Passion!!

 
So, I have been thinking a lot about passion and destiny, and this past weekend I had the opportunity to hear the famed illustrator, Jerry Pinkney, talk about his passion: Books! (Check out his website here.)

Jerry has been drawing all of his life, but he began to illustrate books in 1964, and he spoke about illustrating as if he had just started his career: with complete passion and joy.

Jerry talked about the idea that he has always wanted to create something to share, and I think that our passions and destinies are all about other people.. strange right, but I do believe this with my whole heart. I just know that when people look at these great creations by Jerry, they add something to their lives, if nothing but pure joy. And, we all know that pure joy is priceless. He even stated that talking about his work, and seeing our smiling faces in the audience, brought him joy. So, Jerry gives us joy through his books, and he gets that joy right back. (We are all connected!)

Jerry also stated that his great creations do not just happen; they take hard work to complete! (Even if we are operating in our passion or destiny; it still takes hard work.) Now, I know that all dreams come through activity, but you know, when Jerry stated this, it resonated. I am passionate about teaching and books and cycling and working out, and all of these things require a little sweat. However, working on these passions do not always feel like work, because I am passionate about them.

God is requiring me to go in a different direction, and I must admit that I am feeling anxious when I think about the effort that is required to go in a new direction. However, I am trying to remember that the work will feel good and productive if it's my passion. (Trying desperately to remember that work gets me to the next level, and I love doing it.)

Jerry sold newspapers when he was around thirteen, and one day this man, Mr. Lonnie, asked him to see his drawings. Well, Mr. Lonnie was an illustrator, and he allowed Jerry into his studio. Jerry stated that he never thought that he could make a living by being an illustrator, and he went on to state that "The seed of possibility was planted, and we need to see it sometimes in order to know that it is possible." So, you know I have been thinking about the power of visualization, and I have actually being visualizing my next move: how it feels, how it looks etc. (It's amazing how much I use my mind without a television in my house.)

So, in the words of Jerry Pinkney "Passion is like candy; the more you taste it, the more you want it."

Happy Monday!!

Part 8 The End: What are You Passionate About?

God is soooooo good; he gives us choices. Yes, that's right, he lets us decide how we want to live. He sent Jesus so that we can have life and have life abundantly. But, he does not force abundant life on us; we must make the choice to have it.

He does not make us chose happiness, healthy foods, to workout, to spend time with great people, to love with our whole heart, work on jobs that we actually enjoy, follow our passions etc. He lets us decide. All I can say to this is Hallelujah!!!!

If you have been reading this series on passion, you know that I have made a conscious decision to live an abundant life by deciding to make my bad days good, doing things that bring me complete joy often, and making no excuses about the life that I have decided to live.

So, you may ask, "How am I discovering my passion?" (I am still discovering things that I love to do.)

1) I made the decision to live a life that I like and that honors God.

2) When opportunities present themselves to try something new; I try it.

3) I do not let fear rule me.

4) I make no excuses. No one cares about my excuses, especially God.

My sister, Dorothy, sent me an email that was the "Top Five Regrets of the Dying" by Bronnie Ware. Bronnie spent time with people who were dying. When he asked people about their regrets, here are the top five things that people regretted:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honor at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realize, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard. This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings. Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end, it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier. This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

I must give a shout out to my sister, Dr. Dorothy Reed, for sending me this email and to Bronnie Ware for having enough compassion to spend time with people who were dying and sharing their stories with the world.

People, life is meant to be lived with abundance. So, discover what that means for you, and live your best life.

Remember that God gives us choices.... make decisions that lead to abundant life TODAY!!!!

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Part 7: What are you passionate about?

(All pictures in this post were taken with my very own camera.)

View from my balcony this fall!

I am passionate about The GREAT OUTDOORS!

There is no place where I feel closer to God than outdoors. When I hear the wind blowing on a crisp fall morning, feel the sun shining brightly on my face, see snow covering my car, and hear rain pounding on my windows, I know, without a doubt, that there is a GOD! It is never too hot or too cold for me, it just is..............

