Hi Journal & Friends,
OOPS! Egg on face time...
Something an online friend said to me this morning made me stop and think... I keep talking about Passion, Dreams, Goals. About the power they give us in continuing this journey to health. About how they provide fuel to our engines. They give us the WHY, the reason we want to improve our health and lose the weight.
Well, duh! Not everyone has figured out WHAT their real passion is in life!
If asked to be SPECIFIC, they could not really finish these sentences:
My biggest passsion in life is...
The thing that lights me up from inside is...
I have always wanted to...
Who I AM, who I was created to be, is...
My purpose in this life is...
Even if I were never paid to do it, I would still...
I LOVE to talk about...
In my free time, I love to read about...
Have you ever googled "how to find your passion in life"?? I did, this morning. I got 32,700,000 results in .46 seconds.
I almost gave up right there. It was too overwhelming! Too many to choose from, too many trying to get my money, too many with belief-systems that I disagreed with, too many opinions.
Be careful from where you get your influence... from whom you choose to be mentored. Guard your heart, don't just take in any old thing. Be wise! We all want fast answers, but the detours you could end up taking by not being cautious might cost you... in terms of confusion, time, and sometimes the heartache of being misled.
So... I went back to the good ol' Texas boy that I had learned so much from, Dr Phil McGraw. In addition to the book specific to weight loss, The Ultimate Weight Solution, I have also read two others by Dr Phil:
1. Self Matters (here)
2. Life Strategies (here)
No, I didn't get instant answers. It took time. But if you want the "real" answers, not what some internet guru tells you is the latest fad if you will only sign-up-for-their-free-newsletter-and-then-invest-in-their-seminar-at-ONLY-$39.95.... then decide you are WORTH IT. You are worth investing the time and effort to find YOUR passions, your authentic self, your purpose in being here.
I think I am blessed in that I knew from a young age that I loved art, that my life was entertwined with it, and always would be. I lost my way for awhile... lost belief in myself, in ever pursuing my passions. Those books by Dr Phil helped me reconnect with my authentic self, to remember WHO I was, to help me get more specific in my own goals and dreams.
Okay, I am going to be vulnerable here (gulp). Our dreams and passions are personal, our life purposes and goals have deep meaning. I will give you an example of what I am talking about by sharing part of what I have written inside my own daily schedule book, where I see it often:
"Create art that will make a difference, not just for my ego or my pocketbook, but for eternity... to be a blessing to others."
Without context, that might sound pompous or self-important. I don't mean it to be... I wanted it to remind me of the bigger picture... of the brevity of time, and that what I spend my time on, my life on, needs to be "worth it" for me. It is my goal to work towards. Sure, I do all kinds of art... some light-hearted and fun, some simple stuff. But I also have things in the works that come from deep in my heart, that have "worth it" meaning to me.
Have you found your passion?? Have you connected it, linked it with your weight loss goals? Have you written it down?
When I did these things, it made all the difference in the world! The journey to find your authentic self, your true passion and purpose, is a journey worth taking!
From Dr Phil's book: "Are you excited to get up in the morning? People with a passion are, and they're energized about what they are doing. You need to live and breathe what it is that you want, and be passionately invested in both the journey and the goal." -- from Life Strategies
My verse for today: "I desire to do your will, O my God; your love is within my heart."
My quote for today: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman (Theologist and Activist 1900 - 1981)
10 comments:
Loretta, I am reading your post, and saying Yes... read more YES!!! read more YES YES YES!
Such a beautiful journey you are on my friend! Thankyou for sharing the words of encouragement that have spurred you on! Thankyou thankyou!
hugs.. Amy
It's all about living life purposefully. Have you ever read "the purpose driven life" by rick warren? I have that and a go along with it journal... I really love the journal that goes with it.
It's funny I just posted a bit about the same type of thing... I think you can "dig it". I wonder if many people really don't want to seriously look into the big questions. Because then they really need to start thinking about answers or spend huge amounts of energy avoiding the questions that will haunt them once they truely see them.
I started an art blog...
http://portaltoart.blogspot.com
and just posted another Mail Art I sent out today. One of my own questions I've been thinking of is if I'm an artist I really should be more purposefully making art. (and cleaning to gain a spot to set up a mini art studio back in my studio apartment when I'm not working on supply intense stuff like painting.)
