5:40
Writer’s note: This week we started with a funeral and were taking a look at how to shape your legacy by the time you leave the planet. We discussed how spouses can support each other, how to observe your children for their unique gifts and ways of doing things and now I’m going to suggest one more thing before we “leave” this topic (I say “leave” but we’re never really leaving this topic) and that is to look at yourself in this life and follow your passion.
If we’re meant to lead others, like your children, to follow their passion and make use of their innate talents, shouldn’t you be practicing what you preach? Well, if you are not sure how to, how can you do it?
So follow a long and I have a tip from a book recommended by an old Navy buddy, Mike Meehan. It’s a fantastically written book by confidence trainer Michele Phillips called “Happiness is a Habit” (2013) (www.key2unlock.com) and in it is a bank of 47 practical ways to improve your life. Of many that caught my attention “Habit 37: Nourish Your Passion.”
I have to assume you a the kind of person who has a desire to find the strength in your passion, so the excerpt I have selected will help.
How will finding or strengthening your passion now improve the life of others?
So without further delay, let’s read an excerpt from Michele’s insights on “Passion”…
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NOURISH YOUR PASSION
“Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion.”
—Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
The definition of “passion” is “a strong and barely controllable emotion.” Passion is everything. Without it you can’t accomplish anything that speaks to your soul. You can check off a long list of accomplishments but you will never be satisfied. When you mix passion with effectiveness you then have a winning combination. I have a hard time articulating what passion is, but I know it when I feel it. I’m not talking about romantic passion, but the passion you experience when an idea hits you, when you have an aha moment, or when your heart feels so filled up with love and joy you just have to let it out. That is passion. Passion motivates and excites you to reach, to do, and to go beyond what you thought possible. Passion gives you the energy and the belief in yourself to listen to your heart and follow its advice. I may not be able to give you passion, but I can point you in the right direction.
How do you nurture your passion? There are so many ways. Read. Write. Listen to music. Watch movies that inspire you. Engage in deep and meaningful conversations. Travel. Open yourself up to unlimited possibilities. If you are waiting for someone to ignite your passion, what happens if they never show up? Do you have a muse? If not, be one for yourself. Work to ignite your passions regularly and feed them every day. Pick up a book and let a passage inspire you and give you hope or direction. Books inspire you when they speak to your soul, your passion, your purpose, or your heart. The simple words on a page can reignite the flame that burns in your soul. Books can help you identify those burning desires of your heart that you find difficult to articulate. You read the words on the page, and suddenly you feel your heart beat faster and your skin dances with the realization that someone has put your feelings into words. When you find your passion dwindling, get another book. It is up to you to keep your passion alive and to find ways to feed it. If books aren’t your thing, feed your passion with movies that have an uplifting message, one that feed you and ignites your own passions and dreams.
Purposely seek out positive, uplifting music. Music touches you on such a deep and profound level. It gets to the core of who you are and engages all your senses. Use it as a tool to ignite your passion.
Write, write, write.
Capture your ideas, your dreams, and the deep feelings in your heart. I have an entire section on journaling. Writing keeps your passion alive. When you write you connect your mind and your body with your dreams and your passion is fed. You can write down whatever you wish. Your journal or writing tablet is your very own sacred space where you can let your imagination run wild. Writing is a life force all on its own and when you are writing about something you are passionate about, you come alive…
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I’ll see you… on the next page
Challen Yee