Because I am passionate about the Great Oudoors, just know, that is where I spend quite a bit of my time: sitting, running, biking, hiking etc. I make sure that I let God know that I appreciate his Great Work by noticing it.

Here are pictures of God and all of his beauty:

Ain't GOD Amazing!

As Janet Jackson states in the Nutri System commerical: "Get on it!"

Be about the business of discovering your passions.................

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Part 6: What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about learning!

I know that people say all the time that "knowledge is power," and I do believe, with everything in me, that knowledge really is power. I just can't get enough of learning, and the more that I know; the more that I want to know. Sometimes, my thirst for knowledge is overwhelming.

Take for instance that I am reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks with all of it's astonishing knowledge; I may find myself completely consumed with the reading. My heart may even beat fast as I am reading the book. Then, I may download about three more books by that same author or on that same topic; I get a little obsessed until life kicks in and slows down my reading. (Please read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and learn, learn, learn.)

Around April, May and June, I start getting calls from my friends asking me "What are you studying this summer?" If I say nothing, I always get the same reply: "I don't believe it!"

My friends questions' are not without merit. I normally do go somewhere to study during the summer. I've studied the Ethnic Autobiography in Philadelphia, Blacks in Politics in Chicago, The American South and South Africa in Atlanta, Zora Neale Hurston in Florida; Crime, Culture and Punishment in Massachusetts, and I've studied many more topics with my Free Time in the summer. (Not so FREE right?)

My massachusetts study group!

My Atlanta study group on the steps of the church
that was bombed in Birmingham during the Civil Rights Movement!

My Philadelphia Study Group!

Last summer I did not go away to any summer programs, but I sure did learn a lot. I read many, many books, had courageous conversation with friends, took in some great exhibits, and I felt so much smarter once school started back. However, once school started, the learning really started.

My students gave presentations on different novels, and many of the novels I had never read before. I was so intrigued by their presentations, and now I have this long list of books that I am going to read upon my students' recommendation. Knowledge! Knowledge! Knowledge!!!!!

Loving to learn means that I love school right? Well, I do! I love the buildings, desk, teachers, professors, structure, bells, books etc. I just finished my 3rd degree, and I mean it, and I really mean that I am not taking another class for a grade. (Grades are for kids.) I just want to take classes to learn. Be careful about what comes out of your mouth...........

One of my friends sent me an email about a New Year's Eve Celebration, and at the bottom of the email I saw CLASSES. Me being me, I clicked on that, and lo and behold, I am currently taking a life coaching class with the honorable Iyanla Vanzant and the dynamic Robert Pruitt, and I ain't getting a grade; I'm just growing and learning. Power! Power! Power!

Iyanla Vanzant

Most of the knowledge that I have, I must admit, I DIDN'T get it in traditional schools. I love traditional schools, but they only serve to pique a person's interest on different topics. We must pursue what we want to learn and its normally independently. In school, I hit the surface of health, English, math, history, but it was up to me to go deeper into the things that I wanted to know or needed to know.

So, you see that I have another passion!

Be about the business of discovering your passion.

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Part 5: What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about Breakfast!

If you have been reading my series on passion, you know that I am a passionate person. I am passionate about artists and their art, my health, fellowshipping, and I am also passioniate about breakfast.

About four or five years ago, I was working with this trainer, and he stated that I needed to eat breakfast every morning. I started complaining saying that I could not get up early enough to fix and eat breakfast before I left for work. He stated, "If it's important to you; you will do it."

That statement "If it's important to you; you will do it," convicted me, and I got up the very next day and ate breakfast and have eaten breakfast every morning since. I thought that I was the kind of the person that could not eat as soon as I woke up. However, I have learned that I am hungry in the mornings and need food. I will not leave my house without eating breakfast.

Here is a normal week day breakfast:

Old Fashion Oatmeal with blueberries, raisins, etc.
and
a protein shake with or without blueberries.

