For the first time , I was adamant that I did not want to push myself to engage in things that were meaningless to me personally . Even more so , I did not care how people viewed my decision to not like the same things they did .
I pivoted by staying true to who I was while maintaining my prior relationships by respecting the interests of others as well . Not only did I feel better , but also others were more comfortable around me and respected my differences . I found that yin and yang existed in both the cultures of Western and Chinese societies and I felt grateful to be apart of both of them .
There is an old saying in Chinese , which translates to “ Listen to the advice of elders or you will find yourself in a position of detriment .” When we are young , we are forced to listen to what teachers and parents tell us , and even if we are told that what they say is meant to be good to us , we often fail to understand the significance of their words .
Though when I felt most lost without a direction , the brightest light bulb ignited my mind and I gravitated closer and closer to my childhood enemy : books .
I remember the first book that really got me into reading was actually a non-fiction book called Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell . It delved into success stories while dissecting the ingredients to those people ’ s accomplishments and how they overcame hardships . The greatest part about that book is that it is not a self-help book painted in black and white . It shows that our future is destined by the combination of unlikely circumstances , the work we put into mastering our talent and the people we meet who can spark that one interest or idea . It might have been perfect timing , but that book was the encouragement I needed and one of the most powerful ways something could make an impact on me .
I always prided myself in being a staunch realist and naturally began reading in the non-fiction category . Through this , I discovered my interests into humanities , law and business and felt obligated to join forums like debate to voice my thoughts . I always believed that I was “ passionless ” until my enthusiasm for areas that I readily overlooked before began emerging almost overwhelmingly . I loved it .
When I became increasingly intrigued in the study of people , fiction became my new best friend . If I ever felt empty , I would simply think about all the classics and books that I had never read and become excited and productive again . I felt strengthened by knowledge and the depth that it could bring out . The expression of words never appeared so beautiful .
Sometimes , passion is not something that finds you , but once you find it you will be inseparable from its attraction . Searching for the missing fragments of our identity can take us on long and unexpected journey . The obstacles we face are critical in strengthening our endurance in the real world , but as long as we can step over them gracefully , learn to reflect on our experiences rather than be destroyed by them , passion can and will be discovered most vividly .