Tagged: passion

May 07

Friday Lynx

muskokawildlife 21I’ve been fascinated by big cats since I was a kid. So I’m renaming (at least for this week) my Friday Starred Items to “Friday Lynx.”

Because I feel like it.

It’s been a few weeks since I did this, and I’ve been waffling on my posting schedule (because I’m not one for routine or schedules…).

There are only three this week because I’ve neglected to bookmark the awesomeness I’ve been reading (and because part of my getting sh*t done thing requires I reduce my input… ;) ).

The Lynx!

F*ck Conventional Wisdom: Why do we have to follow what everyone else thinks is “common sense?” I mean, why do I have to pick one thing and stick to it for 20 years? Why do I have to be an employee? Why must I sit quietly and be ladylike?  And the “truth” that all artists will starve and never make a penny? Hmph.

If I’m so Smart, Why Aren’t I Rich? Crystal & I tossed around this question a while back on twitter and she came up with two answers: fear about money & being driven by emotions. And I think she got it right. For me, I think I’ll add in lack of focus and spending too much time on stuff that doesn’t engage my true strengths.

Why You’re Still Stuck Trying To Find Your Life Purpose: Cath Duncan at the newly-renamed Agile Living gives some hope to those of us still trying to find what everyone else calls your true passion. Truth is, you may not have just one, and that’s perfectly OK. I don’t have just one, and it rankles me to hear coaches & productivity folks & career counselors repeat “find your passion” in the singular. That’s such a loaded statement, full of crazy-making urgency that if you don’t find your “one passion” that your life will suck. Cath brings a whole lot of sanity to this whole notion of finding your purpose.

So, what awesomeness has your brain swirling this week? Leave the links in the comments!

Creative Commons License photo credit: vmaidens

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Posted in Links

Oct 21

Starred Items! Inspiration & Not-Passion

autumnThis week has been a breakthrough one for me. So far I’ve nailed down what my latest “thing” is (thing = new biz, details forthcoming), cleared out my brain-clutter by removing some of the volunteer obligations I had, and worked furiously through Lisa Sonora-Beam’s excellent book, The Creative Entrepreneur.

I’ve been trying to make my way through that book for the past year and haven’t gone much past the first few pages. Now that I have my “thing” more or less defined, I’ve been furiously hacking away at my visual journal completing the exercises. Great breakthroughs & next steps!

Here is some mid-week brain-food:

What has been tickling your grey matter?

Leave a comment to share your favorite links from this week. Your link may make it to my list next week!

Creative Commons License photo credit: piglicker

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Posted in Links

Oct 16

Someone who shares my views on Passion…

Finally!

I found someone who articulates my views on passion. After floundering with my last few posts on passion and seemingly getting nowhere, Derek Sivers of CD Baby fame comes along and says exactly what I want to say:

It’s dangerous to think in terms of “passion” and “purpose” because they sound like such huge overwhelming things.  If you think love needs to look like “Romeo and Juliet”, you’ll overlook a great relationship that grows slowly.

He goes on to say instead of doing something as big as finding your “passion,” notice what excites you.

Notice what scares but intrigues you.

There is where your “passion” lies.

Then go for it.

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Posted in Musings

Sep 24

My Personal Manifesto

Marcus Whitman's Compass - EditedI’m still working through Johnathan Mead’s Reclaim Your Dreams: An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms and I promised last time that I’d post the results of the personal manifesto exercise.

I’d do the rest of the fun & creative exercises but as I’m out of town at my parents’ and flying with all my art supplies & huge poster board is unwieldy at best, I’ll have to hold off on vision boarding until I get back home.

Creating a personal manifesto is something new for me. I’ve always held certain values but I’ve never articulated them. This was my chance to make it real.

I ended up writing two versions. One that explains every word I’m about to list – that one’s for me only and clarifies what I mean by each one.

Below is the short version of my personal manifesto. And yes. I’ve capitalized words for a reason.

I am strong, creative, empathic*, sensitive.

I empower, impart, instruct, create.

I live for family, Love, beauty, myself.

I strive for Truth, freedom, sovereignty, authenticity.

This short version of my personal manifesto is easy to remember. Something I can write on a small 3×5 card and memorize easily.

I think a manifesto is a living document and I will revisit this after a while. But I think it’s a good start.

Do you have a personal manifesto? What does it look like?

*Empathic… well, I struggled with whether to use empathic or empathetic since both are equally acceptable in modern English. Being a sci-fi buff, it feels a little odd to use empathic, since I’m clearly not an Empath but empathetic just sounds well… pathetic. Enough geeking out for now.

