and unsteadily, but I could feel I was on the right path.

I had to really work hard to keep my mind open, to meditate and to pray. Even in the tough times, I kept the faith and stayed connected to my passions. There is an old saying: When you do what you love, the money will come. I would like to change that to: when you do what you love and believe in what you do, happiness and money will flow abundantly into your life.

The start of this new year ignited a crazy momentum in my businesses. With the start of Spring, tons of new doors have been opening up to me in both the yoga venue and in my life as a jewelry designer. I am so grateful.

Remember: always keep the faith and the passion. Live a life of brilliance and abundance.

How are you staying connected to your passions? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.

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