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November PassionCast – Come Join Us!

September 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On November 3rd and 4th, from 5 – 8pm PST, we are creating a virtual dialogue among social and spiritual Passioneers around the globe in the first Fall Passioncast. At this stage, we envision a multi-segment program where guest panelists will dialogue with audiences on topics relevant to budding and thriving Passioneers. Our intention is to break through the current paradigm of teleseminars, telesummits, and webinars in the following ways:

1) Topics will originate from the bottom-up via our audience’s hearts and minds, instead of top down from “experts”.

2) Panelists and facilitators will create synergies among themselves, so that the whole of the dialogue far exceeds the sum of each individual’s contributions.

3) The PassionCast topics will move out across space and time at greater and great vibrations, such that subsequent PassionCasts build upon prior Casts. (Most traditional telecasts bring together experts who impart their wisdom for a brief period of time, and then go their separate ways)

4) We will videocast at least one live group of panelists and their live audience from a remote location (beginning 2011).

5) Egos will be checked at the virtual door! We’re calling forth a special class of thriving Passioneer – the new class, that has moved beyond being the sole visionkeeper of knowledge and information.

6)…Because connection and collaboration rule! PassionCast facilitators and panelists will commune and co-create with each other during brief conference calls before the Passioncast. In essence, we’re forming a Passioneer community that will support and promote each other before, during, and after the event. So only the strongest of teamplayers need apply.

A portion of the PassionCast proceeds will be contributed to the Make a Passion Possible charitable nonprofit organization that supports budding Passioneers.

Our kick-off and organizational calls have been amazing. We’re recording each call if you miss them, and we’re accepting panelists for November only up until September 15th. After that, you may be considered for our February 2011 PassionCast.

How You Can Participate: We’re seeking panelists, virtual “table leaders”, sponsors, donors, and other experts. If you’re interested in playing in return for a virtual limelight in our community, please contact us below.

We can’t wait to see what unfolds as we continue to unleash the vision for this event and subsequent ones. Thanks for being willing to play with us! Cheers and Happy Passioneering!
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Photo: (c) Copyright All rights reserved by Paulaastorga[/private][/private]

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Passioneer® Stacy Vajta, Master Energy Healer

September 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday September 15th, we’re interviewing Stacy Vajta, owner of Expanded Pathways and a master energy healer. With over 20 years of experience, she has a unique ability to connect to the subtle energies which shape our lives. Her work not only finds the energetic discrepancies between where people are and where they want to be, but focuses on assisting her clients in accessing new vibrational information to energetically move them to the next level in their healing; and then integrates this into the nervous system and physical body with a new conscious awareness to create deep physical, personal and spiritual change. She can be reached at www.expandedpathways.com

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:30am PST at www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Stacy’s Passioneer Q & A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion”?

I define passion as that energy or force within us that says, “Yes!” It’s a life force that can be used for specific endeavors and dreams, and also to keep us engaged in life, growth and new experiences. Passion is vital in our lives as a creative force. Even if we haven’t fully materialized or acted upon a particular passion of ours, holding passion—experiencing it—is a moving force to help us create all things in our lives. When we lose passion, we lose life force. Those special things that we are passionate about show up in our interests and our dreams; those are our special gifts to give. Sometimes our passions can get hidden or covered up by our fears or beliefs we have about them, yet there is always a tug toward what we are truly passionate about. Our Soul just doesn’t allow us let it go! And if we don’t honor that in some form, our inner light diminishes to some extent. Much of my work is about supporting people in re-connecting to energy that may have been lost or out of reach for some reason. And in this reconnection we often access the energy of our passion as we become more whole. We’re reminded of the passion for life as we are able to access new levels of our awareness. And particularly in this time in our history, our evolution, where so much change is happening for people so quickly, honoring our passion is where many are finding their healing. Consciousness is changing, our energy is changing…and with this we’re being asked to feel and honor our passion and find that “Yes!” that’s inside us…and then move that out into the world in some way.

SO: What are your biggest passions for serving others, and how are you expressing them (also include hobbies and volunteering)?

