Find a TherapistReady to get started?Ready toget started?Add your email to continueEmailGet startedBy submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.
Ready to get started?Ready toget started?Add your email to continueEmailGet startedBy submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.
Ready to get started?
Ready toget started?
Add your email to continue
Get started
By submitting your email, you agree to receive reminders and marketing communications.
Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryWhy Pursuing Your Passions Can Increase Anxiety
Table of Contents:OverviewTime LimitationsInternal PressureStrong Self-IdentityA Recipe for Burnout
Anxiety DisorderRead Time: 5 Minutes
Published On: October 26, 2018
Reviewed On: October 26, 2018
Updated On: July 2, 2024
OverviewWe all know truly passionate people in our lives. They’re the ones who fully embrace their calling, vocation, or dream and pursue it daily with a mixture of enthusiasm and discipline. There’s the all-star athlete who balances a rigorous training, practice, and game schedule. Or the food blogger who carves out time late after the kids have gone to bed to dive into recipe preparation, writing, and photo editing. And there’s the activist who’s passionate about helping others and logs long hours at a homeless shelter after a full day at the office.When we’re passionate about an activity, cause, or talent, we’ll do whatever it takes to devote ourselves fully to it, which is exactly why the admirable work of pursuing our passions can slowly ramp up symptoms of anxiety.
Overview
We all know truly passionate people in our lives. They’re the ones who fully embrace their calling, vocation, or dream and pursue it daily with a mixture of enthusiasm and discipline. There’s the all-star athlete who balances a rigorous training, practice, and game schedule. Or the food blogger who carves out time late after the kids have gone to bed to dive into recipe preparation, writing, and photo editing. And there’s the activist who’s passionate about helping others and logs long hours at a homeless shelter after a full day at the office.
When we’re passionate about an activity, cause, or talent, we’ll do whatever it takes to devote ourselves fully to it, which is exactly why the admirable work of pursuing our passions can slowly ramp up symptoms of anxiety.
Time LimitationsWe only have 24 hours in each day to pack in a host of demands related to work, relationships, and home life. Thepace of lifeis increasing, but the reality is, there’s only so much time to fit it all in. When going after your passions, you have to weave in extra commitments amid other priorities, but that means something else must drop off. If it doesn’t, life quickly becomes out of balance, increasing feelings of stress and ultimately,anxiety.In Randi Zuckerberg’s book,Pick Three, she advocates for choosing three focus areas for a single day from this list of five: work, sleep, family, friends, and fitness. There are many othertime management theories, so do your research and choose one that lets you pursue your passions without chipping away at your mental health.
Time Limitations
We only have 24 hours in each day to pack in a host of demands related to work, relationships, and home life. Thepace of lifeis increasing, but the reality is, there’s only so much time to fit it all in. When going after your passions, you have to weave in extra commitments amid other priorities, but that means something else must drop off. If it doesn’t, life quickly becomes out of balance, increasing feelings of stress and ultimately,anxiety.
In Randi Zuckerberg’s book,Pick Three, she advocates for choosing three focus areas for a single day from this list of five: work, sleep, family, friends, and fitness. There are many othertime management theories, so do your research and choose one that lets you pursue your passions without chipping away at your mental health.
Online therapy for anxiety
Internal Pressure
When taking risks and striving toward our goals, it’s tempting to feel the weight of other’s opinions and expectations. But sometimes, our harshest critic — and biggest enemy — is ourselves. We’re not bornfeeling inadequate, but many worry that they’re just not good enough. When we place high expectations on ourselves, we can start a“spin cycle of anxiety”that starts with feeling inadequate, that things are out of control, and that you can’t handle them. You may also experience stomach aches, chest tightness, shortness of breath, nausea, or panic.
Strong Self-IdentityStrongly identifying with your passion and internalizing this as who you are — like a writer, marathon runner, or Fortune 500 executive — creates even more pressure as you work to live up to that standard. Virginia-based Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S, notes that while most people envision rising to the top of the field they’re passionate about, only a select few can successfully manage the anxiety that comes along with it.“The more challenges andnegative thoughtswe experience, the more difficult it can be to get to the top without feeling anxious,” Catchings said. “Fear of failure, not wanting to leave our comfort zone, or being a perfectionist can create this anxiety.”Seeing yourself holistically, beyond your token passion, can help create other opportunities for fulfillment. Beyond a marathon runner, you may also be a wellness coach, son or daughter, or another role that you excel at.
Strong Self-Identity
Strongly identifying with your passion and internalizing this as who you are — like a writer, marathon runner, or Fortune 500 executive — creates even more pressure as you work to live up to that standard. Virginia-based Talkspace therapist Cynthia Catchings, LCSW-S, notes that while most people envision rising to the top of the field they’re passionate about, only a select few can successfully manage the anxiety that comes along with it.
