» passion

Stand for Something

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:34:00 +0000

This week I was hearing this message loud and clear from some of my mentors in different forms, so I decided to share my “country music” version with you today. In learning what our passion or “purpose” is that so many of us long to find, we unfortunately tend to over think it and continue to find ourselves frustrated about what that “thing” is, and when we don’t find it we’re frustrated until the next time we go on our “life purpose” hunt.

Think about it a little differently this time. Think about it from the inside out for a moment. Think about it, we are usually looking for so many of our answers outside of ourselves, but more often than not the answers are within us. I’m not trying to be cheesy here, I recently learned this lesson after fighting it for so long, and I want you to learn it quicker than I did. Just hang with me for a second.

Okay okay, I know, you don’t know what your answers are that’s why you’re looking outside yourself to get ideas. Unfortunately, the answers that we can get from the outside are “HOW” things. How to do this, how to do that, education or knowledge that we don’t have. But our “WHY” before we even begin to look at the “HOW” needs to come from within us. No one can give us our “WHY”.

Let me give an example. Instead of asking yourself what you’re passionate about, ask yourself what matters to you and/or what your values are. Passion is such a loaded word and can be such overkill sometimes. It’s associated with highly emotionally or sexually charged situations, circumstances and events and sometimes we just don’t have that fire inside of us on a daily basis so we think we’re missing something we need to go look for. That’s really not the goal. Guess what, you don’t have to find that “passion” you can start with what matters to you and build from there.

You innately know what matters or is important to you whether that’s the environment, animals, freedom, education, appreciation, health, simplicity, organization, belonging, compassion, forgiveness, etc. You get the picture. I’ll give a personal example, unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how you look at it) for me freedom matters to me more than fitness and it shows. (ok, yes I’m sensitive about my weight right now, but I’m working on that) but in all seriousness, I can get completely lost in creating personal and financial freedom for myself and my passion to help you do the same, but when it comes to some other areas they are slacking. That’s the way it goes, we’re not superhuman, which is why it is so important to have so many people in the world with various passions/aka values so we can learn from each other, grow and evolve together throughout our journeys.

Okay, next argument I hear. “Well, so and so already is passionate about that topic, they do it better than I do”, and BLAH BLAH BLAH. Well, I believed that for a long time too, but then when people repeatedly told me there wasn’t a Laurie Knight version of it yet, that resonated with me. So much of my message is about being authentic, that immediately I knew I needed to walk my talk and put my authentic version of my “why” out there even though it overlapped with what some other people are doing. It’s amazing once I took on that perspective, I no longer viewed people as competition, but more as partners with similar passions. Wow… talk about a-ha moment.

Okay, so watch the video and begin to jot down the things that you value. Jot down the things that you stand for and document circumstances where you would consistently respond the same way. You’ll begin to find some answers and slowly but surely you’ll start to connect with that knowing part of yourself.

In this day of information overload, it’s easy to convince ourselves that we don’t have our own answers and that everyone knows how to do it better than we do. In certain cases that may be true. This isn’t about being oblivious and lying to yourself that you know everything there is to know, it’s about being authentic and tapping into that part of you that does know you too have something to contribute to the world.

So, what do you stand for? Would love to see your own list or comments!

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Be Clueless

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:39:06 +0000

Are you someone that needs to be “in the know”? Are you someone who is obsessed with knowing everything that is going on in the world? If so, I invite you to take a journey with me today and consider what life may be like otherwise.

Being so involved and interested in what is going on in the world and in everyone else’s life may be keeping you from living yours. In addition, this habit may also be keeping you from your passion. If you’re someone who is searching or wanting more in life, consider turning off the TV.

As a therapist working with adolescents for years, our staff would always tell the kids to “mind their own business” then another part of their day was spent watching “current events”, which to me was exactly the opposite of minding your own business. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m aware some of the stories can keep us safe, inform us about something helpful, but unfortunately it’s normally about who died, who was robbed, who was hurt, etc. I could never see what benefit it brought me so I’ve avoided the news most of my life. It drives my mother crazy.