After doing research on breakfast, I realized that breakfast is very important. Maybe it's not important for everybody, but it's definitely important for me. If I don't eat breakfast my energy level is low, and I normally eat all day, and by lunch time, I just can't eat enough.

I want my body to start off on a good note everyday. So, I make sure that my breakfast is not processed or loaded with sugar; I make sure that my breakfast is something that will jump start my body.

On Saturdays, when I meet my running group, I eat old fashioned oatmeal before I leave the house. If I do not go for a run, I will either cook breakfast:

Scrambled egg whites with Ezekiel bread with a little peanut butter
on one side of the bread.

Ezekiel Bread is the best bread in the land!

or I head down the street to Whole Foods where they make my omelet any way that I want it. I love my people at Whole Foods:

Egg white omelet with salmon, capers, garlic, sun dried tomatoes,
onions, a little feta and cheddar cheese with a half slice of French toast and a
a little maple syrup. Heaven!

My favorite omelet maker at Whole Foods!

Is there anyone else out there passionate about breakfast or really can't eat breakfast?

Please share your thoughts on breakfast and what you eat for breakfast.

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Part 4: What are you passionate about?

Fellowshipping at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!

I am passionate about fellowshipping!

(Fellowshipping is two or more people getting together to do whatever.)

I love people and being with people, and I truly believe that PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND. 

Now, don't let my love of being with people by no means lead you to believe that I do not highly value time alone. I do! I love coming home to a quiet house where I can do whatever I want to do with no regards for anybody. When the time comes for me to adjust to living with someone, I'm sure I'll make the adjustments. But for now, I love my time alone, but I also love fellowshipping.

I love a loud restaurant or bar with people who are happy if only for the moment. I love sporting events because there are lots of people gathered together for one purpose: to watch a game and be merry. I love outdoor street festivals, because I love the energy of the crowds. I love the Essence Festival in New Orleans because of how packed Bourbon street gets with people who have one purpose: to have a good time. I think you get my point; I love crowds.

On the other hand, I love a good house party with twenty people who are quite familiar with each other laughing, talking, and being merry. There is nothing like meeting friends out at a restaurant, bar, play, museum or someone's house just because we want to. However, my favorite thing to do is to meet someone out without any purpose in mind but to enjoy. My friend, Toya, and I will catch the train into DC and literally walk all over DC. No real purpose, but we have lots of great conversations, laughs, and normally end up in some really cool spots.

Toya and I randomly out the night that President Obama was elected  President.

While I'm on the subject of Toya, she is the kind of friend whom I can call or text, and she can be ready RIGHT NOW! A conversation between us normally goes something like this:

"Hey, where are you?"

"I'm headed to DC."

"Hey, I'm around the corner."

"Do you want to meet at Busboy and Poet's in about 30 minutes?"

"Sure."

Thirty minutes later we are at Busboy and Poet's laughing and talking.

In this world, there are millions and millions of people to spend time with. So, there is no reason for anyone to be alone unless he/she wants too and alone is always an option. For every one person who does not want to spend time with you, there are probably ten who do. When I was in graduate school, a professor Dr. Jay, whom I highly respect, would always tell us: "Spend time with people who want to spend time with you."  I live by this, and it is a piece of the puzzle that makes my life complete.

Is there anyone out there who loves fellowshipping as much as I do?

Me and some of my Tuskegee friends fellowshipping
with the group "Dead Presidents."

I must leave you with this song: People Make the World Go Round by the Stylistics.

Be about the business of living your passion!!!!

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Part 3: What are you passionate about?

Me in the midst of a ridiculously difficult workout
that I absolutely love!

I am passionate about my health! Period

The best trainer in the entire world, Berhane, always says: "Take care of the inside of your body and the outside will take care of itself."

When I first starting training with Berhane, I was sort of eating right and working out. I thought that I could eat whatever I wanted and "get fine." I was very concern about the outside of my body and was not as concerned about the inside of my body. However, after processing and implementing "taking care of the inside of my body and the outside will take care of itself," my body started to change.

Me in July! Not so bad right but.......

