Live Your Life—Unleashed!!!

The image of a leash spoke volumes today. Leashes of leather and steel, of nylon and elastic. Leashes that offer owners a tight rein on their pets, leashes that give the animal the illusion of freedom. Today I want to talk about the "leashing" of one the most basic human traits, passion.

Passion is necessary to fuel life. A passionless life is a sorry existence, almost lived in monochrome, void of variation and depth. A life without fire and excitement is safe, bland and repetitive. But passion’s flames are stoked and increased when life is embraced and purpose realised. Doubt, boredom and fear are burnt up when we are brave enough, persistent enough and consistent enough to allow our passion full expression.

So leashes, useful inventions some might argue, to tame base creatures. However, some may say that dogs, as well as our passions, should not be tethered in such a way.

Fixed Leash:

For many life is lived on a fixed leash, fixed in one place, a small sphere of influence, a limited domain. Early in life, you may have found that attempting to reach outside your comfort zone is painful and deadly. Life is lived in fear of outside influences and circumstances, happiness only fleeting in times of quiet.

Life on a fixed leash may give us a degree of contentment until there is something outside of your sphere that looks appealing or threatening. When you seek to attain or attack external entities the chains of fear, apathy, or self-limiting beliefs choke you and leaving you spluttering and gasping for breath, berating yourself that you should know better by now, that the world outside your sphere is too scary, tough, dangerous.

Even when the leash is broken conditioned responses prevail, invisible boundaries remain and the idea that the outside world is a threat, not an adventure, paralyses.

Elastic Leash:

A life lived on the elastic leash offers a faux-freedom, in that there is a degree of reach and scope to life, life goes beyond the immediate vista. This may be the person who has, moved away from home, being the first to do things in the family; get married, go to university, get on the property ladder…

Life is a world away from humble beginnings, yet it appears that once a subconscious to-do list is completed life settles into a rut of activities. Although far removed from ‘home’ passion is still firmly leashed replaced with stability and the needs of others. Yet there is still a pull and desire for more, in the quiet five minutes before the house bursts into activity, or in the night hours when sleep eludes, there is the rumbling of their life's purpose asking for expression.

Off the Leash!

I have witnessed many dogs tearing through the park when their owners unclip them from their leash. My initial response has been one of terror at times, as it would appear I am the object of their desire, however, mostly I have felt the sheer pleasure and excitement of the animal freed from the constraints of others. Free to explore the terrain, revisit spots they have marked, and immerse themselves in bodies of water. Minutes later they are reunited with their master to go back and be fed and watered, groomed and rested.

So life off the leash is the goal, it is a life where we chase after the desires placed in our hearts from birth. The responses of people may be; fear of our tenacity and ardour, admiration whilst witnessing our freedom, even jealousy that they have not had the courage to break free from their "elastic leashes." Whatever the response, we should not allow it to slow our pursuit of a life lived in fervour. Living out our purpose nourishes and gives strength for the challenges of the terrain; offering comfort in times of loss, direction in confusion and healing when we are hurt in the pursuit of our passion.

Unleashing your passion

• Give yourself an hour in a quiet place (mine used to be a locked bathroom) with a pen and a notebook
• What is/are your life’s passion(s)
• Write down where you are now (fixed, elastic, free)
• Score your level of passion satisfaction out of ten (0 totally dissatisfied, 10 totally satisfied)
• Write down why you have given yourself that score (for me I would say I currently have a passion satisfaction level of 5, I am not where I want to be in life, I’ve allowed myself to be completely tethered in some areas and have the illusion of freedom in others, I am taking the time now to assess and take action in the right direction so that my life is a reflection of my passions and talents) Note: there is always room for improvement
• Outline what your life could look like if your passions were fully unleashed
• Commit to improving your level of satisfaction, you can start making time to explore and express your talent/passion, this may be just 30 minutes* a day initially, but as you gather momentum and get fired up, you will begin to flow and make more and more room.
• Share with a trusted friend or two your desire to follow your passion, choose those who will cheer you on and hold you accountable to your commitments

*These 30 minutes can be taken up with writing, research, dancing, web design, calls, practicing speeches in the mirror, looking for venues, it is all dependent on your passion.

So let your passions be unleashed, expressed and cultivated…..the world needs you!