I believe our consciousness is shifting and expanding, and with this, we are being asked to own and be fully responsible for what our passion is and how we move this out- or model this – in the world. My passion is helping women to create energetic bridges, taking them from where they are to where they want to be in their physical, emotional and spiritual lives; and really anchoring that energy into their physical and conscious  awareness so they can do something with that new information. Healing, whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual, is where I find my deepest passion. And supporting other people in their healing both allows and requires me to heal. What drives this for me—where that passionate inner statement of, “Yes! This is what I must do,” comes from is, an awareness and connection to what I see as our collective spiritual evolution. There is a shift happening, I can feel this. I can see it in my clients and we also see it all around us. For me that “passion,” – that “drive” – is to assist this transformation along…for all of us. In addition to the work that I do with clients, I think the best way to express my passion is to model it, to live from my soul and do what I know I need to do to create change and bring more beauty and meaning into my life. With passion also comes a level of responsibility.  If I say something is truly important enough for me to want to do, to integrate into my life, I must also be responsible and really act from that place as much as possible. It’s not just about feeling passionate about it, but modeling the value of it! I am also focused right now on how we can collaborate in community. About a year ago I started a group for healers and holistic practitioners to come together in more collaborative ways to  support each other, learn from each other, offer healing to help us help others and even move this into the community – support the community we live in. This group of healers is growing here in the Oakland, CA area and as it grows I’m finding more ways to facilitate healing on a group level.  My passion there is about how we can honor passion, individuality and healing in a group setting and also hold our uniqueness and the integral component of different ideas coming together to create some better.

SO: Your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions for serving others, and how you have addressed them?

I quite honestly had a lot of challenge in finally stepping into my passion and serving. For many, many years I was stuck in my own beliefs about how I couldn’t afford to do healing work, and truthfully I wasn’t able to hold my own inner power and really stand behind what I was doing. Yet, my spirit wouldn’t let it go. I kept at it and even when I hit financial difficulties I knew I had to do this. Money issues really aren’t about money (although they sure feel like it!). For me it was the indicator that I wasn’t being authentic in what I was here to do, and that there was some real healing that needed to be done. I got a lot of help and support to recognize my beliefs that were holding me back and did a lot of energetic healing work. As I did so, I began to own myself more and put myself into the world as a healer; I also began to recognize that my biggest challenges are what I help people with the most. I come from a place of understanding how hard it is to be stuck and I think that helps me see pretty quickly the energy and patterns where other people are stuck so we can work together at the core for real change. I also think that my process has led me to understand that my spirit is guiding me and that I trust that. And by trusting that, my entire world has expanded in ways that are positive and healing. So for me, I look at what is below what I am challenged by. Often what I think is the issue is just a part of it and I need to get to the core. Then, healing comes.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success?

Being willing to ask for help

Being willing to listen and let go of what I think is needed

Trusting Spirit

Connecting to others; really being a resource for people.

Being willing to change – flexibility and adaptability to new thoughts, ideas and energy is key!

SO: What one word/quality best describes your journey?

Expansion

SO: Your experience of “prosperity,” as you define it, in making the leap?

I think prosperity is about thriving and having movement in life. When things become stagnant or shut down we need to expand into some new energy that holds more prosperity for us. And if we’re willing to keep moving into these new areas in our lives, then we can stay in that state of prosperity and feel that solid, safe place to be in the world (metaphorically). Money is certainly needed in this world, and we need to feel prosperous in this area in our lives. And again, it’s a flow…when we are in that flow of money we feel prosperous. And when things are stagnant in our lives our money flow usually is as well. Money is never about money…it’s about that creative energy within us that creates. And when that’s blocked, we lose our ability to be prosperous. Vision, creative energy and passion are all tied to prosperity. We must know our passion and be able to see the vision but also clear the pathways for the creative energy to quite literally create for us. Then, we are prosperous.

SO: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in making the leap?

My biggest lesson is about owning my own power and trusting that to authentically live in the world and be seen. And a close second is networking!

SO: What’s your support system look like; how did you create it?

My support system is pretty solid now, but I did have to go out and create it. I was never a good networker really. I wasn’t taught how to do this! I was great at connecting to people but I didn’t always keep those connections. So at one point a while back I knew I needed a community of people that really supported what I did and what I was about. So I literally created a group! And from that I have connected to some amazing people who do see the world as I do and are very supportive and encouraging. I’m still learning how to create those connections that support, but I am also more and more aware now of what I want those to look like: collaborative, expansive, forward thinking and positive in nature.

