Is passion a choice? Do you choose to be passionate about something/someone or does it arise without choice?

Good question!!

I believe that passion is indeed a choice, although more often than not, it may be rather a subconscious one. It is triggered by an initial liking and aptitude which depends both on certain genetic characteristics reinforced by life experiences and the environment around the person. That is why advertisement pays and passions are often not identically prevalent in vastly different societies or populations. At an individual level,one may be able to identify no rhyme or reason for a passion, but at the collective level, passions do display discernible patterns.

Oh, I don't know - here goes.

I love to write - did I choose to love to write? I needed to express myself and I found that writing was the way. I thought I had a talent and that I must keep working at it. So, what's the answer to something?

What's the answer to someone? I meet a person - I feel a click, a chemistry, an attraction and I want to pursue or get to know that person. Does the passion turn into love? What if the other person doesn't reciprocate? So can I choose not to be passionate anymore since the person doesn't feel the same way. Yes, I can make that decision.

Yes Passion Is Ultimately a choice. You have the mental freedom to feel how ever you wish about anything and anyone.

As for me I choose to have passion towards everyone, but not everything.

I have the passion that everyone has the right to pursue happiness. Everyone is a part of this world and everyone depends on each other. So I have love for everyone which means I'm passionate for everyone but that passion is limited. But everyone deserves passion directed towards them for life is precious. Everything does not need passion though. Somethings in this world are just unnecessary.

So for me having passion for everyone = arise without choice

Everything = I'm selective in my passions.

True passion is something that can never be chosen. It just becomes and exists.

It can arise for many things in life. You could be passionate about a career, a love interest or significant other, you could be passionate about your beliefs and take a stand because of it.

There are so many things to be passionate about in life but rarely do I think most people follow their true passions in life.

If anything I believe a lot of people choose to not go with their inner passion. The passion itself arose without choice but did come from an experience. The choice to ignore it though comes from minds that do not want to take that journey because they are either not ready, do not feel they are capable or feel inadequate, or don't put themselves out there if there is a risk involved in their passion.

In most cases risk is involved with true passions we have in life.

I think if more people followed their true passions, they would be happier people even if in some of the risk they took only failure arose.

Sometimes maybe we embrace one passion to find that there is something much more to be passionate about other than what we originally thought or felt the passion for.

Passions can come and go as life just happens and things sometimes get in our way of seeking out the passion we desired in the first place. Priorities get shifted and changed so we tend to except a life without something we truly felt passion for and about in order to live up to some other expectation either we or others influenced in life.

That sums it up for me and my personal feelings on the subject.

There are so many things in life to be passionate about if only we took the time to even notice.

Passions arise uncontrollably, yet they can be controlled.

Most people do not consciously choose most passions, yet they can be chosen.

Awareness and mental control are necessary for the taming of the beast.

I probably can't answer as...well as Rhonda S did, but I can try.

Passion is not something you can choose. You can't FORCE yourself to be passionate about anything. You can experience it more and learn that you actually really like it, but you can't force yourself to like anything.

It's an emotion. If you can control your emotions so that you feel nothing, I take my hat off to you.