Passion is Key.

As I'm beginning to write this post, it's an early Monday morning that has me up before the first rays of the sun are anywhere to be seen. Surely, it won't be completed until the sun once more resides in its bed within the mountains. I'm currently stationed at a small table in the cafe of the Broadmoor as the aroma of burnt coffee parades around the room and nervous teenagers run about playing adult for the day. Pastry chefs file in carrying the warm, elegant masterpieces they've slaved all morning to create, which will undoubtedly be gulped down within minutes. A man in his twenties occupies the seat next to me and scrolls through the latest scientific findings on his all-too-commonly-oversized cell phone. A jogger can be seen in the distance as she races the sun up the horizon. Now is not the time for sleepy eyes, but the time for looking deeper. For seeing past the forced smiles and not-so-formal business attire, past the small talk and rushing about, past the nearly impenetrable aura of personality that envelops all someone has been, is, and is yet to be. Each one of these individuals is diverse and unique in one way or another, but they also share in one collective group, one underlying factor that makes life worth living. They all have passion.

Passion is easier to identify in some people than it is in others. For some, it's reflected in their aura. It shines brightly and acts as a light of direction, guidance, and even definition. The outgoingly passionate people are obviously quite easy to identify. They're the people who do things and act certain ways not because of the possibility of a reward, recognition, or because they're asked. They do it because they love to and the act of doing it is the most rewarding thing imaginable. They radiate passion with each word they say and action they take. It's infectious. For others, it's reflected much more discretely, illuminating from within but ever so often venturing out to be seen. They hold their passion close to their heart because it means everything to them. I've observed it both ways and they are equally as powerful, mystifying, and unwaveringly beautiful.

Case Study One: The business person who honestly and wholeheartedly believes in their company's mission and will do anything to fulfill it, the student who is willing to step out of their comfort zone and compete because they want it more than the next person, the runner who is up before the sun to stay in shape. Each one of these people I've named, represent outgoing passion. Passion that can be worn on your sleeve. Before venturing any further I'd like to remind you of the literal definition of passion:

pas·sion  /paSHən/ 

noun

1.strong and barely controllable emotion.

When a person's passion is barely controllable as the definition states and the case study examples illustrate, lives are transformed. Passion is such a powerful tool when used in the correct way. It leads to dedication, motivation, improvements, success, and most importantly happiness.

Case Study Two: A more introverted form of passion comes from those who do not demand recognition, but hope for it and undoubtedly deserve it. They're those pastry chefs who slave away in the kitchen day in and day out to make absolutely lovely pastries that people most likely won't give a second thought to as they're rushing out the door. They're those scholars who use their free time to research what's happening in the world of science. They're those teachers that plan and create for hours upon hours to develop fantastic lesson plans for often ungrateful students, not because they have to, but because they hold themselves to that standard, because they are passionate about the influence they have the chance to make. I've had my fair share of great and not-so-great teachers and coaches and the difference purely lies in each individual's passion for teaching the lesson at hand, whether it be set pieces, Dante's Inferno, or the pure importance of traveling. Passion shines through in a variety of ways and when it does it's magic.

Passion is one of the most attractive and beautiful aspects of human emotion. When someone speaks about something they're passionate about you feel connected with them in a different way, in a deeper way. You can see their eyes light up and their entire persona change. You desire to feel what they're feeling, to experience what they've experienced that made them feel so strongly, to share in their excitement. Listening to other people talk about what they're passionate about has to be one of my favorite things in the world. It's magic. It carries unmatchable potential to evoke change. And sometimes words don't do it justice. Sometimes it's all said, it's all revealed, in one split-second through one brief look.

There's one look I will never forget. A few months ago I stood behind a stand-up net observing a training that was taking place under the lights in absolutely lovely weather. A ball came screaming towards the keeper and he swiftly directed it away with his strong hands. As his eyes followed the path of the ball that traveled far past the net, they met mine for a brief moment that made time stop. His crystal blue eyes radiated passion in the purest form. His eyebrows fastened oh so slightly downward and his icy eyes stared dead ahead and through me. I was never meant to be on the other end, but I'm so glad that chance played out in my favor. It was as if his whole life was preparation for that one save that was meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It was a look I imagine he gives after every incredible save he makes. He owns that 18. I never imagined so much could be captured in one facial expression, in one brief connection of eyes. I saw in him an unmatched passion through a look I will never forget because passion moves me and I had never seen it so pure.