Me in December. HOT!

Here are some things that I make sure I do:
1. I workout five to seven days a week, and I am not talking about reading while on the stairmaster or treadmill. I'm talking about working out to that point where I break into a sweat. After a workout, I normally look like I have been in a shower.
2.  I am conscious about everything that I put in my body. I need my insides to be healthy and clean. I eat lots of green, leafy vegetables, beans, squash, hummus, peanut butter with apples etc, almost nothing processed. I make sure that I watch my sugar intake. I use to eat Kashi cereal until I realized that they have a lot of sugar, healthy sugar, but it is still sugar. I do slip up from time to time, but know that I am even conscious about my slip ups. I make them GOOD.
3. I only drink alcohol every now and then, and I am a happy hour girl, but now I do those same happy hours, but I have water with a lime, and no one knows that I am not drinking alcohol. I have just as much fun, and I can even run the next morning. Why? Because I did not put alcohol in my body the night before.
4. And, I read, read, read about health....... Knowledge is power, and most of the time when people know better; they do better, or at least I do.

Here are some things that I never or almost never do :)
1. I never eat fast food! It makes me feel like crap, and I will not do anything that makes me feel bad.
2. I almost never use artificial sweeteners. Almost never because when I really desire a cup of coffee, I will have it with two splenda and two creams, but I am determined to eventually stop this habit for good.
3. I never, ever go an entire week without working out. I even workout while on vacation. It is so great to go to a new place and see it while biking or hiking. Working out is one of my passions, and I love to do it, and I do it often.
     

One of my favorite bloggers is Erika Kendall who writes the Blog Black Girls Guide to Weight Lost. Erika always tells it like it is whether you like or not. Personally, I always want to know the hard, cold truth, and the truth normally sends me into action.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Erika:

I don’t care how many miles you run each day, how many pounds of weight you lift or how chiseled your muscles are. You cannot live a fully healthy life if you ingest chemicals to survive. You are cheating your insides – screw what you look like on the outside – if you don’t care for them as much as you care for your abs, your booty, your legs or whatever else you adore. Period.
Excerpted from The Case Against Diet Soda (And Aspartame… And Splenda.. And….) | A Black Girl's Guide To Weight Loss

So, my people, my health is another thing that I am passionate about.

Healthy forever..........

Discover your passion and be passionate about it :)

Me with my "I'll whip your a@# look! lol

Me and Berhane, the greatest trainer in the world!
If you are in the DC area, you must try him.



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Part 2: What are you passionate about?



Me at The Corcoran Gallery of Art with the photographer
Hank WillisThomas. His exhibit, Strange Fruit is on display,
right now, at The Corcoran, and it is phenomenal!

I am passionate about ARTISTS and their ART!

I was not going to start writing about my passions until later in the week. I was going to give my readers, you, a chance to marinate on Part One, but something happen tonight, and I HAD to write about it right now; my heart is on fire.

Quiet as it is kept, I love the arts! I spend a fair amount of time in museums, reading books, seeing plays, and chasing authors, photographers, painters etc all over the city.

I am extremely grateful that I live ten minutes outside of DC, and I get to do the things that I love to do all of the time. The added bonus is that most of the museums are free and there are always great FREE exhibits. There are also lots and lots of theatres and many opportunities to see many different types of plays at all different prices. I love where I live!!!!!

So, I was watching the news a few weeks back, and they were talking about an exhibit titled 30 Americans at The Corcoran gallery. You know that I got real excited, and went to The Corcoran's website and realized that they had two other exhibits that I wanted to see as well as 30 Americans: Strange Fruit  and some photos from the Gordon Parks collection. I instantly started plotting the ideal time to visit this museum, and there is no better time than a holiday weekend.

Saturday, I went to The Corcoran gallery, and I normally don't publicly admit these type of things, but my heart was beating fast from the time that I got to the museum until right now. (My heart is still glad.) I left the gallery feeling happier and smarter.

