Journey to Empowerment by Maria D. Dowd Read Free Book Online Page A

my passion and my purpose, I began to discover a tenacity, self-motivation, creativity, faith and resilience that I had never tapped into before. Because of my passion to speak, teach, enlighten and serve, I began to make investments of my time, money and faith. I became emotionally invested and rooted, and nothing and no one could stop me. Passion put me on automatic pilot toward my goal of being self-employed and a forerunner in the motivational/personal development movement. Even though there were detours, financially lean times and lonely days and frustrating moments, my passion never diminished.
    Over the years, I’ve had a lot of car drama—“bad Carma.” Years ago, my car was repossessed. Another time, my transmission dropped out of a car on the way to one of my seminars. I had three f lat tires on the way to another seminar, yet I kept going. Years ago, I had a car totaled in an accident on the way to taping one of my cable TV shows. I got a ride and kept going. I’ve presented workshops when I was very sick and had to face major surgery. Over the years, I have been invited to speak for no money, little money and late money.
    When you have a passion that is your j-o-y and not a j-o-b, you don’t become discouraged easily. When your family is your passion, you find ways to be, do and give even though it seems like, looks like and feels like there is nothing left to give. Passion is a fire within you that keeps you going when everyone else says it’s too crazy, too hard, too far, too late, too much, too risky, too giving, too old, too young and too expensive. My passion for life, for family and for my purpose and career path has pulled me through self-pity and depression. Passion doesn’t give or accept excuses. I pray to God daily to allow me to keep my passion lit.
    I know that life offers joy and pain, sunshine and rain. And I know that my passion allows me to endure the pain and down times in life. My passion is my inner alarm clock to get up even when my body is tired or in pain. My passion pushes me to make one more phone call, or take one more vitamin to stay healthy, or to get up and walk or practice my yoga to reduce physical stress. My passion pushes me to smile instead of cry. It pushes me to keep going even when I feel unappreciated, overlooked, overworked or overwhelmed. My passion empowers me to speak up and PUSH (Push Until Something Happens).
    Several years ago, I realized that I could share my passion by teaching a seminar, “Do You Have a J-O-B or a J-O-Y? ” I sincerely believe that once you discover and embrace your purpose and stick with it, the pursuit will become your passion. I’ve seen it demonstrated time and time again. You can turn your passion into your profession.
    Passion is your fire in your belly, heart and soul. Passion is an inner fire that burns away any procrastination, fear, indecision or worry. Passion doesn’t sweat the small stuff. Passion keeps you self-motivated. Passion gives you a reason to keep going when everything and everyone else says stop, or wait, or why are you doing that? Passion gives your life purpose. Passion is what gets you up in the morning and it will keep you up at night when others are sleeping. You rise to the occasion because passion can pull you through your pain, self-pity, self-defeat, depression and sorrow.

A Season of Reinvention
    B Y K AMILI B ELL
    I am going through a season of reinvention. I have not yet discovered who it is that I am about to become, but I am well on my way. The journey and this season of limbo are at times confusing, yet delightful. One thing is for sure—I am not the same girl that I was four years ago, or even last year. At both times I was involved with two different people, neither of whom I imagined myself actually being with, yet both of whom I lied to and told many wonderful, sweet things they wanted to hear.
    I said these things because I was neither strong enough nor