For years, I kept this little secret to myself for fear I would look “clueless”. However, I learned over time, people could care less if I knew what was going on, they were so wrapped up in everything they were talking/ gossiping about. I would hear people talk amongst each other about “did you see this, or did you see that” and I learned to use that as my source for news. I figured if the world was coming to an end someone would let me know. I am normally notified by my mother when tornados and natural disasters are heading my way and am informed who the presidential candidates are. That’s all I really need. Okay, maybe that sounds a little extreme, but it’s not far from the truth I’m proud to say.

Whether you’re a news junkie or reality TV addict (I’m this on occasion too: American Idol/ The Apprentice always on DVR however) consider what value these TV shows are bringing to your life. Whether or not you’re willing to give up the news or TV all together, this blog is mostly to bring awareness to you about how you spend your time and making sure you’re doing so consciously. Are these things you’re doing because they really bring you value, make you feel good, or are they activities that you do out of habit? Take a close look at your life and remember that we only get one shot here and we must spend our time wisely. If you’re going to watch something LOVE IT. Otherwise, do something else you truly enjoy more or simply enjoy more moments in silence. Take the pledge today: Be Clueless!

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Find your Butterflies

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:29:20 +0000

Click here to getImages &
Butterflies Pictures

The feeling of butterflies in the stomach, it’s a love hate relationship. You love the rush it gives you, but there is also that desire to be cozy in that safe comfort zone and you hate the idea of leaving it. Usually butterflies appear when something big is happening. Having butterflies means it matters.

Having butterflies is an important part to living with passion and purpose. So often I’m told, “nothing really gives me butterflies” or “I don’t get excited about anything”. My answer to that is, it is your job to get butterflies about finding butterflies if that is where you are. Be excited about getting excited if that’s all you have right now. Be excited someone reminded you having butterflies is an important part of life and you want to find some. Do you really want to go through life without having any butterflies? Once you find your butterflies, no one will be able to take them from you, which is a natural high that will drive you to find more of them. Imagine your energy and enthusiasm causing that same experience in other people, which is a very powerful thing to share.

You know what I’m talking about. You see someone that is excited and passionate about something and it stirs up something in you whether that is curiosity, interest, or desire to have “that” for yourself. If you have stagnant internal activity, that’s exactly what you’ll get more of in your life. Don’t be bored. Get butterflies.

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Living with Passion: Top 10 Dr Suess Quotes on Life

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:00:06 +0000

1. “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
Don’t forget the special gift of just being you. Don’t get distracted trying to be like something or someone else you’re not. You are the best You there ever could be.

2. “If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good”
Life was not given to us to be filled with regrets. Opportunities await you and can be more fun than you ever imagined if you’ll simply take the chance. Take advantage of those opportunities and have a blast. What good can possibly come from saying you never tried?

3. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Often folks are so worried about what other people think. Be honest and real and those who matter most in your life will accept you no matter what. Those who won’t, you don’t need. Life is too short to worry all the time what other people think.

4. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
This is our opportunity to see the glass as half full. Celebrate people and experiences that you’ve had, and let the memories live on. So often we get trapped in grief and despair when there is so much to be celebrated.

5. “Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
Aren’t we typically our own worst enemy. We make things more complicated than they have to be. When in doubt, go back to the basics and you’ll probably find your answer.

6. “I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”
Mean what you say or don’t say it at all. Resist the urge to not be genuine in an effort to protect or please yourself or someone else. This does not mean be rude or hateful, in those times it’s probably best to simply not say something. However, when you do speak up, make sure it is what you want to say and what you really mean it’s your opportunity to live with integrity.

7. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Always make learning part of your life. You know only a portion of what you could possibly know and there are so many more exciting adventures to come from learning new things. Learning keeps you connected and interested which is a key to living passionately.

8. “How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
Time flies by. We all know this for a fact. Don’t let life sneak past you without being part of it. Time is the most valuable of all the resources as it’s the only one we can never get back.

9. Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”
Be grateful for the good parts of your day. Recognize what was fun and be thinking of what you can do more of to make your tomorrow even better!

10.Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!”
Trying is a key element to success. Without trying success isn’t even a possibility. Without trying you can’t complain about what you don’t or can’t have. Dream Big, Think Big and Act big. It will make all the difference in your life. No limitations.

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