Or you could be so caught up in being someone's mother, partner or colleague that you lose sight of what it is that makes your heart sing. Then again, your interests or lifestyle may have changed over time, and you are realising that what always used to make your heart beat faster is no longer of interest.

Time poverty is another passion killer. Having too little time has become our worst enemy. Juggling work and home often means not having time to focus on yourself and other areas of your life.

However, by slightly adjusting your schedule and your way of thinking, you can invite passion back into your life. Start by taking these steps:

Believe in yourself
Lack of self-confidence or low self-esteem is arguably the most influential factor that can prevent you from discovering and pursuing your passion. For example, if you are scared of change, you'll hang onto a job that you don't enjoy, and this will prevent you from living a fulfilling life.

Believe in yourself and in the fact that you are capable of achieving anything. If you battle with this, a professional life coach will be able to assist you with building healthy self-confidence and strong self-esteem.

Embrace who you are
Discover yourself. Love yourself. Identify your wants, needs, dreams, aspirations and purpose in life. Establish your skills, talents and strengths.

Take stock
Make a list of your past and present accomplishments, your strengths and assets, and make a note of any positive patterns in your life.

Know yourself
Determine your deep-rooted values and beliefs. They will propel you onto finding and pursuing your passion. Identify things you enjoy doing, things that give you a deep sense of satisfaction and inner warmth, fill you with motivation, and deliver a sense of overall wellbeing.

Dream
What if money were not an issue? Or what if you could get any job you wanted, anywhere in the world, regardless of your background, education, skills, strengths and abilities? Explore and write down the choices that you would make.

Open your mind
Be open to any possibility. You have the choice to pursue anything in life. The only limiting factors are in your own thoughts and mind. So start believing that anything is possible.

Once you've started working your way through this list – you don't have to do it all at once – something will start resonating within you. You will feel drawn to it. You might just find your passion this way, and possibly even your purpose in life.