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Living with Passion with Shari Hall

What does it mean to live with PASSION?

Ireceived a call from the doctor in the intensive care unit 15,000 kilometres away. He said, “If you’d like to see your mother before she dies, you should come now.”

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My husband wasn’t home, but I didn’t hesitate. I booked the next flight out, packed a bag, shoved the kids in the car and dropped them off at my dear friend’s home. She understood the urgency and with a reassuring hug, sent me on my way.

When I arrived at her bedside, my sister, uncle, and stepfather were already there. She was hooked up to multiple monitors and drips, and the oxygen blowing into the mask bathed her face with a cool mist. She was happy we were all there but was clearly fatigued by the effort it took to simply breathe, let alone speak.

After an hour, she encouraged us to enjoy a dinner out together. Despite our hesitation, she affectionately insisted. Two hours later, a nurse rang to inform us that Mum was rapidly declining, and we should return to the hospital. She was gone by the time we arrived… She was 64.

On numerous occasions before that night, I’d contemplated my own happiness. This time was different. Despite the tumultuous relationship we had, one thing I knew for certain was that my mum wished for me a life filled with joy, and the last time she’d seen me, she wasn’t convinced it was.

It always seemed the circumstances and urgencies of life got in the way of my truly living. Striving to survive the demands of my medical career, my dysfunctional marriage, being a parent, and aspirations towards wealth had me overwhelmed, stressed, progressively more unhealthy, and slowly dying inside, when I was actually dying to live!

I realised there were certain thoughts and behaviours that were holding me back and keeping me stagnant, and others that would help me thrive.

Desire for perfection

From the day we are born, we are being instructed on the how to do life ‘right’. Parents, teachers, employers, coaches, the media, the government and ultimately ourselves, all have opinions and expectations on which behaviours and thoughts will set us on the path to perfection. But the beauty of life is that none of us will ever be perfect. Our job is not to try and control every aspect of our existence, it is simply about doing our best in any given moment and enjoying the experiences we have along the journey. It's not about perfection; it’s about progress.

Significance to others

Many of us live our lives overly concerned about the impression we make on others, or what others may think about what we say and do. Yet I’ve learned the truth is most people actually don’t care. They have their own busy lives to live, their own struggles to endure. Worrying about the opinions of the masses is a constant impediment to living authentically. Comparing oneself to others will never lead to congruency with my personal truth because no one is like me. I am unique and I was not placed here to walk the path of someone else. Let people say what they want; live the life you know in your heart you were meant to live.

Yearning for results

I used to believe the more I achieve, the happier I will be; as I’ve gained wisdom, I’ve noticed that the less I force, the happier I am!

Being all-consumed by goals, successes, accolades, positions, titles, attainment of wealth and praise creates an unnecessary and stifling burden of expectations on life. Anxiety and overwhelm are often the results. Now, if I’m doing something I don’t want to do, I notice that the struggle is coming from the story I’m telling myself, not from life itself. I bring my mind back to the present, embrace the moment and things do become easier.

Influenced by environment

To live with One day someone posted on my social media page, “Shari, the point of life is not passion is to to see how much s#@t you can fit into your day!” You can always tell a loser by how they choose to do try to make you feel when you attempt to live your life to its fullest. They try to bring you what excites down, make you doubt yourself, or make you feel less than you know you are. Whether it is you the most another human being or major media outlets, absorbing too much of the negative noise in life. can program oneself into believing the world is a screwed-up place. And it’s not. Instead, change your circle of influence and create an environment around you that supports, encourages, and inspires you to grow. Ignore the fixed beliefs of the mainstream, eliminate excuses, take ownership of your choices, and allow your mind to believe! To live with passion is to choose to do what excites you the most in life. You may stumble along the way, and there may be challenges that slow your progress (e.g. time, finances, families commitments, etc). As the great poet Rumi says, “Although the road is never ending take a step and keep walking, do not look fearfully into the distance… On this path let the heart be your guide for the body is hesitant and full of fear.” No one can predict when you will arrive at your last day. I know for certain my mum did not. But if you follow your fire, that passion in your heart that burns and cannot be ignored, you will (hopefully) lead a life fulfilled, every moment every day. Shari’s book Perfect Love is available at Harry Hartog Booksellers in Sunshine Plaza a www.sharihall.com www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/811589-perfect-love-onewomans-journey-from-flesh-to-faith

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