This particular article is a leaf out of my own life. Had I personally not taken this journey, I would not have been able to endorse the concept of ‘Passion with a Purpose’.
In my case after marriage I had to go to USA with my husband. I did not have a work permit and so could not do any kind of job that I would be paid for. Since I could not work in my chosen field I did not have many options. But burning desire to do something was always there. We were soon blessed with a baby girl and when my daughter was 3 years old, was when I felt that I had to do something to keep myself creatively busy… and alive. Besides, my BE and MBA degree I am a trained dancer in the Indian classical dance forms Bharatnatyam and Odissi.. So, when I came upon a flyer of an academy “SUR Academy” that was looking for dance teachers, I immediately volunteered to teach. I always loved dancing and performing but never wanted to take it up as a profession. Through teaching the art forms to kids and adults, I discovered a whole new dimension to the art. I personally evolved as a dancer and a teacher but the more I taught the more I learnt. Through the years, with a valid work permit I was also able to earn through teaching. I also got opportunities to showcase my creativity by choreographing for various events and perform on prestigious stages. I also grew within the academy and have been part of its growth and benchmark of being an academy and foundation that teaches and imparts Indian traditional Music, Dance, Spiritual knowledge to one an all in USA.
If passion is given a purpose, then motivation is much higher and what we receive in return is much more than we asked for. So, whatever maybe the hobby that you took up or still do as a leisure activity. You can most certainly make it economically viable and also customize your needs accordingly. Whether its painting, gardening, photography, hiking, cooking, stitching, knitting, baking, cycling, travelling, exercise, yoga, religious or spiritual engagements….……whatever it may be. It is your gift and only you have the blueprint of doing it in the best possible way.
Here are some ways in which an alternate career can be crafted out by you….and for you.
- You can start by a little bit of polishing of your hobby. Maybe take a crash course, update, upgrade and bit of research.. This activity will make you ready to be able to start professionally.
For eg: If you love photography, you could take a course on different techniques and shoot in various places capturing its essence. You can teach the same to other enthusiasts.
- You can gain some experience by volunteering/ helping/ assisting to equip yourself and have a feel of that environment.
- There are lot of groups that you could be a part of and associate yourself with. This helps in networking and gaining information.
For eg: If you are very good in painting. You can be part of an artistic club and can volunteer to teach the basics of painting in schools/colleges. Honestly, there are so many types of painting and there is knowledge that is untapped and can be spread. There is Oil painting, Watercolor painting, and Pastel painting. Pastel sticks are normally used to create the pastel paintings, Acrylic painting, Sand painting, Digital painting, Tribal art painting… We hardly can distinguish one from the other and yet each one has a unique style.
- Digital platform provides so many options where one does not have to leave home and yet connect with people and interact. You can conduct workshops/ teach through skype, hold video conferences.
For eg: Blogging, Content writing, photography, Teaching languages (there is a huge demand for foreign languages like German, Spanish, Mandarin, Sanskrit), Subjects to students of schools and colleges, Youtube videos of your cooking skills.
- You can also collaborate with startups and smaller units to display your work and make people aware about it.
For eg: You have a knack for fashion jewelry, hand bags. You could collaborate with local boutiques/ local exhibitions/ festivals/ gatherings to carry your style and creations and market them for you. As people start buying and demand increases, you can slowly inch towards getting your own place and have your own enterprise.
There is no perfect day or time to start and no particular rule to follow. Just follow your heart, make mistakes, learn from them and build up everything on your own steam. Let the world see “you” in whatever you offer.
You may also want to read other articles written by the same author ‘Decoding Stress‘, ‘Communication made easy…‘, , ‘Personal Finance Planning’, ‘Are you financially fit?’, ‘3 M’s… Mantra for Morale‘ , ‘Tips for effective interaction with management’, ‘Adapting to global work culture – locally‘, ‘8 Advantages of Online tutoring as a work from home career‘, ‘6 Tips for health management at workplace‘, ‘Marriage and Finance‘.
About the author:
Padmaja Acharya – From the ancient language of Sanskrit comes my name ‘Padmaja’, derived from Padma (meaning lotus) and Ja (meaning to take birth from). A woman as created by the divine. An Engineer and MBA by virtue of education. A dance choreographer, teacher by virtue of passion. A soft skill trainer and educator by profession. An author and speaker as guided by my calling. This is what encompasses me.
(The author is a guest blogger at Her Second Innings. The opinions expressed are those of the author.)
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