A life worth living
I was extremely curious as a child. The experiences in my life guided me on good paths and on mischievous ones. Through these experiences I learned, unlearned, and grew from them. At the core of each, I was exposed to a way of being that was different from what I'm used to. Through my fascination for art, I delved into the interpretations of art and the complexities of these interpretations at Lynchburg College and connected with other beings to deeply understand the complexities of these interpretations. These experiences enabled me to open my heart and mind to a world outside my normal sphere and discover my passion for connection. Being able to connect people from a variety of perspectives is a core value of living a meaningful life for me. At the same time, this informed my style of leadership. For me, leadership is about seeing people in their uniqueness and honoring them as individuals.
As we age, our inadvertent pursuit of passion usually diminishes. We tend to trade passion for stability and success. We get lost in our daily routines with little or no awareness of the present moment. In recent years, people have begun to "awaken" to their true values. In response to the pandemic, they made big changes and took risks for a more fulfilling life aligned with what energizes them. Although we may not be ready for tremendous changes, we can still live lives of passion if we prioritize them, take small steps forward with intention each and every day.
How does passion feel to you? Is it a constant feeling or does it come and go? Are you fueled or grounded by it? How often do you feel it? Occasionally? When it is absent, what do you feel? To explore what else you might be able to experience, try reflecting on the heart prompts below:
What three things did you truly enjoy doing this week? If you could do more of these things, how would you feel?
What's been a common theme in your life?
Can you think of a time when you felt truly confident? Describe what you were doing, and what part of it brought you the most joy.
It is often believed that living a life rooted in passion is reserved for a small percentage of elite or indulgent people. Passion is, however, accessible to everyone. A lot of good things come out of passion, but it is really about the enjoyment of the process. Discovering what you enjoy and would do again and again. Passion for some of us looks like caring for our families and creating a community of support that brings us joy. For others, it's the thing we create and give back to the world. It doesn't matter what it is. Find your passion and create a plan to ensure you are living from that place every day.