One little spark.

I've always subconsciously been in pursuit of that one thing that 'lights me up.' 

"What am I suppose to do with my life? What is my spark?" The minute I'd find something and think I found it, the sizzle would wear off, and I'd be back to square one. I sometimes feel like 22 from the movie Soul - thinking I’d never find my spark.

When we lived in Chicago and Andrew was in Seminary, I would scroll The Kendall College Culinary Arts curriculum pages. Over and over again, I would read through what each class in the curriculum would teach, what I could learn. I figured I missed my chance to do this new something that might hold my spark. I had just gotten a college degree in Art and Graphic Design, but it was the recession, and I felt stuck in my safe and secure job with benefits. This was not a time to find a new career when you hadn't even gotten a chance to start one you just finished the education for.

Enter internet learning. I've been in coaching groups and online courses, masterminds, and masterclasses—all still searching for perfecting the art of 'doing more of what lights me up.' Through my photography business and blogging endeavors, I've always had fun but was I lit up? I was scared to find out if the answer was no.

A few years ago, I met up for dinner and drinks in Chicago with my friend Cathy. I had taken a few of her courses back in the day and kept in touch via Instagram - I considered her an internet friend, and we even got to meet face to face at a conference. After dinner, we decided to do ice cream, and she said something to me that took me off guard.

"You're someone who just loves to learn."

Wow, I had never thought about myself that way. Was it really that simple - that I loved to learn? I figured I was just a course junkie. Seeing myself in this new light, I realized it was true. I love indulging my curiosity in the pursuit of understanding how something works. I love that the journey sparks the idea of creating something new.

The funny thing is, my dad was the exact same way - a natural-born hands-on learner who always could figure out how something worked. He'd take something apart just to put it back together. He restored a 1959 Ford, built our family home, even piecemealed a Harley Davidson by researching how to do it and ordering each piece on eBay. He had made a career out of being curious - immerse himself into each project sometimes for years - and it was the process of learning and doing that 'lit him up.'

Thursday, I'm debuting a new Everybody Baking Company recipe series called Bakeovers. We'll take a well-known recipe, starting with the internet-famous Pan Banging Chocolate Chip Cookie - and tear it apart to understand how it works. Then we'll put it back together and make sure it's Everybody Approved™. Because the recipe uses traditional ingredients, we'll make it vegan, make it gluten-free, and even see if we can make it both.

Tell me in the comments below - what is that spark that lights you up? Do you know, or are you still waiting to find out?