Can Passion and Profession Truly Coexist?

A few years ago, I met a new family who had just moved to our neighborhood from the Bay Area. Our kids were the same ages, and that alone was enough to plant the seed of a beautiful friendship.

Months later, after another lovely meal together, my friend turned to me and said:

“Ask Dafna, I have a question for you.”

It was in that moment I realized, maybe for the first time, that this was a pattern. People were constantly asking me for recommendations: places to go, things to do, decisions to make. And I always have an answer. A real-life influencer, if you will - except I don’t get paid for it.

Over time, I started hearing another refrain:

“Why not make this your career?”

Every time I give a great recommendation, share advice, cook, bake, or craft something special, someone inevitably asks: Why don’t you charge for this?

And yet, every time money enters the equation, something shifts. The joy, the spontaneity, even the spark I feel when creating, it feels different. Maybe it’s a limiting belief, or maybe it’s simply that my passion for creating isn’t driven by profit. For me, it’s about the joy of making people feel happy, connected, and content.

But that leaves me with a bigger question: Can passion and profession truly coexist?