Taking the Plunge.

Why are we so afraid of our feelings and how people may react to them? Why do we resort to other methods (ahem, liquid courage, anyone?) to reveal those true feelings? Why do we incessantly make things more complicated than they have to be? Or is that we keep our feelings to ourselves to avoid making things more complicated than they already are?

I saw a great quote the other day that I want to share with all of you:

Missing somebody? ...Call.
Want to meet up? ...Invite.
Want to be understood? ...Explain.
Have questions? ...Ask.
Don't like something? ...Say it.
Like something? ...State it.
Want something? ...Ask for it.
Love someone? ...Tell it.

This really got me thinking. When we have strong feelings, a think a logical thing to do sometimes is to keep those feelings to ourselves. But what does that really accomplish? I think it's because we have all subjected to our fears of rejection instead of taking a leap of faith. We're afraid of what the other person will say, afraid of the lingering rejection that could possibly come about, afraid of the realness of our emotions. So instead, we make things more complicated for ourselves.

Life is all about taking chances and taking the plunge. I give credit to those that have been able to dive in and explain their deepest feelings. But I think we (myself included) need to own up to those feelings and come clean. Take the chance and jump off that bridge of fear. Know that you may very well sink, but you will know you lived and loved. And maybe, just maybe, you'll keep swimming and make it to land into the arms of your loved one.

There's no point to keep wondering or hoping the moment will come. Do something about it so you don't waste your time - or your life. Take the plunge.

Our Deepest Passions.

When you hear the word passion, what's the first thing you think of?

Many may say love, sexual desire, or maybe just that it is a strong emotion. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with any of those answers, but if someone were to ask me this question, I would without a doubt answer "something you instill in your life and hope to continue doing in the future." I think individuals our age are aware of their day to day passions whether it is running, photography, music - whatever it may be. However, what I think a lot of us are really unsure about is our passion in the workplace. What do we all feel so passionate about that we can enjoy what we do everyday and still make a living of it?

As Millennials, as marketers refer to us, we strive for the unthinkable. We believe we deserve the unimaginable (and rightfully so). We are delaying the typical rites of passage (marriage, children, etc.) to search for our passions in life and ultimately, fulfill those passions. Some of us may have been lucky to find our passion in life. But even for those that have, I believe there's always something else we secretly wish we could be doing.

Speaking to a number of my friends that have graduated college and are currently residing in this thing we call the "Real World" and the complexities that surround it, we all seem to be a little lost in what it is we actually want to do or how we want to reach and accomplish our passions. So what gives? I don't know about any of you, but my parents have drilled into my head to work hard, save money, and prepare for the future. Maybe that's the responsible thing to do. But where's the PASSION in that? We're young. Yes, we have student loans, bills, responsibilities. But I think we all deserve a little passion in our lives.

Do something you've always wanted to do, even if it means being completely irresponsible. Find that job you love, even if it doesn't pay as much as you thought. Travel the world if you get the opportunity and cherish every memory. Help others who are in need, even if you don't have all the free time in the world. And most of all, find your passion. If it does not lie on your planned life path, so what. We need to appreciate our youth and take every opportunity that comes our way as we discover our passions, even if it means disappointing people, having less cash than planned, or working a little harder to get there. Find your passion - for you.

I know I'm on my way there.

With passion,