We all do things that we don’t like doing. There are things that we accept as simple necessities, like cleaning for example (I don’t like cleaning!). But other dislikes can be really disruptive and prevent us from finding and using our passions… not liking a skill that we’ve built our careers around or making a home in an area that we aren’t comfortable with are big deals. If we aren’t honed in on precisely what we don’t like we may mistake our dislike for something else much broader like a career, relationship, organization, etc. Often people start to feel like life is just going through the motions and envisioning being passionate about anything becomes a challenge.
When answering the following questions, be very specific.
· Are there things that I do regularly that I don’t like? List them.
· Are there things about how I live my life that I don’t like? List them.
· Are there things I’m good at but don’t like doing? List them.
· Are there things I feel I have to do to meet someone else’s expectations of me that I don’t like. List them.
· Look at the lists above and consider the following
o When I think about the things in my life that I don’t like doing, why don’t I like them? Consider the following.
§ Is the action the thing I don’t like?
§ Is another person or circumstance the thing I don’t like, but the action is OK?
o How do the things in my life that I don’t like doing affect other areas of my life?
§ What changes have I considered making to stop doing the thing I don’t like?
§ Are the changes I’ve considered making going to affect other things that I like doing?
§ What other alternatives do I have?
o Go back to the passions identified in the last two exercises and consider the following.
§ Are the things that I don’t like doing affecting my ability to find and use my passions in all areas of my life?
§ Are there areas of my life that I didn’t consider in the last two exercises because they involve things I dislike?
§ How can I use my passions to help me change the areas of my life that I dislike?