At the museum, I read that the artist who is responsible for Strange Fruit, Hank Willis Thomas, was going to give a FREE lecture tonight at The Corcoran. I called the museum and was told that there were no more spaces left to see him, but I could come early and get on the waiting list. So, I left work, had an extremely challenging workout, had a real quick dinner on the run, and went to get on that waiting list, and I got to see and hear Hank Willis Thomas (God favors me!).

Hank with one of his first pictures ever published. The guy in the picture who was
was slain, was his cousin and the inspiration for many of his photographs!

Hank Willis Thomas is a thirty-five year old photographer (Young, Gifted and Talented). Hearing him talk about his photographs and his thoughts about them was completely captivating. Hank took the audience from crying to laughing with his many fascinating stories surrounding photos.

Tonight, I could have easily gone to workout and spent the rest of the night at home, but instead, I decided to follow my passion, and I went to see and hear an artist talk about his art. (My happiness level went up ten notches because of this experience.)

So, whatever it is that you like to do, DO IT. Make no excuses and see how your life will go from ordinary to extraordinary.

Hank talked about how he met the man who took this picture, Ernest Withers.
Guess who else met Ernest and got an autographed copy of this same picture on the walls in
her house? ME, I'm just saying.....

The Ernest Withers' picture inspired Hank to create this exhibit!

Guess who I ran into at The Corcoran tonight?

The author A'Leila Bundles who is the the great-great-granddaughter of the
famed Madam C.J. Walker! What a joy to run into an author!



and my homegirl, Bridgett and her son, from Mobile, Alabama (Small World)!

Really now, go out and do the things that you are passionate about, and you don't have to wait until the weekend! Do it today.

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Part 1: What are you passionate about?

"You are responsible for the energy that you bring into a room (the world)." Oprah Winfrey


I am getting closer to my optimum physical and mental health, and I have really started to think about what I want to project into the universe and get back in return.

I am a person who is full of energy. I wake up energetic, and I maintain that energy throughout most days. I do get tired, and I honor that feeling by resting. So, to the world, I really want to project that energy through my attitude and appearance. At forty-one, I do not want to project that I am a tired thirty year old, and I definitely do not want to project that I am a tired sixty year old; I want to project the vibrant, happy, forty-one year old that I am.

One of my friends, who is in her mid-forties and looks absolutely fabulous, told me about this books that she consults in order to keep her look up-to-date. The book is titled Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange with Sophie Gachet.

I love this style guide, and I must admit that I flip through it often, and I do follow quite a few of the tips, and I am thrilled with the results.

So, stay with me, I'm getting to passion, I promise.

I was flipping through this style guide, and a list for Lifelong Beauty struck me and really made me stop and read, read and reread. Here is the list:

1. Be well-groomed.
2. Smell nice.
3. Look after you teeth. Have them professional cleaned every six months.
4. Smile.
5. Be indulgent.
6. Be nonchalant and forget your age.
7. Be cooler and more easy-going.
8. Be less selfish
9. BE PASSIONATE ABOUT A MAN, A PROJECT, A HOUSE. IT'S AN INSTANT FACELIFT.
10. Do only what suits you. The perfect ZEN attitude.
11. Accept that there will be bad days. And make the most of the good days!

I absolutely love this list, but #9 struck me and made me stop and think about all of the things that I am passionate about: breakfast, running, biking, teaching literature, the great outdoors/Jesus, fellowshipping, learning, being healthy, and the arts.

Things that I am passionate about are what help to keep me happy from day to day. Without these things, I try and image what my life would be like: slowly waking up, going to work, eating, and doing the same thing the next day. I think, with that kind of life, I would go crazy. I love being passionate.

This is my first of many blogs where I will write about the things that I am passionate about. I am hoping that this series will inspire someone to think about and do the things that he/she are passionate about.

If you already have things that you are passionate about, please share, share, share them so that we can inspire others to discover and do things that they are passionate about often.



Fellowshipping!



Momma and me at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta to see The Nutcracker!



The view while biking in Vermont!

The view while hiking in the Grand Canyon!

The Arts!

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