[INSPIRE 53] GREGG LEVOY - HOW TO REDISCOVER YOUR PASSIONS & LIGHT YOUR INNER FLAME! Motivation | Spirituality | Self-Help

Remember when you were kid how you wanted to be a explorer, or an astronaut, or a pilot flying around the world? Then somewhere along the lines, you either forgot, or were told to stop dreaming and get serious, and you left the world of dreams and passions behind entering a pragrmatic life of compromise. If this sounds familiar, then do we have the show for you. Today we’re interviewing Greg Levoy. Greg is the best-selling author of Vital Signs: The Nature and Nurture of Passion and Callings: Finding and Following An Authentic Life He is a former "behavioral specialist" writer for USA Today, and a regular blogger for Psychology Today. He’s written for the NY Times magazine, Washington post, and Readers Digest among many others. Today we’re going to talk about rediscovering who you are, and who you were meant to be. We’ll look at where your energy’s draining out, how to take stock, and where to put your focus. Most importantly, we’ll help you change how you relate to the world so you can rekindle your inner flame. Balancing our tendency to want to stay indoors most of the time We must reconnect with what is wild in us! Our dreams Nature and the natural world around us Why we’re constantly negotiating between passion and security There’s the part that wants to take risks and make leaps and come alive There’s the part of us that wants to be safe, and secure, and in control The Danger: In a tug-of-war security tends to win…passion tends to get back-burnered. Chronically can have detrimental effects to choose security over passion Observe how often make security choices over vitality choices Reclaim ourselves from the task-master that says safety and security above all else Why no running on the playground may be the most dangerous thing of all Why society is so fear averse – i.e. Warning Labels Do not iron clothes on body This superman costume does not allow you to fly Why we must give ourselves non-work modes of expression Make art, make music, listen to music, spend time in men’s or women’s groups, athletics, sports, using the body, something that involves not sitting at a desk in front of a computer, or not being indoors Remember our passions that have gone dormant How to Find your passion Ask yourself, what part of the book store do you go to first? Do as Hannah Papp, author of the Mystical Backpacker suggests Listen to Robert Greenway – father of Eco-pyschology. “Civilization is thousands of years old, but only 4 days deep” Why we can all benefit from a mortality meditation and learning about death in order to fully live Concept that death could be a source of death Death asks what matters to you, what’s really important to you? Helps us make decision between passion and security Thomas Murton – “to make an important decision consult your death” Study: Almost everyone told less than 6 months to live were liberated in very profound ways! “My concern diagnosis was the best thing that ever happened to me” How learning about death can keep us from being trapped by life Vital Signs helps illuminate compromises Compromise and ignoring passions and nature may be the reason people have most heart-attacks at 9 AM on Monday mornings Must do what makes your heart sing Must reclaim your soul, spirit, energy, or mojo Other goals of the book Life is so rich and we settle for so little Jean Houston – author and mythologist and psychologist Says we need to live “larger than life” Help people to be profoundly present to the stuff of your life Most important question – Ask yourself what does my soul want today? This is where the work happens “Best way to make God laugh is to declare your plans” Progress happens in the “to do” list of life Deciding between the brake or accelerator, that’s where the work is in the world. Everything in life becomes a mindfulness exercise Takeaway pieces of advice Begin to acknowledge where you lose energy and vitality Take an inventory of where your energy dribbles out Use the inventory so you can change your habits and your focus Try to surround yourself with people who shine Connect with people who are living out loud Be gentle with yourself Give yourself time Have self-compassion Don’t beat yourself up because you don’t live up to your potential Remember - stuff hitting the fan isn’t bad, it’s part of the path, not opposed to the path Inspiration | Motivation | Kindness | Spirituality | Compassion | Business | Career | Self-Help | NY Times | USA Today | Reader’s Digest