Passion has the ability to change the world. Sure, the necessities of going to work and school and practice are going to remain everpresent. Those things are what make the world go round, but passion is what makes it bloom. Passion is the spark of innovation and creation. What would life be if no one was passionate about something? Emotion would be meaningless. Music would be heard not felt. Soccer games would be nothing more than a sport to pass the time, in comparison to a sure form of religion for some. Teachers would show up at 7:00 and leave at 3:00 and nothing would ever get accomplished. There would be no swooning poetry or flags atop Mt. Everest. The planet would be green but humanity would be grey and dull. Opportunity and hard work water the seeds of your dreams, but passion, passion is what makes them bloom. Don't be afraid to add some color to the human race. Don't be afraid to pursue your dreams and follow them to the ends of the earth because that is what you are passionate about. Dare not to settle. Dare to be passionate because Passion is Key.  

Gratitude is Key.

On an increasing basis, I've seen and heard of far too much tragedy lately. Log on to any of the social networking sites and apps and you are sure to see something heartbreaking and tragic more often than not. Most of the time, I have no clue how to express the emotions associated with what's sadly becoming common tragedy. Despair, disbelief, helplessness, pure sorrow. Life is so fragile, so precious, and gone so easily. To me, the scariest part of loss is the fear of forgetting. I was absolutely terrified and felt so guilty to feel normal again. To not hurt anymore. It scared me how natural it is for life to go on. Your world may come crashing down, but the Earth still rotates, the sun still rises, and the days still come and go uninterrupted. With tragedy becoming increasingly common I only hope that we do not become numb and desensitized to the events that are taking place.

When I was younger, I used to feel guilty for being happy because I knew how much hurt there was (and still is) in the world. I knew that the tragedy that is shell-shocking in the United States happens on a daily basis in other countries. I felt endlessly conflicted. On one hand, I believed I deserved to feel happy because I was living a life I was proud of. On the other, I couldn't comprehend how I could be laughing and smiling, while children half way across the world were starving without food to eat or a place to sleep at night. Battles raged on beneath my ever calm facade. Cool and collected on the surface, yet tearing at the seams within. In the end, I realized I was being supremely unfair to myself by sacrificing my happiness for something I couldn't immediately effect. But, I do intend to effect it. Whether it be through a donation to a charity or a mission trip, I'll help and I'll give and I'll sacrifice to change it. These words are not empty; they are full enough to ever so graciously carry the weight of a heavy promise.

Instead of suppressing my positive emotions of happiness and joy, I developed an increased and deepened sense of gratitude. Hearing and reading about all of the pitfalls and absolute tragedies that play out around the world, as well as very close to home, has only renewed my strong belief in the importance of gratefulness and gratitude. The connotations that are associated with my generation are far from positive in most cases. We're the age of new technology with a decrease in physical, human interaction and, above all, I notice among my generation that so many people feel entitled to everything. They disregard the fact that education is a privilege and should be treated as such. They disregard that there are more serious dilemmas than the cancellation of Flappy Bird. They disregard that so many go without enough food to eat and a place to sleep. Of course this doesn't apply to everyone and I understand that these burdens are very difficult to acknowledge and take on. I'm not asking anyone to do that. What I am asking is for people to demonstrate a bit more gratitude towards what and who they are so absolutely lucky to have.  

I'm at a natural reflection point in my life. I'm between seasons, I've decided where I want to go to college, and I'm left staring back at the rungs I've climbed thus far to my dreams rooted in the clouds. The first thing that came into mind when I committed was how essential it is to thank all of the people that have helped me reach this step in my career and in life. Without them, I surely wouldn't be where I am. Whether it be positive or negative, every person I've interacted with has had an effect on me. The way I adapted to and interpreted each interaction has shaped me into a person that I'm genuinely proud of. To me, the most important and exciting thing about critical, big moments is being able to recognize everyone who helped me along the way. Whether it was personal training sessions, a word of encouragement, or simply support, it all was absolutely paramount. I've been so fortunate to fall in stride with the right people at the right time.

