Gaining Self-Awareness: The act of letting go and having your passion shine through extraordinary sm

Living in the world we live in today with its constant bickering and pressure to do, create, and innovate, I have to constantly remind myself to slow down.

In those moments when I am feeling overwhelmed with emotions and an unnerving longing to know what is next, I think back to what my tae kwon do teacher taught me:

"Small acts look extraordinary when done with great passion"

He didn't exactly use those words (as he really didn't know much English), but I think more importantly, he taught me through his way of living and acting what it means to be fulfilled.

One kick may look simple and basic, but when he did it, it looked like something out of this world. It was not just the kick that he was executing - he was putting his whole being into what he did and his passion shone through.

The simple and mundane things in our lives require as much of our passion as do the fancy and innovative ones.

Realizing the importance of these simple and mundane tasks helps keep my head straight and gives me a different perspective about how my attitude in small things influences my attitude in the big things.

Knowing that the way I approach (or the attitude I take towards) the small acts in my life can have a compounding effect on how I view the bigger picture of my life, grounds me in trying to become more observant, empathetic, and open-minded.

By striving to gain those skills of observation, empathy and open-mindedness, I am able to slow down.

And it is in this slowing down when I am able to gain a better perspective - a kind of self-awareness - on what really matters.

More often than not, this self-awareness pushes me outside of myself and into the world.

It teaches me to look into something bigger and greater than myself.

It teaches me to reconnect.

It teaches me to let go of expectations and simply BE with all my gifts and weaknesses.

And in that letting go, I am able to passionately engage with the beauty of this life with all its strengths and weaknesses.

How are you letting your passion shine through today?

"Greatness of spirit is manifested in simple everyday realities"

Trust the process. Live the commitment