SO: What wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

If you really believe in what you are doing, don’t stop. Get support in healing and get support in how to create a business if that is what you need. Sometimes the two aren’t the same. It may take a village so expand and find what feels right for your support. I also teach my clients to go in and make friends with what is showing up that may be causing fear and discouragement. “Lean into it!” Healing can be gentle. If you go in with an explorer’s mind looking for how you can heal, you will do so with less fear.[/private][/private]

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Passioneer® Rev. Karen Russo, Minister, Spiritual Guide in Wealth Creation

September 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday September 15th, we’re interviewing Rev. Karen Russo , a spiritual guide in Wealth Creation who can teach you how to stop worrying, fighting and struggling about money issues for good. She is also the author of The Money Keys: Unlocking Peace, Freedom and Real Financial Power, endorsed by Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, Loral Langemeier, T. Harv Eker, and Bob Proctor. With her unusual blend of experience as an MBA from Columbia University, an accomplished corporate trainer, award winning salesperson, and an ordained interfaith minister, Karen shares insights from over 25 years of spiritual and secular success. She can be reached at www.TheMoneyKeys.com.

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:00am PST atwww.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities.

Rev Karen’s Passioneer Q&A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion”?

The energy of God expressed through the individual.  One of my big passions is Real Financial Power—a state of being where we are inspired about our wealth, our beliefs about money & ourselves are empowering, and our actions w money keep us in the flow AND we can fund our dreams.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success and what one word best describes it?

Integration is my word—connecting the spiritual principle of our union with invisible reality with the material world.

SO: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in making the leap and what wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

Life is for us—everything is an opportunity to express more of our divinity and to grow.

SO: What or who drove you to be who you are?

Deep desire to learn, know and share about Go.

SO: Your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions for serving others, and how you have addressed them?

Releasing concerns like ‘is this going to work?’, ‘what do they think?’ and ‘what if this doesn’t turn out’?

SO: Who is your biggest “hero” in your life and why?

My sweet husband Bill—we met late in life and he is my hero, my lover, my man—so wise and accepting and always growing/ challenging me.

SO: Do you have a quote that you would like to share that speaks of you and your passion?

“Money worries are more of a faith issue than a financial one!”

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Passioneer® Dr. Nancy Irwin, Hypnotherapist, Sexual Abuse & Traumatic Stress Expert

September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday September 8th, we’re interviewing Dr. Nancy Irwin.Dr. Nancy who experienced an epiphany when she began volunteer work for Children of the Night, a shelter for sexually abused children in Los Angeles.  Not only did this work wake up the healer in her, but it also allowed her to heal from her own history of sexual abuse at the hands of a clergyman. This prompted her to pursue a doctorate in psychology and to specialize in the prevention and healing of child sexual abuse.  She now treats victims as well as abusers, for it is her belief that “The best way to help victims is to help the perpetrators.” A pre-licensed psychologist and clinical therapeutic hypnotist, Dr. Nancy is in private practice in Los Angeles, co-leads group therapy sessions for sex offenders, and is also a busy public speaker for Children of the Night, the Rape and Incest National Network, and Planned Parenthood. She’s been quoted extensively in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Women’s World, and others, and has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, including CNBC, The Rachel Maddow Show, Chef Academy, and more.  Dr. Irwin is a Diplomate in the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, a member of the Southern California Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and sits on the Education Committee of the California Coalition on Sexual Offending. She can be reached at www.drnancyirwin.com.

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:30am PST atwww.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Nancy’s Passioneer Q & A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion”?

It’s a 5-star fire for something. It’s what you would choose to do on a day off, for no pay, just because!

SO: What have been the key factors in your success and what one word best describes it?

A crystal clear vision, education, heart, drive, pitbull persistence.  One word: purpose.

SO: What has been your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions, and how you have addressed them?

Balancing social life and health/fitness.  It takes a great deal of organization and asking for support (and forgiveness many times!) to achieve balance

SO: Who or what inspired you to leap into your passion?

So many, but I’d have to say Dr. Lois Lee, sociologist and founder of  Children of the Night, a shelter for sexually abused teens that changed my life.

SO: Do you have a quote that you would like to share that speaks of you and your passion?

Mark Twain: “Why not go out on a limb.   Isn’t that where the fruit is?”

SO: What do you hope people would say about you when you’re gone?

She walked her talk.

SO: What three brief tips can you give to somebody making the leap into their passion?

(1) Expect challenges and obstacles; they are simply a test to see what you are made of. (2) Write out your mission statement in words that give you chill bumps, and keep it near you always. (3) Take care of your health; it is your greatest resource and the foundation upon which everything else will rest.

