The Passionate Self

A Passion Expressed

written by Teresa Belluz for the Art of Purposeful Living Blog

A question: "Young man your face expresses a sweet pain, what is it?" 

The answer: "It is simply my passion for soccer."

"Eyemazing" via Issuu

Thought Challenge: What is YOUR simple passion? In what way does passion contribute to your life? How do you express your passionate self?

It's a Beautiful Day

To all the dads, grand-dads, brothers, uncles, brothers-in-law, and just plain good men.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Dad & me

Dad & Ashley

Uncle Kevin

Photographs: The Art of Purposeful Living

Thought Challenge: Who are the men in your life that you are honouring today?

And let's wrap up this beautiful day 

with a little something from U2's recent concert in Seattle.

U2 > News > Surprise in Seattle

Start Your Own Green Movement

After I titled this post I realized that maybe you might think the topic would be environmentally focused. Well, in a way it is. I'm very visual and I have a passion for colour. So, today, it's all about green. Some days you just have to allow yourself a few random pleasures...

Images via Pinterest

Thought Challenge: What are the things around you that take you to another place (metaphorically speaking), create a meditative mood, or shift you into a higher state of well-being? 

COMING UP...

I'll be posting about "The Circle of Influence" (Stephen R. Covey), and the next instalment of The Artful Learning Lab where we'll look at goal-setting and action-planning. I'm also working on some formatting changes to the blog, adding more information about myself and the work I do. Until we meet again...

Wednesday Time Out: Wholehearted Imperfection

I'd like to introduce you to Brené Brown. She calls herself a "researcher storyteller." I call her inspirational and can't wait to hear her speak at the Vancouver International Coach Federation (ICF) meeting in September. Here's a clip from TED talks, it's 20 minutes long. I encourage you to take time out to hear a little of her own story and how her research on vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame has led her to focus on the concept of wholeheartedness. While you're at it, check out her blog.

Learning to Become a Beginner

Hello! We arrived home safely on Wednesday after a "sleep over" in Toronto when we missed our connecting flight. Have you ever noticed how gorgeous everything looks after you've been away? Vancouver is simply breath-taking in its' natural beauty.

The first couple of nights home found me awake in the middle of the night. Eluded by sleep, legs cramping and mind in overdrive, thinking about the future and questioning myself. I thought that being away in a foreign place would generate some profound insights and clarity about my next steps. It didn't. Sigh. I wasn't home 24 hours before I began to feel a need to get moving. Doing. Something. Anything.

Photograph by Sarah Lee via 2photo.ru

I was drawn back into old thinking patterns. The stuff that made me successful in the past but no longer satisfying. I was hooked back in because it's comfortable, familiar, and for the most part, predictable. Which begs the question: "What drives these feelings of urgency and restlessness?"

Photograph by Michael M. Barrus via Pinterest

I have to remember that I am a beginner and that I am in a process of unlearning a lifetime of conditioning and messaging. The deeper I go in pursuit of my dream, the less confident I feel because I am stepping into the unknown and that frightens me. Often when there is ambiguity and uncertainty I feel uncomfortable and that's when I want to jump in and take control and get moving so I don't have to feel this way.


My impatience has me falling back into the familiar until my new beliefs, thinking and behaviours become instinctual and natural. I am reminded that I am in a continuous learning cycle, and as long as I am willing to stay open and aware, I have the possibility of reaching new heights of consciousness and personal mastery.

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, 

but in the expert's there are few" 

Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki

Photograph via Think.BigChief

Thought challenge: What is required of you in order to follow your dream? What strategies can you use that will help you stay on track? How will you stay open to learning and to having a beginner's mind?

Where Do Your Thoughts Take You?

When you are able to climb above your assumptions, 

what do you see? 

What are you attached to?

When you listen what do you hear? 

What is a new story you would like to write?

What is stopping you?

Where can you begin?

                                   

Photographs by Sarolta Bán via 2photo

                           

  

Wednesday Time Out

French Interlude

Images via Pinterest

Salut!

Image via Pinterest

Image via Amadeus Waterways

By now my family and I should be aboard the MS Swiss Pearl and starting our sojourn down the Saône and Rhône Rivers into the Heart of France.


Check Point

How you are progressing on your mission and vision journey?

Image via Pinterest

I have gone back over the vision statement I wrote a few years ago in grad school. The questions were similar to those in the thought challenge posted here, but concentrated more specifically on leadership and expanded further into goal setting, action planning and defining successful outcomes. I'll  post more on that in future Artful Learning Labs. For now, let's take a look at my first vision statement...

To live a life filled with love, purpose, and meaning by ensuring life/work balance while remaining committed to my own continuous learning and growth.

I can honestly say that it helped me stay true to myself during some tough times because I believed in it. I could remain clear on what mattered to me and honour my values and beliefs, especially when my self-confidence was threatened by inner feelings of doubt and uncertainty and the contrary thoughts and opinions of others I encountered in my personal and professional life.

Image via Pinterest

This blog is about creating learning opportunities for personal and professional growth. It is holding me accountable to my own dreams. I've done some fine-tuning and I'm feeling excited about the future...

My mission: Connecting people to their purpose.

My personal vision: To live a balanced life guided by Spirit, embraced in love, and purpose fulfilled.

My vision for coaching: Connecting people to their purpose through coaching and leadership development.

Image via Pinterest

Thought Challenge: What do you think about what I have written? How can you use this to inform your own mission and vision statement(s)? What resonates with you? From what you have read so far, how are my values, vision, and mission statement aligned? What would you do differently? What are you taking away from this exercise?

Wednesday Time Out

 First stop, Paris. 

oh là là!

Romantic Paris: Elgar Boart

It's a perfect day for a stroll through the city

En Francais: Elgar Boart

and a ride on the Metro

Paris Metro: Elgar Boart

and Time Out for a snack and a café au lait

Via Pinterest

 before boarding a train to Lyon.

Photograph via Pinterest

Yes, I'm flying off to France this morning. While I'm away, there will be regularly scheduled postings to entertain you. Keepin' it simple until my return in two weeks.

Au revoir mes amis!

The Artful Learning Lab: It begins with a dream

Thought Challenge: What is YOUR dream?