Let’s Talk…..What Are You Passionate About?
"Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you..”
~ Oprah Winfrey
“Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, be passionate.”
~ Jon Bon Jovi
PASSION, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction, OR a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.
Are you passionate about something? Other than family . . . are you passionate about something? I, too, am passionate about my family and can go on and on talking about them, like most people can. But I’m talking about having a passion about something else other than people.
What brings this subject up is an instructor I have in a Master Gardeners program I’m taking. We have all kinds of gardening, planting, soil, lawn, pruning, etc. topics, but one day an instructor was talking about weeds. The ENTIRE three hour class was devoted to weeds - identifying, proactive and reactive measures, types of root systems, time of year for each kind…..and this instructor was PASSIONATE about WEEDS! I mean she was INTENSELY passionate about weeds! The entire time she was just beaming with excitement and smiling. I’m not crazy about weeds, in fact I DESPISE them, but the way in which she presented with such a passion made me almost like the subject - she made it almost CONTAGIOUS! I definitely learned a lot due to the way in which she taught with that passion. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever had someone tell you about something that you thought was boring, but they made it interesting because of their feeling about it?
That got me thinking, am I that passionate about ANYTHING? Do I get even a fraction of that excited about anything? That’s a tough one. There are a lot of things I like or ENJOY doing, but do I have an intense passion about any one thing that would give me that outwardly contagious GLOW when talking about it? I'm passionate about writing. I’m passionate about ANIMALS and my honeybees. I’m passionate about being a Christian. I'm also passionate about quotes, and the POWER of quotes. Heck, I'm passionate about passion and inspiring and encouraging others - that’s why I’m here, right?
As Oprah states, passion is ENERGY. It gives fuel to the POWER of what excites you. It is a powerful force that keeps us going, fills us with happiness, excitement, and anticipation.
Where would this world be if people didn’t act on their passions? Or if they kept it to themselves and didn’t SHARE their passion with others? Take Albert Einstein (one of my all-time favorite scientists). He was CURIOUS and passionate about being curious which drove his desire to figure out so many things in the universe and HOW they work. His passion then drove other people to FOLLOW his lead and act on their passion of curiosity as well. And my absolute favorite scientist - Marie Curie! Her passion led to the DISCOVERY of the radioactive elements radium and polonium. Finding a treatment for CANCER drove her passion. She is the reason we have x-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds………and it ultimately led to her death, which is also actually a benefit to us. She died because of her EXPOSURE to radiation. That is why we get covered with that heavy lead weighted blanket for radiation protection when we get x-rays. All because of FOLLOWING her passion! She is also the reason for radiological cars during World War I that allowed the battlefield surgeons to x-ray wounded soldiers so they could operate more accurately.
Just think of the INFLUENCE someone can have because of their own personal passion for something.
So WHAT are you passionate about? What is it that brings you JOY and fulfillment? Tell me what you’re passionate about. We can all learn from someone and when there is passion involved, well, it makes even weeds interesting.
Examine yourself, my friends, and give energy and LIFE to whatever it is that you are passionate about.
I think Jon Bon Jovi says it the best: “Nothing is as important as passion. No matter what you want to do with your life, BE PASSIONATE.”
Have a fantastic week my friends!