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Passioneer® Lauren Rosenfeld, Author, Founder of Wisdomology

September 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday September 8th, we’re interviewing Lauren Rosenfeld who co-authored the recently published book, “Your To Be List: Turn Those Dreaded To-Do’s into Meaningful Moments” with her husband James McMahon.  Lauren and James are also Co-Founders of Wisdomology.com, an international, interfaith community of seekers and sages on the web. They live in Asheville, North Carolina with their four children. She can be reached at www.wisdomology.com.

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:00am PST at www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Lauren’s Passioneer Q & A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion?”

Passion is the energy that wakes you up in the morning and whispers to you that you can make the world a better, more beautiful place.  It is the beckoning call that moves you into the world and inspires you to live meaningfully.  It is the rhythm that makes life poetry.  It is the music that calls us to dance.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success and what one word best describes it?

I think my success lies in my authentic curiosity about the world, my love of people, my instinct to question, and my ability to listen to answers without judgment.  I have an honest ability to see the good in others and a desire to draw that good out.  If I could choose one word: willingness.

SO: What has been your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions, and how you have addressed them?

My biggest challenge has been being able to balance the work that comes with pursuing my passions.  When I am deeply involved in any work that involves my passions, it is hard – if not impossible – to do that work half way.  I feel driven to see that work through to its completion, and to bring it into the world as a shining example.  So when I have multiple projects and priorities about which I feel deep passion, it can be challenging to balance it all.  So for example if I am writing, and teaching, and caring for my four wonderful children, it can be hard to remember to give back to myself.  And of course without compassion and love for self, there is not real, genuine compassion and love for others.

SO: Who or what inspired you to leap into your passion?

My husband James and I inspire one another.  He and I co-founded Wisdomology.com together and we also co-authored Your To Be List: Turn Those Dreaded To-Do’s into Meaningful Moments Every Day. I think we see within one another a spark of light that needs to shine in the world.  We have from the start, always encouraged one another to leap, to take chances, and to offer the world our best.  We did this when we got engaged after only four weeks of knowing one another.  We did this when we decided to adopt our two sons from Kazakhstan in the wake of September 11th.  We did it when we left our life in Atlanta and moved to Asheville to start Wisdomology.  And most recently, we did this when we decided to work together to write Your To Be List.

SO: Do you have a quote that you would like to share that speaks of you and your passion?

My very favorite quote, which appears in Your To Be List is from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.  In the last interview he gave shortly before his death, he was asked what wise words he would like to pass along to young people.  This is what he said: “Know that every deed counts; that every word is power.  And above all remember that despite all absurdities and all frustrations and all disappointments, the meaning of life is to build your life as if it were a work of art.”

SO: What do you hope people would say about you when you’re gone?

I would like for people to say that I truly heard them.  That I truly saw them.  That I made them feel that they truly mattered.  I would like them to say that I felt compassion for them – and that I helped to shed light on what it means to be a human being.  And that in that light, they began to build their life as if it were a work of art.

SO: What three brief tips can you give to somebody making the leap into their passion?

  • Know that there is something inside you that can only be revealed into this world by and through you – and by withholding that passion from the world you are withholding a gift that may otherwise not find its way into the world.  And what a tragedy for the world if that is never revealed.
  • Find a support network.  A cheerleading squad.  People who believe in you, who love your idea.  In moments of doubt you can always come to these people for support.
  • Don’t forget your accomplishments:  the small steps you make on your journey. Sometimes we look where we are and we think, “I’ve accomplished nothing.” But if we look behind us, we will see that we’ve come quite a way, step by step.  Every step you take matters.

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Passioneer® Melody Ivory, Artist, Poet, Computer Scientist

September 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday September 1st, we’re interviewing Melody Ivory who combines the eye of an artist, heart of a poet and discipline of a scientist, to help mid-career women get and stay on purpose with their life’s calling. She helps them to connect mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually with their essential selves through inspirational poetry, motivational talks and handcrafted natural care products delivered as part of The Dr. Melody Ivory Experience™. Over the past 20 years, she has worked as a computer scientist, performance poet, college professor, natural care products developer and author of six books. She can be reached at www.MelodyIvory.com.

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:00am PST at www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Melody’s Passioneer Q & A

SO: What’s your definition of passion?

Passion is bringing your full essence—your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual potential—to what you’re doing such that, in the process, you expand your potential.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success and what one word best describes it?

Intention is the best word to describe my success. The five keys to my success are as follows.

