By Jasmina Muller
How many times have you been asked, “What do you enjoy doing on the weekends? What do you do outside of work? What’s your passion?” Every time I’m asked those questions, I always have the same answers. Am I really that predictable?
Recently I realized it’s not about being predictable; it’s about enjoying life outside of our hectic, busy careers. My passion is running and staying fit, which I got into a few years ago when I decided to take a new step in my life to improve my health for the sake of my family and me.
Over the course of a year, I started a whole new diet, joined a gym and started running, which was something I’d always dreaded and never liked. I took a very disciplined approach that I had never taken before but needed to stick to for health reasons. During the first five months I lost 45 pounds with the help of a trainer, and I added running on my own to the regimen. I quickly learned in those first few months that running was hard work, but the feeling after I finished a run was exhilarating. At first my runs were once a week, then I increased it to three times a week along with a couple days of weight training.
While doing this new training, my work and personal life became more balanced and I was much more productive. I would work out or run earlier in the morning to have the time to relax and prepare for what the day had brought. If I was traveling, I always made sure I visited the hotel gym to keep my momentum. After that first year, I started entering local races where I enjoyed watching others, the passion around these races and how good it made me feel.
It’s been four years since I started my new regimen and what I’ve noticed is a much more disciplined approach to my work day and a much more active lifestyle personally. I can balance work and my personal life better because running prepares me for my day. Plus, statistically speaking, I can look forward to living a longer life, and who doesn’t want that?
When someone asks me about what my passion is, it’s not just staying fit. It’s staying fit and healthy, so I can experience more in life, and to see my kids grow into the adults they will become.
Passion is defined as: “A strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something.”
Knowing your passion can be something you enjoy for the rest of your life. Your passion can be anything that challenges you, intrigues you and motivates you. So next time when someone asks you, “What’s your passion?”, think about what excites and challenges you.
About the Author
Jasmina Muller is an accomplished channel executive with more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Before recently accepting her current position at Everbridge, she held sales and channel leadership positions at 8×8 and CenturyLink Business. Muller has been an active member of Alliance of Channel Women for the past three years. She was elected to the 2020-21 ACW board of directors and serves as Chair of the ACW Sponsorship Committee.