There's a quote that I've heard a countless number of times and think it proves an excellent point; "What if all you had tomorrow is what you were thankful for today?" Ask yourself, what would you have? Be thankful. There is no shame in demonstrating thanks. It is not a sign of weakness, but a symbol of strength that you are able to recognize all that someone has done for you, even if it's been minimal. Never underestimate the strength of recognition. So many people work tirelessly seeking nothing more than to fulfill their potential and exceed their personal standards. They give and give and give and if we do not give back a mere word of thanks (at the least) to balance it out, they will simply run out. The world is full of so many unsung heroes that are too humble to ever demand recognition or even ask for it. Dare to be their song bird and spread how beautiful they make humanity. Sometimes those few words can serve as that extra bit of gasoline when the tank has been running on empty for far too long. A simple thank you has the power to lift people up and strengthen relationships.

The world is chaotic and loud. Silence it with gratitude. Be generous enough to give thanks for all you are so lucky to have and be wise enough to know that not everyone can be so lucky. In times of so much loss and so much tragedy, it's so essential to remember what and who is important. There are few better ways to make relationships concrete than to let one another know that they are appreciated and that everything that they do does not go without recognition and thanks. The world is a place of darkness and opportunity. Use each opportunity you have to banish the darkness with the brightness of an infectious smile.  I encourage you to take part in the movement, even if it's as simple as writing down one thing you are thankful for before you go to sleep every night. Once you become comfortable with that, dare to voice your gratitude to the deserving. Gratitude can be a chain reaction and a moving force in the world. and because of that Gratitude is Key. 

Adventure is Key.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”                                                                                                                                   -Mark Twain

The past few months have been a whirlwind of new faces and new places, ultimately leaving my life caught between phases. I'm clinching onto everything I know with fists held tight when, really, I should be giving up the fight. I love it here and I've made that clear, but my fear is resting on broken foundations. Shortly it will seep between the cracks and become something of the past. I've never been one to live inside my comfort zone. Those walls are built to scale, the future whispers what it entails. Silence your regret, your worry, your fear and maybe, just maybe you'll hear life's calling. It's calling you near.

What comes next is not merely a new chapter in my book; it's a new book entirely. The presence of only a few characters will remain, the setting has been completely recreated, and the plot has been altered. Lately, I've been hanging on to every inch of every remaining page too afraid to take it to the next stage, but it's about time I bring my fear out of place. After all, it's always struggled to keep pace with my ambitions. Solidifying my future has been an unreal experience. Throughout the last year of my residence in Colorado, I've been taking special note of all the things I absolutely adore about this place I call home and it's no surprise that the list goes on and on. To add to it, over the past few months I've transformed into this existential, tree-hugging figure who idolizes organic food, internal balance, and being one with the world. People like that absolutely thrive in Colorado and now I am choosing to leave it all behind. Murphy's Law right? Actually, not so much. This decision is all my own. If I thought it more important to stay home, I very well would have chosen to do so. Colorado is my comfort zone and it's been unwaveringly good to me, but it's time to tear down the walls. My hunger for life has consumed what these picturesque mountains have graciously offered me. I've guiltily exhausted the resources I've been provided with and now I cannot risk complacency. Comfort poisons my hunger.

Yes, it would be easier to live in Colorado my whole life and to get a coaching job perhaps even at the very club I currently play for. It's always easier to settle and to give up on your dreams because "it was never possible" or "it just wasn't meant to be". Many people would be comfortable with making those assumptions and not giving it a second glance, but I cannot assign myself to that category. I wasn't put on this Earth to settle, I was placed here to make waves and I intend on doing so. In order to accomplish such a thing, I can't be content with setting up camp on the diving board; I must dare to jump. I must be hungry for adventure. I theorize that that is where many people go wrong. People refuse to jump, not because of a fear of heights, but because of a fear of falling, a fear of failing. And to that I say, doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. We have this one life to live. Why not go for gold? The view from the diving board may be breathtaking, but after a while we become numb to it because it's the same perspective of the sky, of life. It's familiar. It's comfortable, but what a waste of time to see life always illuminated in the same light. Dare to shine brighter. Dare to dream bigger. Dare to see the world through new eyes. Dare to sacrifice your comfort to accomplish and to become all you could ever imagine. And for Heaven's sake, dare to jump. You'd be surprised where you end up after taking a leap of faith. When that leap isn't taken, we are left with the mundane routines of working to work because what else is there left to do?

