“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” ~Arnold H. Glasow
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A few years ago, there came a point where I found more and more that ‘doing’ my life often got in the way of living my life. For me this meant living a life with real meaning and value; an inspired life.
This was not about income or title; it was about engaging my passions so that at the end of the day when I laid my head on my pillow, I felt good about the day that passed.
I didn’t realize how easy it would be to take a few steps back to really enjoy the minute, the hour, the day or the week I was walking through.
We all have days that are overwhelming. Mind racing, list-making days that mentally wear you down. Well, I was starting to have too many of those days where most evenings I was so mentally exhausted that I could not put my thoughts into action. It was a passion killer.
So I started to take inventory of my life. Not harshly but realistically, trying to focus on what inspired me, where my greatest joys came from.
I’ve always been amazed that when I reminisce about my childhood adventures how vivid and powerful these memories are. They still evoke strong emotions. Why? Eventually, I realized that as a child, when I played I played with passion. When I told stories or pretended to be a cowboy or superhero, I did so with passion. My friends and I were so connected to that moment in time, nothing else mattered. I had lost that.
Dealing with life’s curve balls had drained a bit of that fearless approach to life I had as kid. I realized that I had given up many of my passions. Well, maybe not given them up exactly, I just didn’t make the time.
We all need Passion, it fuels us. Passion infuses energy into every endeavor we attempt, it is the spark that ignites the fire within. When you pursue your passions, whether it be cooking, photography, writing … time is irrelevant: minutes turn into hours and you’re totally unaware. It’s a beautiful thing. Your passion does not have to be grandiose, it just has to move you effortlessly. Fill your soul and not stress you out.
So I kicked off my personal ‘Return to Passion’ journey by flying down to Florida to spend a long weekend with Tony Robbins at his Unleash The Power Within events. I walked on Fire! It was so amazing. I was inspired.
A truly eye-opening, life changing experience. It was a great way to start reconnect with myself. That same year I went on a once-in-a-lifetime First Class tour of Italy with close friends, experiencing Florence, Venice, Rome, Sienna and Graves. We ate and drank our way through Tuscany experiencing a taste of La Dolce Vita!
I was on a roll, getting outside of my daily environment and experiencing life from different perspectives. Now, the challenge was how to bring these rich experiences home and into my everyday life.
I continued my journey by writing more which has led me to start this blog. I’m trying to follow a path of simplicity: eliminate the non-essential stuff in my life, pay attention to what matters and create magic moments throughout my day. I love taking photos. I love to cook. I love to create. I love to entertain. And I love to relax by the fire at night.
I’m sparking up old passions and finding some new ones. I’m writing more. I love expressing my creativity throughout photography. Cooking is pure love to me and my way of taking care of those I cherish. I am learning how to repurpose those tag sale treasures and loving it. I discovered Geocaching and look forward to adventuring every chance I get.
I’ve turned a patch of grass in my backyard into a little piece of heaven where I can relax, rejuvenate, spend time with family and friends and experiment with food, furnishings and flora.
I’ve experienced a lot of joy and fulfillment finding adventure close to home.
You see where I’m going with this: Combine my passions in as many ways as possible while staying present and sharing my experiences through this blog.
Simple? Maybe not. Worth it? Absolutely!
And I invite you to share your thoughts, ideas and experiences too.
Adventure is out there ….
Chris