Life is an adventure. And part of that adventure is deciding what your passions are.

I’ve had a lot of passions in life, but I struggled for a long time trying to figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be.

It wasn’t until just a few years ago, when I was in my early forties, that I finally discovered what I wanted to be when I grow up.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done a lot of things leading up to that point.

I may have discovered my passion later in life but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t living a fulfilling life. It’s quite the contrary. I was an accountant, ran a horse farm, was in medical sales, and went back to school to be a teacher. I’ve also climbed Mt Kilimanjaro and I’m the mother of six children, three of which we adopted. My life has definitely been an adventure.

But only recently did I discover that I really love storytelling. I love sharing my stories and using those stories to inspire others. Luckily, being the mother of six kids and being married to my husband for 28 years has given me all kinds of stories to tell.

I also love learning about the stories of others, which is why I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk with Juliet Hahn on her podcast, “Your Next Step.”

Juliet and I clicked right away since we’re both mothers and storytelling is our passion. It was a great conversation and I hope you take the time to listen.

But if you’re running short on time, here’s some of the things we talked about that can help you live a more fulfilling life.

Try Everything!

Life is filled with so many opportunities. Give yourself permission to try it all.

In order to figure out what you’re passionate about, make a choice and try out all the different parts that are associated with that choice.

If you make a decision, it’s okay to change your mind, but first, see your decision through. Try it out and see where it takes you.

As a mom, I make it very clear to my kids that they can try anything. But if they try something, like a new sport, I tell them they have to follow through with it for the entire season. If it’s not for them, then they can make a different choice the next year.

It’s important for us to allow ourselves (and our children) the freedom to try new things and commit to them for a season.

But it’s equally important to give ourselves permission to move on when we’ve seen it through and realize it’s not quite the right fit for us. That’s not quitting.

We don’t quit. We try things on for a season and then move on if it’s not quite the right fit for us.

I have tried on many different things, and there are no regrets. Each time I’ve tried something new, it’s been the exact experience I’ve needed on my journey to lead me to the next best thing.

Own your mistakes!

If you try and fail, that’s a good thing!

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s an important part of life.

Failure is how we grow.

When we choose to see failure as just a bump in the road, we can learn the lesson associated with it and quickly move on to the next adventure.

The more you try and fail, the more you’ll know what’s not for you.

Life is a journey for all of us and mistakes are going to happen. So own them!

When you own your mistakes, they become stepping stones to helping you find your passion in life.

Just Be You!

Everyone adds something unique to the world.

But sometimes we don’t give ourselves credit for the good things we do in our life.

You make a difference in the lives of those around you simply by being you.

If you could take a step back and look at all the little things you do every day, you would see that you have a significant impact on the world around you.

It’s time we start seeing ourselves differently so we can be comfortable in our own skin.

One smile, one kind act of giving, one compliment, they all add up and they all make a difference.

Helping others is a treasure.

Talking to strangers is a gift.

No matter who you are or what you do, the world just needs you to show up as yourself. 

If you try everything, own your mistakes, and show up as yourself, you are sure to find your passion. And once you do, there is no telling the good you can do by simply being you.