I went to a party this weekend held in an airplane museum in the desert. The theme was “retro” which meant come in a costume that represented any decade in the 1900’s. I wore my 1980’s black jumpsuit with padded shoulders and a popped collar. I looked, as I did back then, much like the dimensions of a yield sign.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. -Albert Einstein
Many years ago, I remember my daughter coming home from kindergarten. In her backpack, there was a yellow sheet that gave the instructions for a fire drill. The note asked parents to talk to their children and make sure they knew the appropriate course of action. I turned toward my daughter as we sat down to lunch and asked what she would do if a fire broke out in her classroom. Without hesitation, she remarked, “I would stop and wait for the voice in my head to tell me what to do.”
Last Saturday marked the largest protest in US history. Women, men and children from all around the world peacefully gathered to send one very big message. We want a world where all lives matter. Where power is used to create positive, respectful change that advances our human potential and protects the environment that makes it possible to live.
I often speak with people who would like to be promoted. They are hardworking employees who feel that much of what they are doing is going unnoticed. And, they’re right. The truth of the matter is your boss will likely see 20 to 30 percent of the work you accomplish each day, and that’s if they’re paying attention.
I have heard more grumblings as of late from people feeling passionless. Their needs are met, they make good money, they are even in satisfying relationships. Yet there is a blankness in their stare that reflects the baffling void once filled with a flame.
Purpose and passion go hand-in-hand. It’s the activity that lives at the intersection of a Venn diagram of three things: What you love to do, your skills or natural gifts, and a need in the world begging to be addressed—by you!
I tend to go into a new year with both excitement and trepidation. It’s a reminder that the unknown lies ahead and “the unknown” is one of our greatest fears. It’s also a reminder that there will be things we can influence and things that will be completely out of our control. I like to focus on the things I can influence.