  • Intentional living—focusing on the what and navigating the how.
  • Inspired changing—proactively moving toward what I want rather than away from what I don’t want.
  • Instantly destressing—minimizing my response to stress.
  • Intellectual balancing—developing and using both my analytical and artistic talents rather than buying into the left-brain/right-brain myth.
  • Introspective Relating—understanding that every relationship begins and ends with me and cultivating desired relationships from the inside out.

SO: What has been your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions, and how you have addressed them?

My biggest challenge was walking away from my job as a computer and information science professor at the University of Washington (something I studied and prepared for nearly my whole life), a 6-figure salary and the prestige of being the world’s leading expert on automated web site evaluation to leap into being a passionate champion of women…with no connections, no clients and no clue how to do so. I choose to follow my heart anyway, because I knew my calling was not to teach about the outer technology, but to teach about the inner technology. I also knew I needed the freedom to be fully self-expressed. For the past five years since walking away from academia, I’ve stayed focused on my intention (using all my gifts to empower women to be the living works of art they’re meant to be and to make the contribution they’re meant to make). I had to rearrange my whole Self and my life from the inside out to get aligned with this intention. Slowly, step-by-step I’m realizing the intention I set years ago.

SO: Who or what inspired you to leap into your passion?

Two years before I left my job, I contracted meningitis and nearly died while working as a professor at the University of Washington. That experience was a major wakeup call for me. I knew that I was a teacher at heart, but I was in the wrong classroom. The question became, “Will you die teaching in this classroom and having never fully shared your journey, gifts and the powerful lessons you’ve learned?” Today, I’m working on my one-woman show titled, “The Road M Traveled,” which chronicles my life of abuse and abandonment at the age of 7 by both parents. It takes the audience through the maze of foster homes I grew up in and describes how, despite these circumstances, I became valedictorian of my high school, ran away to college at the age of 18, became a single parent two years later, went on to graduate with a double major in honor’s computer science and mathematics and, after years of struggling with an attention deficit disorder, became the first African American woman to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley with a Ph.D. in computer science. After my bout with meningitis, I reflected on my life story and knew that I had to switch to the public classroom to teach, heal and lead.

SO: Do you have a quote that you would like to share that speaks of you and your passion?

Be the masterpiece you’re meant to be. This quote is my mantra. It is a reminder that we are so much more than we can even begin to imagine ourselves being. We are the living works of art.

SO: What do you hope people would say about you when you’re gone?

My hope is that people will say that I gave everything I had to give to the cause of uplifting humanity to its highest potential—a reality in which each and every one of us can be the masterpieces we’re meant to be.

SO: What three brief tips can you give to somebody making the leap into their passion?

  1. Be comfortable with not knowing.
  2. Be willing to be different.
  3. Be disciplined to keep going.

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Passioneer® Barbara Shaiman, Social Entrepreneur, Visionary

August 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]On Wednesday August 25th, we interviewed Barbara Shaiman. Throughout her career, noted educator, businesswoman and social entrepreneur, Barbara Greenspan Shaiman, has used her skills and ability to empower others to create social change. In 1995, she founded Champions of Caring, a non-profit organization that has empowered over 10,000 youth in Philadelphia and South Africa to become leaders in public service and active, engaged citizens.  Through her new book, Live Your Legacy Now: Ten Simple Steps to Find Your Passion and Change the World, and her Embrace Your Legacy speeches and workshops, she is guiding adults of all ages and backgrounds to embrace their legacies and use their passions, skills, and resources to create projects for personal growth and social change. She can be reached at www.embraceyourlegacynow.com

Dial in live at 347-205-9038 or via streaming radio at 9:30am PST at www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Barbara’s Passioneer Q & A

SO: What’s your definition of “passion”?

The driving force that propels you to make a meaningful contribution with your life. I believe that everyone has a passion, they just may not have found it yet – whether it is something that they love to do, or something that angers them to the point that they are motivated to take action. That is my goal through Embrace Your Legacy – to help individuals to identify their passions, and then translate that into creating social change.

SO: What have been the key factors in your success and what one word best describes it?

One word would be tenacious. I am also a risk-taker and very positive and creative. I believe in networking, networking, networking – I share my mission and my passion for making the world a better place with everyone I meet.

SO: What has been your biggest challenge(s) in leaping into your passions, and how you have addressed them?

The recent deaths of both my father and husband initially stopped me from finishing my book, “Live Your Legacy Now!: Ten Simple Steps to Find Your Passion and Change the World” and starting my new LLC, Embrace Your Legacy. But upon reflection, I realized that writing the book was a cathartic experience which gave me resiliency and enriched my life. It allowed me to get beyond my own challenges and empower others to live their legacies.

