About seven years ago, I was struggling a bit trying to ‘find myself’. I took a course at NYU, and met a great teacher.
He said, “Your life should be boiled down to one word. And this word should touch everything you do, say, see, feel.”
Hmm. One word? ONE word? I love words, and often use many (and sometimes too many), how can I boil all of me, complexities, layers, depths- all into one word?
But then I thought about it- and tried to answer the question by finding a common thread in what I do, say, see, feel.
I took what I “do” literally, as in what I do for work. At the time, I owned a Curves franchise. I trained people how to use machines. I taught people about food. I helped people set goals. I was passionate about my clients. I wanted them to change their lives, love the gift of life, be energized probably as much or more than they wanted that for themselves.Of course, I did a lot of things other than work: I wrote, I dined alone or with friends, I walked on the beach, I traveled, I visited with family, and all of these things I was passionate about, too.
What do I “say”? Well, a lot. If there was something going on in the world, I had to converse about it. I was a philosopher, an explorer, a student of life, and sometimes, even a teacher. I liked to start a dialogue about almost any subject. I always wanted to help anyone and my friends often came to me for advice. One friend to this day calls me “her biggest cheerleader”. I spoke with passion, even about the simplest of subjects- once a woman even laughed at the way I described a pomegranate.
As for the word “see”, this was a little tough at first. I was sure he did not mean literally what was in front of me. But, then I began to think about the way I viewed life. Not that every day was “perfect”, but I did tend to see everything as incredible. Amazed by people, places, things, I would cry with heartfelt emotion whenever I saw something authentic, and even at Hallmark commercials. Some might have said I was “naive”, but I looked at the beauty in all things, seeing the good in people, and seeing everyone’s potential, including my own. I looked at the world through a passionate lens.
What do I “feel”? When I was doing this exercise, I realized I pretty much felt everything, every emotion, every joy, every sorrow, every miraculous up and down detail. I felt people’s excitement, enthusiasm, pain- even through the TV screen or on the radio. I felt with my whole heart passionately.
So it became very clear to me that my one word was (and still is) “Passionate”.
Today, take a 5 minute break to write down what you do, say, see, feel. What is the common thread that ties it all together? What is your “one word”?
