Finding Passion - Baby Steps To Get It Back Again
By Lyn Harris

Sadly, most of us live our lives lacking the curiosity, pleasure and passion we once held as a child or young adult. What has become of our joy and pleasure in activities we once regarded with endless enthusiasm? How do we find that kind of passion in our lives again?

As humans, we thrive on change and new activities. We are more alive in new situations than at any other time. Why wouldn't we choose to seek out experiences that have the potential to propel us to new heights of pleasure and fulfillment? One word: FEAR.

Fear keeps most of us living in the comfort zone unwilling to venture out and take a new job, or move to another city or town, or take risks of any kind. I once read a book titled, "Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway." The book gave me the courage to face my fears in a new way. I used this book as a springboard to help me overcome my terrible anxiety and fear of public speaking, with great success.

Steps to Inviting Passion Back in to Life.

If you haven't a clue what your passion is, don't worry, neither did I. I discovered, though, the way to uncover my hidden passions was by writing. I found a quiet place and began to write a list of 10 things I really loved doing. It took some time, but I was patient with myself. Before long I had a list of 10 things and I didn't stop there. I continued to write and by writing I was more inspired. Baby steps to the goal is my motto. I would reward myself with a cup of tea or my favorite beverage when I thought of new things as the days went by. I knew I had completed one of the hardest parts of the lesson - identifying my passions.

Why is Writing a Powerful Process in Identifying Passions?

The mysterious ways of manifestation can begin to take hold somehow when we write down our passions on paper. We've all heard at some time, those who take the time to write their goals are more likely to achieve their goals than those who haven't.

It is very easy for most of us to write. So, why don't we? Whatever the reason, don't let this be you. Write and let me know what your passions are today!

Lyn Harris is currently living within walking distance to the ocean, works for a local newspaper, and is passionate about anything to do with the subjects of health, nutrition and well- being. If you have something you're passionate about, anything, please email me at lynjoyful@yahoo.com

Wealthy thoughts:
Fear - Why Risk Taking Is Your Best Friend
By Benedict Marsh

Like a river, its natural flow is into the unknown, but many of us seem to choose to fight that. We stick with what is comfortable and safe and familiar. As a result, we hold on to the rocks and logs that stop us from going down stream into the darkness in order to stick to the scenery we decide we like on the journey. Meanwhile, the water is rushing past us, trying to bring us with it, trying to get us to be part of it, and we hold on for dear life, exhausting ourselves with our determination NOT to let go. In this stuck state we are blinded by our fear, and we fail to experience the River's complete and utter support of us - because we ARE the River. We are part of it. It can't NOT support us.

Throughout life, many of us have experienced - a number of times - being faced with a tough decision that is riddled in unknowns. No matter how hard we try to figure out what the right answer is, we come up empty, because no amount of rational thinking can tell us what the right thing to do is. We have to dig deeper than our minds can carry us. We have to follow our hearts.

Well what the hell does that mean?

Frequently our head gets in the way of our heart by its incessant noise, questioning and over analyzing. While our brain continues to try and figure out what the "right" answer is, our heart is screaming it at us. The brain then hears this and says, "How do YOU know? You have no information whatsoever to base that on. You don't know what you are talking about. How could you possibly know that THAT is what we have to do? Besides, what if we fail? What if we are embarrassed? What if we end up unhappy for the rest of our lives? What if we SUFFER? (gasp)"

And this is GREAT. Be grateful that you are scared. Observing that this is happening in yourself is the first step to going in the right direction. When we are floating down the River, sometimes we can see for miles ahead of us. It's calm, relaxed, SAFE. However, sometimes it starts to rush. There are rapids, rocks, and waterfalls. It is scaring the heck out of us and we can't see what is coming only 10 meters ahead. Everything in us is screaming to turn around, dig our heels in, grab on to something quick! Sometimes it even screams to get out of the River all together - get out of life. See, the thing is, one day the River is going to swallow us up either way. So either we can have an amazing journey and go WITH the River, or we can hold on for dear life, and get swallowed up fighting it tooth and nail.

So, how do we go with the River? By doing what we are scared of. Fear is a solid indicator of the direction we need to go. It shows us very clearly in which direction the unknown lies, and therefore where the path of least resistance lies. The catch here is that we become the resistance momentarily. When you stick with what is familiar and safe all the time, you are going AGAINST the flow. Psychologically it may seem easier to go up stream, because it is risk free. You know the territory already, so it's easier to navigate. But the River wants you to keep going. This is why many of us have experienced incredible liberation when we FINALLY let go and commit to a decision that has been scaring us for a long time. Suddenly we are going with the natural flow of everything. There is freedom, peace and joy in it. It's exhilarating. You'll find that everything seems to go your way for a while after that. Your confidence goes up. That doesn't mean there won't be challenges. There will: the next time you come to a place where it's really scary again. These are the bumps in the River.

"But I'm scared," you say. So start small. Take baby steps. The next time you go out for dinner, choose the thing on the menu you are most unsure of. The next time you are worried which route to take to work, take the one you are scared will take the longest. Just become aware of when you become scared of the small day to day decisions you have to make and purposely do the ones that scare you the most. Then observe what happens in your life when yo do this. More often than not you will find that the universe will support you. Take one step towards the Universe and it takes two towards you.

"Leap and the net shall appear." It's a win win. When you take a risk and you get the result or better that you were hoping for, you win. When you don't get the result you were hoping for, you win - because you took a risk, and that can only bring inner growth. "You win, you win. You lose, you win." What's interesting is that as your confidence goes up you will start to do this with the BIG life decisions. That doesn't mean that you don't calculate when it is appropriate. It can be good to use your brain - it's a powerful tool. Just don't let it rule the roost. When doubt clouds the way, then at least you know the way!

1. Pay yourself first. Schedule a payment to yourself (for example a savings account) before you pay your bills. That way you'll always have money before your creditors get theirs.
2. Value your time. Work out how much your work time brings in per hour and decide whether that few extra hours of sleep a week are worth wasting this income.
3. Money is a game. Don't get too attached to it, it is a means to enjoy life, not an end.