SO: Who or what inspired you to leap into your passion?

My parents, who are both Holocaust survivors,  taught me a great deal about humanity and responsibility. My mother, Carola Greenspan, is the sole survivor of a family of sixty-five people. My father, Henry Greenspan, worked for Oskar Schindler. They taught me that the best response to violence and hatred is love and caring, and that it is our responsibility and privilege to make the world a better place.

SO: Do you have a quote that you would like to share that speaks of you and your passion?

“Flaunt Your Humanity.” Instead of flaunting our possessions, let’s flaunt what we are doing to give back and contribute to society.

SO: What do you hope people would say about you when you’re gone?

She embraced her legacy and inspired others to do the same.

SO: What three brief tips can you give to somebody making the leap into their passion?

-       Dream big, but start small

-       Be creative

-       Be deliberate and relentless[/private][/private]

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Passioneering Tip #13: Persevering in Your Passions

July 7, 2010 By

[private][private]Perseverance is not about struggling, fighting, or forcing something to happen. It IS about putting more air into your tires so that when your rubber meets the inevitable rocky roads, you keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’. You CAN appreciate the ride, even if you’re holding on for dear life!

Quote
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. ~William Feather

Passioneer Challenge
Consider an area of your life where you feel as if you are facing many roadblocks. Ask yourself (or your higher power) these two questions, with an open heart and mind: “Who am I to be in this situation, and what am I to know?” When you are really ready and willing to hear the answers, they will come, and when you shift out of doing and into being, infinite possibilities emerge.

Happy Passioneering!

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Guest Post: Passioneer® Elisabeth Manning, Founder of Conscious Conception

July 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

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Passion and Perseverance

By Elisabeth Manning

I am a poster child for perseverance from the day I was born. Perseverance itself was the beginning of my own dawn to pursue human potential, which led  to discovering my passion in work.

Persevere, according to Webster means to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement.

I persevere now at a whole new level today, because I have passion for my life, my work, my self, my future, and the service I offer to planetary evolution. But I had a few hoops to jump through first to understand the value and source of passion and of human potential, and looking back I built a very big perseverance muscle which I learned comes easy when you have passion. Early on however, it was about survival.

How it all began you ask? Being raised in an alcoholic single parent home in a small town, living on welfare. My grandparents were millionaires, go figure.

Perseverance then was about showing up for a wounded mother.  Most of my family says I raised her. She checked herself into a mental institution when I was three but they threw her out and said she wasn’t crazy enough.

It was about survival and doing what had to be done. I was opening cans of soup by climbing on a chair at the kitchen counter when I was 5. I was allowed to miss school because my mom always got me out of bed at 2 am to listen to her cry to Barry Manilow records about how she was never approved of by her own father, and then she’d fall asleep drunk with a cigarette in her hand.  I would routinely transfer my pillow to her crooked neck, put out her cigarette, and crawl gratefully back into bed.

Perseverance then to me was about getting to school, my source of hope out of this cycle. Once I missed 21 days in a row because my mom liked the company. One day the principal came and we played possum and my mom squeezed lemon juice through the mailbox slot when he tried to peek in. Perseverance then was about having enough school supplies, so I stole them. Got escorted home by a nice policeman and had to go visit a probation officer who felt I had to have been wrongly accused, I was “too good”. So we had nice visits for the next 6 months while he scratched his head. Then I was taken away when I was 13 when mom was deemed “unfit.” But arguably in her defense, there was love. I just didn’t ever see her love herself.

Then came the day in psychology class at age 16 where we were introduced to Maslow’s Heirarchy of Self Actualization. I heard a voice and “it” took my pencil tip to the tippy top and said, “you are going HERE.” It was like an angel had given me a road map to life.

Fast forward 20 years of struggle, self loathing, self discovery, and finally consciously coming into my life’s work. It is no wonder I am passionate about sparing the children by helping parents see infertility as an opportunity to awaken to their potential to heal, and to consciously conceive, which leads to conscious parenting and broken destructive family patterns.

Today, I cannot NOT include my story in my current passion for my work. My life and work is ALL about stepping into our highest human potential to become worthy of the children coming into the world. And I wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe my definition of perseverance today: passion in action.

I couldn’t have had a better road map.