People get so caught up in working to live that they forget to do just that. Personally, I plan to start dedicating a portion of my paycheck (as soon as I become employed) to a travel fund. It costs roughly 10,000 dollars to travel the world for a year, so that's my goal. I'll be working to live, but not in the traditional way, in the adventurous way. That's what our time on Earth is for! To experience, to feel, and to change lives. I want to shake awake all theses people I see brainwashed by their cyclical lifestyles. They wake up and drive to work to be able to pay for the gas needed to get there and to afford the home they leave vacant all day because they're slaving away in order to pay rent. The system is broken and I don't want to live within it. They're blinded by menacing tasks: the lawn needs to be mowed, the dishes need to be cleaned, the living room needs to be dusted. I say let the grass be long, let the dishes be dirty, welcome the gathering dust. There are more important things to attend to, adventures to plan, uncharted waters to cross, people to be helped, life to be lived. Now, what say you?

Perhaps this is an extreme visual, but I believe it needs to be seen. Maybe this will finally open some eyes and allow people to realize the excuses and the lies they've been telling themselves to get by. Simply, time flies. Have a bit of spontaneity, dare to jump, go where the adventure leads you. It doesn't have to be some exotic trip to a developing country to promote peace. An adventure can be as simple as trying something new outside of your comfort zone. Obviously I'm embarking on a pretty huge adventure in a few months, but I've also recently began an entirely separate adventure. I tried something new for the first time in who knows how long and absolutely fell in love. My first trip to a climbing gym serves as page one of a fantastic adventure to come and I'm ecstatic to see where it takes me. I didn't have to break the bank to add another aspect to my life and give my character a bit more texture. Adventure surrounds us.

A few years ago I stumbled upon the realization that once we're gone, we're gone. There's no coming back. There's no second chance to see all the things you wanted to see, to experience all the things you so desired, and to achieve all of the goals you set out to accomplish. And in that moment I decided that I am not content with a digital image of the Eiffel Tower or reading about the Finnish culture or perusing over articles claiming how fantastic the soccer culture is in Brazil, Italy, and England. If I allow life to pass me by without experiencing these things first hand, I know I'll be kicking myself. I've taken a long, hard look at the future staring back at me and I've decided exactly who I want to become and exactly the lifestyle I am determined to live. I'm not content with settling for second-hand experiences and because I use this planet's resources and America is rooted in so many ethnicities, I feel the responsibility to immerse myself in and experience as many cultures as possible that make up the beautiful diversities of Earth.

My aforementioned definition of life is to experience, to feel, and to change lives. I don't know about you but I believe setting out with the goal to change lives will undoubtedly result in an adventure of massive proportions. I've had the privilege of having a comfortable, luxurious even, upbringing and for that reason alone I feel the need to give back not only locally, but globally. My means of doing so is through the beautiful game of football, or as us Americans call it, soccer. I've never had to go without a quality pair of boots, Fifa approved soccer ball, or decent pitch to play on. However, many footy players around the globe are left with nothing but some old goal posts and a soccer ball made out of plastic bags or trash, yet they still paint masterpieces with their feet and their makeshift ball on a canvas of dirt. They deserve quality equipment just as much as the next person and I intend on providing it and what an adventure that is going to be.

The last aspect of my definition is to feel and is perhaps the easiest to justify. When you are staring up at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona or hearing the chants of Glory Glory Man United at Old Trafford or handing a child their very first pair of cleats, how can you not feel starstruck, incredible, alive? People are always asking what is the meaning of life? What does it all mean? I'll let you in on a secret, the answer is in the question. We were placed here to live; not to stare at a spreadsheet for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 30 years of our lives. If you are passionate about your job , your career, then more power to you, but don't forget to do all of the things you had intended to do. Don't rest on the "someday I'll" philosophy because as the clock ticks on, those somedays are passing you by and time is one thing that you can't get back. You only have this one life to live, spend it doing something that makes you feel everything you've ever wanted to. I believe the only thing that will make me feel fulfilled is to dive into cultures head over heels. The feelings associated with that must be indescribable.    

So now,  book one of my life is nearly complete and I couldn't be more excited that the adventure has just begun.  Don't take the time you have here for granted. The world is your oyster and you are capable of anything. You don't have to submit to living within the system, dare to rewrite it. The story of your life is an incredible thing and the best part is that you are the author. With each experience, you punch down the letters with drive and charisma. You have the sole power of choosing the characters that remain and you can paint whichever setting you'd like. Your life can be whatever genre you choose it to be. I've read some boring books in my time, just as I have met some boring, one-dimensional people. I refuse to allow my story to play out that way. I am determined to fill my books with stories worth telling. Like all good novels, it will surely have pitfalls and danger, mystery and elation, but I will never let the cons keep me from embarking. Simply, always remember that you are the author and that Adventure is Key.