Happy New Year!

Let's talk about passion for a minute.

In the tarot, the suit of wands or staffs represents fire (yes, to some of you it represents air, but if that's the case, pretend I just wrote "swords"). One of the areas the suit addresses when you get the cards in a reading is "career." To me, though, this isn't just about the job--about what you get up and do every day. It's really about why you do it. Your passion.

In some cases, the "why" might be as simple as a desire to keep clothes on your body, food in your belly, and a roof over your head, to whatever degree it's possible. Not all of us are working jobs we love for great rewards (volunteer at a homeless shelter sometime if you want to see bare-survival as a passion). But whatever it is, whatever drives us, THAT is the reason we do what we do, or dream of doing something different.

Make this the year your passion makes a difference.

If you are already living your passion 24/7/365 -- great. This is the year you'll see it blossom into something foundational. I really believe that. For those who've been letting their passion slide, I think this is the year it's going to become a conscious choice--do I keep doing what I've been doing or do I make the leap of faith?

I'm not saying that if you're an accountant who wants to be a musician that you should quit your job and go on the road with guitar in hand. I mean, do it if you want, but a leap of faith does not necessarily mean cutting all ties to what you've got going on (although we somehow always feel that way). A leap of faith to embrace our passions is based on just a couple of things: one, to make a complete fool of ourselves (in this case, the holy fool, a la the fool card from the tarot, which is all about starting that new journey); two, to want it so badly that even if you're wrong, you win. Or maybe it's about being willing to want it that much. Too often we let being afraid of being hurt hold us back--not just in human relationships, but in becoming our fullest selves.

If you've always dreamed of being a musician, and don't do it, what's holding you back from it? Being a lousy musician? Nope. Bad reason. Really, just turn on the radio sometime ... be willing to find out you can't do it. Be willing to throw yourself so fully into the love of it, that in the end, it doesn't matter whether you win awards, get contracts, or even get out of the shower. Want to climb mountains? (I do, and I've been using this as an example a LOT lately, which tells me this might be the year to suck it up and give it a go.) Maybe you--maybe I--find that really short hills are all that's possible. But you know what? If you don't try, you aren't being your truest self, and THAT -- that ALONE -- is what matters.

NPR used to do this series called "This I Believe." I loved listening to it. My manifesto is probably pretty short--but this is what I believe: It is through being our truest selves, no matter what, that we will evolve. It's scary, perhaps, it's hard, absolutely; but it's exhilarating--how can it not be?--and if we are to evolve, spiritually, it is what we must do.