*********************

Elisabeth Manning is a Certified Spirit Coach and is a teacher in training at the Foundation for Spiritual Development in San Rafael California. Unlike traditional coaching Elisabeth works at the spirit and energetic levels to get to the root of the issues blocking her clients from achieving their soul purpose and unlimited nature. At this level sustainable healing and growth is achieve whereby the clients become their own guru and healer. She has a practice called Conscious Conception empowering women and couples to co-create fertility in all areas of their lives to regain health and wealth of spirit mind and body, and to prepare to live a mindful parenting path.  You can reach her at www.consciousconception.net, and please click here for her radio show interview.[/private][/private]

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Are You A Passioneer® or a Passioneer Wannabe?

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]Last year we began interviewing hundreds of bold, talented individuals and groups around the world who are leaping fully and vibrantly into their passions for making big, positive differences in the world.  We call them Passioneers® and are focusing on documenting their journeys to inspire others who are scared, discouraged, stuck, or dispassionate about their own journeys.   You know a  Passioneer when you meet them, mostly by how you feel in their presence:  uplifted, inspired, and ready to take on the world.  So what’s the secret sauce?

A decade ago, Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson coined the term “Cultural Creatives,” in their book, The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World. Their term refers to individuals who meet ten or more of their twenty Cultural Creative traits (See your score).   Their research estimates that there were nearly 150 million Cultural Creatives around the world in the year 2000 (50 million in the U.S.; 80-90 million in Europe).   The twenty criteria range from a love of nature, optimism for the future, equality for men and women to a dislike of modernism and concern about big business.   The research points to the possibility of Cultural Creatives’ linking arms, hearts, and programs around the globe and collaborating for a brighter future.   This possibility is becoming an imperative as we witness more and more disasters like the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.  Watch our brief video on our WHY!

Initially my definition of a Passioneer was how I described my closest friends and colleagues – the like-spirited souls whom I really click with, instantly, synchronistically, and at depth.  More recently, I realized that my best coaching clients are Passioneers, since they are truly willing and ready to make big steps to transform the planet.  The reality?  A Passioneer is a Cultural Creative who lives the mantra of “doing what you love and having the rest follow.”  A Passioneer thrives at what she loves (no starving martyrs please!) and wants to leave a big, positive legacy on the planet and support others in doing the same.  Don’t get me wrong:  each of us has a burning, crazy-ass Passioneer inside who’s just aching to burst on the scene and make a difference.  Still, it’s only the true Passioneers who follow their thought and talk with ACTION!

So, are you a Passioneer?  Answer the questions below to find out (or watch our brief video):

  1. Are you a big thinker with big ideas for your life and the planet?
  2. Do you believe that happiness involves a healthy mind, body, and spirit?
  3. Are you ready and willing to make courageous leaps in inspiring and serving in the world?
  4. Are you clear about your passions and your purpose?
  5. Does your definition of prosperity embrace way more than material gain but isn’t the “starving martyr syndrome”?
  6. Do you follow a path of regular self-reflection, self-development, and spirituality?
  7. Are you an open-minded, lifelong learner, and wisdom-seeker?
  8. Are you big-hearted and compassionate?
  9. Do you believe in the power of oneness, connection, and relationships?
  10. Are you a good steward of the earth, including resources, plants and animals?
  11. The Super-Duper Clincher:  Do you actively and consistently walk your Passioneer talk throughout your day and with every being that you meet?

If you answered at least 7 of the 11 questions with a “Yes,” then you are a Passioneer.  Bonus points if you answered #11 with a Yes!

In their research, Ray and Anderson also discovered some common values in Cultural Creatives that they asserted are “the best single indicator of real behavior”:  Authenticity, Engaged Action and Whole Process Learning, Idealism and Activism, Globalism and Ecology, Importance of Women, Altruism, Self-Actualization, and Spirituality.

For the Passions and Possiblities Project, we’ve distilled 200+ interviews into a core set of 12 values that show up the most in the Passioneers.  As you can see, there’s a lot of overlap with the Cultural Creative research.

  1. Big Vision/Purpose
  2. Fierce Commitment/Perseverence
  3. Faith/Belief
  4. Authenticity/Integrity
  5. Courage
  6. Prosperity Consciousness
  7. Strong Connections/Relationships
  8. Self-nurturing/Balance
  9. Giving Heart
  10. Consistent Action
  11. Gratitude
  12. Open Mind/Flexibility

Most importantly, we’ve found that Passioneers have clear, focused desires for their lives, including;

  • Fully exploring and expressing their talents and passions.
  • Prospering at what they love in all areas of their life.
  • Being healthy, vibrant, and in balance.
  • Living the life of their dreams.
  • Making a big difference in the world and leave a legacy.
  • Building and maintaining deeper, more committed relationships of all kinds
  • Supporting others in the same.  That is, paying it backward, forward, up, down, and all around.

