When did it become uncool to be a passionate person? To really put your heart into something and give your life to a cause that you believe in. I remember even in high school, people were so afraid to really love things. You weren’t cool if you were content with your relationship and happy with one person ( I feel like that still applies today. I.e. divorce rates). You were obsessive if you put extra time in over time summer for your sport of choice. You were lame if you got dressed up for pep rallies or got too excited about state tournament. You thought you were better than everyone else if you didn’t drink and do drugs. Everyone was labeled. No one was safe from being bullied or categorized in some shape or form. When did our society become so wrapped up in self-image and personal gain?

I look at my social media and it’s all so shallow. Half of the news has to do with pop culture and who a celebrity is dating, which is just pointless. Our brains are filled with useless information and our world is filled with things that are meant to distract us from what is really important. We are a culture made of people who just vomit words that have no truth, and are meant to tear people a part. Facebook is just a platform to talk about groups of people you hate and politics you don’t agree with, but what do we ever do to make a difference with our opinions. It is so easy to hide behind a computer screen and make fun of people or be hateful. It is much harder to make a real difference in your community about the issues that matter to you. Be an advocate for change.

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

The most beautiful conversation that you can have with someone is about their passions. It doesn’t matter what it is, I honestly enjoy talking to people who are different than me. It gives me a perspective on a whole different world. Someone else’s art. What they daydream about or what fuels them to go to a job they don’t love. Or what gets them out of bed in the morning excited about what is to come. Seeing that light in someone’s eyes is beautiful. The volume of their voice might go up, or they might get a tear in their eye when they talk about it. Passion is not something to be ashamed of. It is how we make this world into living art. We all add our own color to the canvas that makes up our world.

Instead of being stagnant and stale. Try to remember what made you into who you are. What you loved before life got so complicated. Instead of talking about what you love/hate, make a difference on the issue. If you love animals, volunteer at the animal shelter or be a foster parent for dogs who are in danger of being euthanized. If you are passionate about politics, write letters to your congressman and women and volunteer to work on campaigns that you admire. If you are passionate about our earth and keeping it clean, then recycle and volunteer for a road clean-up project. If you are passionate about teens, then volunteer to help with their sports team or a youth group. If you are passionate about helping the poor, then volunteer at the soup kitchen or start food banks at your work. Get the idea? I literally thought of all of those things in less than 5 minutes. It is important to remember that you don’t have to change things on a global level, you can just make a conscious effort to be a light in people’s life and most days that is enough.

Take-aways:

1. Don’t be a poser. It wasn’t cool in middle school and it certainly isn’t cool as adults. If you complain about something, then form educated opinions and make changes. That is what we do. We are problems solvers. We live in a world where knowledge is at our fingertips at all times. Use your powers for good!

2. Don’t be afraid to be passionate about something! I like to think of myself as a passionate person. I am not afraid to love what I love and love it with all of my heart. For example, when a new allergy friendly icecream comes to my grocery store, I jump up and down with excitement and I don’t care who sees me! Seriously, don’t be afraid to live out your dreams and give your heart to a cause. It can be scary, but your passion has the ability to change a person’s life, and at the end of the day that is what is most important.

3. No matter who you are or where you come from, don’t let your morals and values be swayed by people who don’t love you or have your best interest at heart. Don’t give pieces of yourself to everyone who comes into your life and then look up one day and not know who you are. You can love many different types of people and still be who you are.

Be passionate and be problems solvers.

BE BRAVE, PASSIONATE, and EMPOWERED

-(very passionate) B

P.S. This was the topic of conversation on mine and Bailey’s long run yesterday, so it felt very relevant and meaningful.

P.S.S At night when I can't sleep, I look up inspirational quotes and get myself really excited for the next day. It makes me feel like I can do anything.

Poser VS. Problem Solver