In the pursuit of a passion it’s inevitable that you might have some time where you hate what you love.

There are times in both fencing and dancing that I have truly struggled to stay in a place of enjoyment. Meaning I have struggled and failed. I have had days and weeks of being truly dissatisfied and even a period of nearly a year with swordplay where I felt disconnected from something that has been a life long passion for me.

But that’s the thing with life-long pursuits. You have to let go of the expectation that your emotional state with them will somehow stay in a blissful state of wonderfulness at all times. Like any relationship it has ebbs and flows and we have to allow a deeper, wiser part of ourselves to drive when we hit those inevitable down times.

Don’t make decisions about your passions when you feel low. Trust that the part of you that set you on this path knew what it was doing. Maybe there is something you have to discover in this state, maybe this is what the learning you need feels like, perhaps this too shall pass.

As with all things I recommend connecting with someone you trust and getting their help. Not someone who will try to solve the problem for you or make you feel better but someone who is willing to listen and explore your feelings with you. Through exploration you may find the energy you need to follow this rhythm to the bottom and ride it back up.