I conducted a mini vision board workshop with a women's networking group a week ago. I shared with them the whats, wheres and why's of vision boards, based on an article I wrote for
http://www.survivormanual.com/, entitled,
More Scavenger Hunt than Map. You should really click on the article to learn more about this visual aid to creating your hopes, dreams, passions and goals.
I was picking up magazines, scissors and glue sticks, as I approached a gal to ask about her vision board. It oozed of passion. I had observed her in previous meetings. I could tell she loved life. I knew that she made homemade soaps and hand lotions, but that was all I knew. As she discussed the items she had placed on her vision board she says to me, "I find you so interesting." Me? Interesting? Sure, why not.
Here's the truth, everybody is interesting. Here's our obstacles, #1 most don't share themselves and #2 most don't care to listen when somebody cares to share themselves. So, her making the comment about me being interesting was a win-win. I shared my passion, she cared enough to listen and I asked her what she was passionate about. I found her interesting. How couldn't I.
I started to read,
Give Your Speech, Change the World, How to Move Your Audience to Action, by Nick Morgan this week. I did something that night, while giving my speech, that was apparently on target according to this book. I think we would all agree that speakers with charisma have the ability to captivate their audience. Well, charisma isn't a gene. It is simply expressiveness, which is being open to your audience and sharing you and your passions. Now imagine yourself as this passion flower below. Look how interesting it looks. It's no wonder they named this flower "passion". It's sharing everything. How can you not be captivated.
PASSION (noun). 1. Great emotion. 2. Determination. 3. The object of passionate love. 4. Suffering
YOU'RE PASSIONATE! At least, I hope you have passion in your lives. If we weren’t, why would we work so hard for our dreams? And DREAMS, I am amazed and overwhelmed by everyone’s stories, struggles, talents, drive and compassion that fuel your dreams. In this virtual community that we belong we are fueling each other’s dreams as well.
Some of our dreams were born from a very immediate financial need. Other dreams were born from the need of self expression, connecting ourselves with our purpose for the world, or a need to solve nagging problems. Mostly our dreams are born out of a combination of all these things.
OBSESSION (noun). 1. Unhealthy fixation. 2. Irrational preoccupation
Can our passions turn into obsessions? It certainly is a possibility especially when we are so passionate about our dreams. To avoid moving from passion to obsession I imagine of my life as one big pie where I mix all my passion fruits (family, business, work, community, husband, brains, heart, suffering). By born inheritance I believe women are much more equipped to mix our fruit and reap the benefits. My 7 year old teaches me something that I can apply to my work. My work teaches me something that I can apply to my personal life. Sharing my whole self in everything I do is me cutting into myself and offering a slice of myself to everyone I encounter. You see my layers.
Just one last thought on PASSION. Suffering is a component of our passion fruit pie and the part that usually holds us back the most. Fear shields us from possible suffering and the non-acceptance that blinds us from the lesson it is here to teach us.
Here's to Charismatic, Mixed Passion Fruit Pie and interesting diner talk.
