Ageless Passions by Karen Putz

Tag: passionate people

  • Is Your Weight Holding You Back from a Passionate Life?

    Is Your Weight Holding You Back from a Passionate Life?

    Ugh, I’m so fat. 

    That was the thought going through my head after getting off the water during Women’s Barefoot Week. I had packed on the pounds from too much writing and too little exercise and I was really feeling the results.

    Not to mention seeing the results.

    Photo by Betsy Gilman

    I cringed at the pictures that showed up online. On the water, I was struggling each day–not only with the extra pounds but also with the mental beatings I was giving myself every time I squeezed into the wetsuit. I was holding back and not really having fun on the water.

    I blamed my weight.

    Things finally came to a head one day when all of us gals were walking back to the house after an intense day on the water.

    “You have to stop being so negative,” one of the gals said. “You’re too hard on yourself. You’re beautiful.”

    As a “fat” girl who has dealt with up and down weight gain and loss over the years, I was struggling deeply once again. I had shed the weight several years ago after getting back into the sport of barefoot water skiing–and now it was all piling back on. There was a whole myriad of emotions going on–and there was no escaping any of the feelings that were swirling around inside.

    To top things off, Community Voices on Facebook released a video that we filmed a year ago–and at first, I didn’t want to share that video with anyone. I was ashamed of the pounds I had put on.

    I was really lucky that my friend had the courage to call me out about my negative views about my body. I had to do something different about the messages that were going around in my head. It was affecting my ability to have fun and to enjoy the sport that I’m usually so passionate about.

    So the next time I went on the water, I decided to say something positive to myself–to appreciate the body that was performing amazing things despite the extra pounds.  The mental conversations took on a happier tone. I enjoyed my session on the water so much more, because I was able to focus on the things I could passionately do–and forget about the weight.

    Photo by Lynn Novakofski

    So if this is you–if you’re struggling with weight issues and it’s holding you back in life–join me in making a pact in moving forward–toward the things you’re passionate about–without letting weight hold you back.

     

     

    Want a dose of passion in your life? Grab Karen’s latest book: Unwrapping Your Passion

    Or take a class: Unwrapping Your Passion Course

  • Passionate People: Dan and Joanne Miller

    Do you dread Mondays? Are you dragging yourself out of bed to go to work?


    You’re not alone. Dan Miller from 48days.com shared a startling statistic: 84% of American Workers say they would like to change jobs in the coming year.

    Either we have a lot of upwardly mobile people or there’s just a lot of people unhappy or dissatisfied with their jobs.

    That was me a couple of years ago.

    I was fortunate. I met Dan Miller and his wife, Joanne in 2011. At the time, I was deep into reading two of Dan’s books, No More Dreaded Mondays and 48 Days to the Work You Love.  I had a job I loved, but I was losing my passion for it day by day.  I was deep into Dan’s books while on a train heading to a speaking gig. I came across this paragraph:

    As Frederick Buechner said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Ask yourself: What is the world hungering for right now? How can I use my unique skills and talents to satisfy that hunger? Don’t rest until you find that answer.

    I started filling up spiral bound notebooks with ideas, thoughts, desires, and more. By the end of the train ride back home, I wrote my first book, and have continued to use that paragraph above to bring clarity to my daily life.

    dan miller quote

    I took Dan’s Coaching with Excellence Workshop (highly recommended if you want to add coaching to your services or become a coach or his Innovate workshop if you are a creative) and it was there that I met Dan and Joanne for the first time.

    the millers with karen putz

    Dan is known for his 48 Days podcast, community, and coaching services. He specializes in helping people discover and understand their natural skills and abilities and turn those into profit. His newsletter goes out to over 130,000 people and his podcast is among the top five for careers.

    When it comes to living with passion, Dan and Joanne are a beautiful example of what it means to enjoy life and live it fully. They have instilled those lessons in their children and grandchildren.

    Joanne’s passion is art, and she did not unwrap that passion until long after she was done raising her children. Today, she hosts a weekly art class at The Sanctuary near Nashville and she’s the author of several books, including Creating a Haven of Peace When You’re Feeling Down, Finances are Flat, and Tempers are Rising. She inspires other women in midlife to learn new things and dig in deep to discover their own gifts.

    karen and dan miller

    I always recommend Dan’s events–I am still connected with people that I met at my first event there. Each event is limited to no more than 50 people, so it’s a wonderful chance to get to know others and build relationships. Plus, you get to learn from just about the whole Miller family as well! Check out Dan’s resources and events here:

    48 Days

    Find out what Dan Miller has to say about passion in my upcoming book, Unwrapping Your Passion.