Warning: This article contains spoilers about the episode of Girls that aired February 9.
Well, guys, Hannah did it: She got a “real writing job” at GQ—although Ray immediately pours salt on the wound that is on Hannah’s insecurity about the position: “There’s no way GQ hires you to be a staff writer, so it’s obviously one of those advertorial sections,” he says. Turns out, he’s right—Neiman Marcus is the sponsor of “A Field Guide to the Urban Man,” a new advertorial section for which the magazine has hired Hannah to write.
Hannah should be thrilled—she’s getting a regular paycheck, and her new office is stocked with free snacks (a perk that real magazine offices don’t offer, in case you were wondering)—and she is, sort of. But she’s also hung up on the fact that she is “a writer, not a corporate-advertising-working-for-the-man writer” (a proclamation that Hannah delivers right after one of her new co-workers tells her she’s been doing a “dope job”). Of course, all of the people on GQ’s advertorial team started out with literary aspirations—but you have to pay the bills somehow.
Convinced that she can’t write her own personally fulfilling work and work at GQ at the same time, Hannah goes as far as to tell her boss (played by the fabulous Jenna Lyons) that she’s quitting…minutes before taking it back and asking to keep her job.
If you’re lucky enough to have discovered your passion, then you can probably relate. In an ideal world, your work would entail doing what you love. But in reality, most people aren’t lucky enough to land a job doing exactly what they’re most enthusiastic about. So we talked to Barrie Davenport, a certified life coach who specializes in helping people find and live out their passions, for tips on how you can make more time for yours:
Make What Excites You a Habit
In the show, Hannah tries to do this by deciding that she’ll write for three hours every night after work, without fail…and then promptly passes out on the couch. The idea of doing something you’re passionate about on a daily basis is a good one, but Hannah’s approach was a little off. Instead, Davenport suggests committing first to just five minutes a day—which is much more doable. Another key part of making your passion a habit is to attach it to a trigger that’s already part of your daily routine—say, brushing your teeth at night or making your coffee in the morning. “That trigger mentally reminds you that it’s time to do that new thing,” says Davenport. Then, eventually, you can work up to longer and longer periods of time.
Lay Off the Netflix
Ever notice how you have no time to work on plans for the startup you’re dying to get off the ground—but you somehow have two hours to devote to watching old episodes of New Girl? Cut back on the amount of time you spend scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed, checking Twitter, watching TV, and otherwise goofing off—and you’ll be surprised how many hours you have to spend on your passion project.
Reclaim Your Downtime
If you usually just space out during your bus ride to work, use those minutes toward your favorite hobby instead—and the same goes for your lunch hour, your afternoon coffee break, or any other moments you’ve been wiling away. Even if you can’t fully pursue your passion during that time (if it’s painting, for example), you can still take steps to work toward it. Davenport recommends using these spare minutes to make an organized to-do list of the steps you need to take later: If you’re interested in volunteering with animals, for example, write down which shelters you want to contact, then look up their phone numbers and make a master list. “Every action you take moves you closer and closer to your passion,” says Davenport.
Connect with Others Who Share Your Interest
If you can find a mentor who’s already accomplished some of the same things you want to accomplish, that’s great. But reaching out to people with goals that are similar to yours—even if they haven’t made a ton of progress yet—is equally important. “It’s just like being on the treadmill next to someone at the gym,” says Davenport. “You see they speed up a little, so you speed up a little. Or they try something different, so you try something different. There’s that push and pull that allows you to inspire and push each other.”
When Life Gets Hectic, It’s OK to Just Keep Your Passion Front of Mind
There are going to be periods in your life when you simply don’t have any spare time to devote to what you consider your true calling (like when you’re moving, dealing with the death of a loved one, or acclimating to a new job that feels overwhelming). That’s OK, says Davenport. One way to make sure these frenzied stretches don’t derail your passion altogether is to create inspiration boards (or Pinterest boards) that give you a visual reminder of your goal to look at every day. Or you could even just repeat a mantra like “I’m a great writer” or “I can be the CEO of a corporation” to yourself. It may sound cheesy, but it works: “The more you say something to yourself, the more you begin to believe it,” says Davenport. “It makes it easier to take the actions necessary to make it real.”
More From Women’s Health:
Love Your Job: Meaning is the New Money
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5 Vital Life Lessons From Last Night’s Episode of Girls
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