So, ask yourself, are you a Passioneer?   Do you want to be one?  For tips on making the leap check out our two related posts:  Do What You Love and the Rest Will Follow (Part I) and Part II.

Happy Passioneering!

************************************

Sue Oliver is a Passions and Possibilities coach who supports bold, talented individuals in leaping fully and vibrantly into their passions for making bigger, positive contributions on the planet.  She offers full-spectrum success coaching from a mind/body/spirit standpoint through Powerleaps Coaching, via telecoaching and classes.  Sue shares 20 years of experience launching new ventures for nonprofits, businesses, and individuals.  Her mission is to prove that you can do what you love and thrive.  She hosts the popular The Passions and Possibilities Project radio show and founded The Passions and Possibilities Project.[/private][/private]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured posts, Passioneers, Sue's Posts Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Passioneer® Terry Kohl, Guest Blogger, Walking Your Talk

May 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]Special thanks to Terry Kohl for sharing this week’s guest blog on the theme of Courage.  If you or someone you know would like to be a guest blogger, email us at info@passionsandpossibilities.com.  Thank you and Happy Passioneering!


Walking Your Talk

by:  Terry Kohl

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to advise others on what to do? I don’t know about you but I excel at this. In my Live Like You Mean It Playshops™ I am expected to teach, however, the teacher in me often takes over in my day-to-day life, and sometimes without being asked. Ooops.

Recently, I observed myself advising a friend on a subject that was challenging to me as well. When I realized that I could easily be advising myself, an epiphany occurred. I was “thunked” on the head with the awareness that I was not walking my talk.

Most of us have been guilty of the “all talk and no action” syndrome at one time or another. However, studies show that people pay more attention to what others do than what they say. This includes kids, big time!

As a child, one of my mother’s favorite admonitions was, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” The injustice of that infuriated me well into my early 20’s. Then I realized that she wanted to instill in me a better framework for action and decision-making than she was able to carry out herself. (Thank you mom!)

So what holds us back from practicing what we preach, or walking our talk? As I began to drill down into the real issue, I realized I was afraid. In reality, we are all afraid of something. The key is to recognize it and take action to overcome it.

My fear, and the one I so effectively help others to overcome, is the fear of being misjudged. But, as I explain to others, you can line up 20 people and get 20 different reactions to whatever it is you are asking for. Relying on the approval of anyone other than you is a one-way ticket to feelings of rejection and judgment.

Making the decision to walk my talk was the first—and frankly—the most difficult step in overcoming my fear. Many of us do not pay attention to what we are thinking. Thoughts are habit forming and become habit-forming actions. Where your thoughts go, your experience follows. Your talk is where you walk.

Being mindful of what I am thinking, and consciously choosing whether to speak those thoughts, has caused me to never miss a good chance to shut up. The real power is in our actions, not our words.

Where are your thoughts taking you? Are you on a journey of joy, discovery and self-love, or are you so intent on telling others what to do that you lose track of your own course. Make it a priority to decide to uncover your true beliefs and motives. It only takes a little courage to squeeze out the little fears one by one.

**************

Successful author and coach, Terry Kohl is our guest blogger for the next few months.   You can reach her at either www.LostYourJobNowWhat.com or www.TerryKohl.com.


Thank you Terry and Happy Passioneering!
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Passion Feats™ – Thanking Those Who Make Passions Possible

May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

[private][private]We are collecting and sharing Passion Feats – brief, inspiring stories of individuals and groups who have touched your heart and made passions possible for others in the world.   The intention?  To shine a light on those beautiful souls who are making the world a better place and to say THANK YOU!    Ring out the negative and ring in the POSITIVE!

The most popular Passion Feats will appear on our home page and be tweeted out regularly.   Very soon, we are launching a dedicated Passion Feats website and blog.

In the interim, please  submit your favorite Passion Feat as a short, 2-3 sentence description of the act or event, the difference that it made, individual/group involved, a quote, and the quality portrayed (e.g,. Courage, Faith, LOVE etc).  Thanks in advance for your submission via:  http://www.passionsandpossibilities.com/passionfeats/!  You can also use the form below.

Happy Passioneering!

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