-Alan
What a beautiful post, Loretta! I love that you wrote about one's authentic self. You are lucky to know your passion. I love the quote from your calendar and of course your daily quotes!
I know just what you mean Loretta. Isn't it strange how so many of us bloggers are often times on the same wave length?
I have been thinking about my passions lately. What gets me up in the morning and keeps me going with tons of energy. I think I'm finding them, slowly but surely. But I was raised in a way that my passion was to please others and I think a big part of this weight loss journey is realizing what I want instead of just figuring out what others want all the time. I want to do this Triathlon in May and I want the lead part in the musical I'm auditioning for in May. For now, those two things are making me very passionate.
Thanks for this post :) It feels good to verbalize what I've been thinking about.
Have a good night!
Olivia
That was how I knew something was wrong four years ago.
I was watching this guy teach kids self defense and he was so happy and pssionate...and I realized that there was nothing I felt that way about. I hadn't drawn in years.
NOw, I still haven't drawn, but as I lose weight I am starting to regain the urge to draw. When You let yourself become someone you aren't...you lose what you love.
I had convinced myself I was someone else...it's a long story...
and I lost who I was.
I am still getting myself back.
I am an artist.
AMY: I am glad it connected with you, thank you!
ALAN: I've read about Rick Warren, and all about the book...but never actually read it. I hear good things about it, though. I checked out your new art blog, love that you did that!
CHRISTINA: Thank you. I wish I knew how to help everyone find their passion in life... it makes a huge difference!
OLIVIA: Yes, sometimes it's like a flower slowly blooming, and we get to discover it slowly. For others, like me, I've known the basic passion for ages, just not the specifics. I'm glad you are finding yours. :-)
CHRIS: It took me years and years to actually say those words, I am an artist. I would say... I draw, or I paint. I didn't feel I deserved to actually say "I am an artist." Freedom to be the real me is wonderful. I am glad for you!!!
Loretta
=^..^=
Great post Loretta. I have found my passion in life: helping other people lead their healthiest lives. Yesterday I got an e-mail from a woman who was in a really bad place in her life and told me that reading my blog was really helping her. Knowing that I made a difference in one person's life means the world to me.
Yes, I am excited to get up in the morning. There is nothing sadder to me than meeting someone who doesn't seem to have something in their life that excites them.
Ok, Loretta--Here it is. You wanted our passion. I've delayed this comment because I was hesitant to write the words. I just read thru the comments and your response, stating "I am an artist." So, in that spirit, here it goes...
I am a CHANGE AGENT. Hahaha. Are you looking quizically at that?
Social workers are called 'change agents'. Our goal is to provoke change. But my passion is not to be a social worker, exactly.
For years, long before I went to school for social work, I would lie in bed at night and repeat the same Scripture as a prayer-Lord, Open my ears to your instruction, make me your disciple, "that I may speak a word in season to those who are weary." And He did.
I love,love,love seeing people set free! There is no greater joy for me than to be able to speak the Word of Life to another and see the Holy Spirit heal them and set them free. He gives the words, He does the healing, He sets them free--I'm just His change agent. :)
And, true to my prayer,it is words that I use. I speak them one-on-one, preach them and write them. I love to write them!
I understand what you said about wanting to create art that will bless others, for that is what I desire to do with the written word. The Lord has enabled me to write words that bless, and I am so grateful for that. I am always amazed at what He does...
I've almost erased this several times--but, you had the courage to write your passion and then ask for ours. So here it is. I'm ending before I wimp out and press delete!
:) Deb
well, my passion is writing, but its not in any way connected to my weight loss goals. Its one of two goals I had at age 12. The first was to be a veterinarian, the 2nd was to be an author. My weight is the result I think of 1)genes 2)not knowing for so many years what was healthy to eat and 3)an emotional escape from my horrible childhood. Once I left home I became thin. This weight came back after I lost my 3rd baby halfway through my pregnancy 7 years ago and it triggered my "dark night of the soul". I stopped writing and started eating. I will never be "over it", but I am better.
I need to switch those now and stop eating and start writing, writing makes me happier than eating!!
:-)
Loretta, Congrats on your tremendous weigh loss--you are doing fantastic!
And I absolutely loved your quote
"Create art that will make a difference, not just for my ego or my pocketbook, but for eternity... to be a blessing to others."
I am going to copy that down for myself to look at every day.
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