“The more challenges andnegative thoughtswe experience, the more difficult it can be to get to the top without feeling anxious,” Catchings said. “Fear of failure, not wanting to leave our comfort zone, or being a perfectionist can create this anxiety.”
Seeing yourself holistically, beyond your token passion, can help create other opportunities for fulfillment. Beyond a marathon runner, you may also be a wellness coach, son or daughter, or another role that you excel at.
A Recipe for Burnout
On the path to our passions, where we continuously push ourselves physically and emotionally, there’s an increased risk of burnout and stress. The brain, just like a muscle, canlose its strengthfrom extreme exhaustion and overwork, which paves the way for a host of mental health challenges, including anxiety. Health professionals are beginning to recognize the impact of chronic stress, with some evencomparing burnout to diseaseslike diabetes.
Catchings recommends creating a detailed plan of action to effectively handle the emotions that arise with our passions and the associated feelings of stress and anxiety.
Pursuing your passions doesn’t have to come with a barrage of anxiety or stress. Create checks and balances to effectively manage your schedule and more importantly, your mental health, to keep you on track for living out your dreams.
Jessica WeinbergerAs a marketing professional and award-winning freelance writer in Minneapolis, Jessica crafts feature stories and blog posts for a variety of online and print publications. She enjoys a strong cup of coffee, the challenge of a blank Word document, and cheering on the Minnesota Twins with her husband, George, and their son, Owen.
As a marketing professional and award-winning freelance writer in Minneapolis, Jessica crafts feature stories and blog posts for a variety of online and print publications. She enjoys a strong cup of coffee, the challenge of a blank Word document, and cheering on the Minnesota Twins with her husband, George, and their son, Owen.
Share
Effective and affordable mental health treatmentGet Started
Effective and affordable mental health treatment
Related Articles About Anxiety DisorderView all articlesAnxiety DisorderDecember 4, 2024How to Overcome Anxiety About Your Cancer DiagnosisAnxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Nurse Anxiety: Overcoming Stress in a High-Pressure ProfessionAnxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Overcoming Anxiety in the MilitaryAnxiety DisorderSeptember 18, 2024Overcoming Parental Anxiety: Strategies for a Calmer MindAnxiety DisorderAugust 26, 202415 Effective Coping Skills for AnxietyAnxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Acupuncture for Anxiety: Does it Work?Anxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Does Alcohol Cause Anxiety? Exploring the ConnectionAnxiety Disorder, PhobiasJune 18, 2024Agoraphobia vs Social Anxiety Disorder: What’s the Difference?Anxiety DisorderJune 18, 202413 Best Jobs for People with Social AnxietyAnxiety DisorderJune 18, 2024Election Anxiety: How to Cope With Political Stress
Related Articles About Anxiety DisorderView all articles
Related Articles About Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety DisorderDecember 4, 2024How to Overcome Anxiety About Your Cancer DiagnosisAnxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Nurse Anxiety: Overcoming Stress in a High-Pressure ProfessionAnxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Overcoming Anxiety in the MilitaryAnxiety DisorderSeptember 18, 2024Overcoming Parental Anxiety: Strategies for a Calmer MindAnxiety DisorderAugust 26, 202415 Effective Coping Skills for AnxietyAnxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Acupuncture for Anxiety: Does it Work?Anxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Does Alcohol Cause Anxiety? Exploring the ConnectionAnxiety Disorder, PhobiasJune 18, 2024Agoraphobia vs Social Anxiety Disorder: What’s the Difference?Anxiety DisorderJune 18, 202413 Best Jobs for People with Social AnxietyAnxiety DisorderJune 18, 2024Election Anxiety: How to Cope With Political Stress
Anxiety DisorderDecember 4, 2024How to Overcome Anxiety About Your Cancer Diagnosis
Anxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Nurse Anxiety: Overcoming Stress in a High-Pressure Profession
Anxiety DisorderOctober 23, 2024Overcoming Anxiety in the Military
Anxiety DisorderSeptember 18, 2024Overcoming Parental Anxiety: Strategies for a Calmer Mind
Anxiety DisorderAugust 26, 202415 Effective Coping Skills for Anxiety
Anxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Acupuncture for Anxiety: Does it Work?
Anxiety DisorderJuly 24, 2024Does Alcohol Cause Anxiety? Exploring the Connection
Anxiety Disorder, PhobiasJune 18, 2024Agoraphobia vs Social Anxiety Disorder: What’s the Difference?
Anxiety DisorderJune 18, 202413 Best Jobs for People with Social Anxiety
Anxiety DisorderJune 18, 2024Election Anxiety: How to Cope With Political Stress
If you are in a life threatening situation – don’t use this site. Call 988 or useto get immediate help.
Therapy may be free for you