Creative Commons License photo credit: jc.westbrook

p.s. You can get the eBook for 1/2 off! Jonathan is celebrating his bday by giving everyone else a gift. Get the book already!

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Posted in dreams

Sep 19

Reclaim Your Dreams: A Review

ryd-book-smallI recently got a copy of Johnathan Mead’s Reclaim Your Dreams: An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms. It’s an eBook I’ve been eyeing lately and was ecstatic when I finally got my copy.

The premise is this: You CAN go after your dreams. You just have to undo a few things that may be in your way and do some exploring. The answers are already there – inside your very own head.

The first part is called Unbrainwashing or Creating Room for Your Dreams to Grow. This part lays the groundwork for getting rid of old patterns and ways of thinking that prevent you from even considering going after your dreams.

One thing that I’ve realized lately is that I was made for a purpose. That purpose is related to the things love to do. And if I don’t do what I’m meant to do, I’m wasting my gifts.

Those of us who’ve gone through traditional schooling have more than likely had dreams squashed and gifts go unnoticed or even ridiculed. My dreams were squashed before I even realized what they were! We’ve been domesticated to be compliant drones in the corporate world where dreams really don’t have any place.

The first part of Reclaim Your Dreams is difficult and can get rather uncomfortable. You have to blast away the habits and clutter in your life to make room for the new stuff – your dreams. I admit I’m not quite proficient and not caring what others think and reclaiming my own mind (my mind battles itself constantly) but I’m getting there.

The second part of Reclaim Your Dreams helps you define your dreams through a series of exercises and gives you some practical ways to move towards them. If you’ve done ANY self-development work, these exercises may not be anything new, but together with the first part of the eBook, they seem a bit more potent than when I’ve done them before.

I admit I’m writing this review before completing the entire eBook but I’m excited about the possibilities. I’m working through the Personal Manifesto exercise at the moment and can’t wait to finish the rest.

I’ll post an update after I complete the book.

In the meantime, check it out for yourself. Jonathan offers a free sample chapter so you know what you’re getting into before you plunk down the cash. And really – it’s not a lot of cash. Skip lunch out for the next week.

Your dreams will thank you.

And if you’ve done the Personal Manifesto exercise, I’d love to read it! Post it in the comments (I’ll post mine next time).

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Posted in Reviews

Sep 18

Passion is Highly Overrated: Part 3

scream and shoutThis is probably the last I’ll say about the subject…

I think I’ve figured out what my problem with the phrase “Find Your Passion.”

It’s the other 5-ish definitions that get me – those ones describe intense & sometimes violent emotion. I know the definitions of the word passion includes “extravagant fondness” and “boundless enthusiasm,” but the majority have this sort of frenzied character to them.

Definitely uncomfortable.

My family knows this, and a few close friends do as well, but I’ve had my share of intense & violent emotion – mostly to no good end.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve mellowed quite a bit and have been able to temper all that temper. But as a result of my intensely-emotion-ed childhood, the word passion comes with a lot of negative stuff.

I don’t have a problem with actually finding what you’re meant to do, what you love to do.

I’m intently searching for this right now.

But I can do without the word Passion.

Maybe some re-framing is in order? I mean, it’s just a word after all.

Or maybe I just go along with a more serene approach to it all…

Creative Commons License photo credit: mdanys

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Posted in Musings

Sep 12

Passion is highly overrated: Redux

I apparently hit a nerve over on Facebook when I posted a link to my previous post. I do wish the discussion took place on the blog, but it brought up some things I’d like to explain.

So this is how I see things, speaking of Passion & Love regarding what your life work should be:

  • Passion does not equal Purpose.
  • Purpose is something entirely different, but can include your passions/loves.
  • Passion is not bad, just unsustainable.
  • Passion can push you to do incredible things, but so can love
  • Passion can grow into love, which is sustainable.
  • It’s perfectly OK to have more than one passion OR love.

I’m till working on this whole concept of trying to find ways to turn some of my wild hairs & passions into sustainable “things.”

Not all of them, since I know that the Scanner/Renaissance Soul in me despises being pigeonholed, but I’m discovering a few of my interests are turning into life-long loves.

How does a passion turn into something more sustainable?

Can you craft a good life/business chasing after passions or do people need something deeper than that?

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Posted in Musings

Sep 09

Passion is highly overrated

Fire Eyes by Photos8.comI don’t get the whole “find your passion” thing. It may just be a matter of semantics, but here’s what I’m seeing:

Passion is hot and fiery and burns out rather quickly.

Fires can’t burn forever. And they usually destroy everything they touch.

Why would I want to find my “passion” if it’s just going to fizzle after a while and burn up my energy?

What I want is Love.
( Read more )

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