Finding Passion and Purpose Regardless of Life Situation

Christopher Renfro found his passion and purpose in life three years ago in 2009 and has since turned it into a profitable passion in a big way in spite of suffering from a severe disability.   

Christopher creates art though what he calls light painting.

In a recent interview with The Weekly Flickr, Renfro said;

 “When I first found light painting in 2009 it just completely blew my mind. I have spent my entire life really not knowing who I am, what I am supposed to do, or why I am here and when I found light art photography I knew instantly who I was.”

“I have a mental illness called borderline personality disorder, and it has created a lot of challenges in my life. When I’m having a rough day I can just go off and create art. And just the act of creating something is very therapeutic to me.”

Watch Christopher's Weekly Flickr interview below.

Christopher posted his initial photos to Flickr and was quickly invited to join a community of fellow light enthusiasts. He says, “I wouldn’t be here and have gotten this far with them and their support.”

Take a look at Christopher Renfro’s stunning photos on his Flickr Photo Stream, here.

According to The Weekly Flickr, Renfro’s advice to others with disabilities is to never give up. “You don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring,” says Christopher.

Denis Diderot said, “Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.” Passion is where the magic happens. Passion is the engine that drives purpose.

Christopher Renfro found himself when he discovered his passion for light painting and it gave his life purpose. He disability could have left him bitter, angry and lifeless. Instead, Christopher chose to live a life of passion and purpose.

It doesn’t matter, whether you suffer from a disability like Christopher Renfro, or are a teenager like Olivia Bee in yesterday’s post, it doesn’t matter what your past is, where you come from or what your educational background is, everybody has one of a kind passions and a specific purpose to fulfill in life. Find them and your life will be fulfilled and meaningful. You will truly discover who you are.

For more information on discovering your passions and purpose in life, including your profitable passion, see Don’t Seek Success – Be Happi.

Be Great!

MB

“Don’t Focus on Success, That Will Really Do You Wrong," Says 18 Year Old Photographer Olivia Bee..

The other day, I ran across an article and video interview by The Weekly Flickr, profiling 18 year old Professional Photographer, Olivia Bee.  

Wise beyond her years, Ms. Bee is living the Don’t SeekSuccess – Be Happi Model to the fullest.

While in middle school at age 11, Olivia could not get into a video production class and her school counselor placed her in a photography class instead.  “It was kind of like the best mistake that could have been made by my school counselor, because I just, like, fell in love with this art,” she says.

Olivia’s passion for photography did not come overnight, however, it took some time for her to warm up to the idea.

She says, “I was really frustrated with it,” she says. “But then, slowly I became less and less frustrated and more determined to make really nice photos.”

Lesson: Keep an open mind, you never know when a new life changing passion could be discovered.

Olivia started posting her images to Flickr.  “I just really liked to show the world what I was seeing,” Olivia says. Than something amazing happened to this young talented Photographer.  Athletic Shoe Company Converse noticed her photos on Flickr and contacted her about working on a photo shoot for them. Olivia was a freshman in High School and only 15 years old!

Watch Olivia Bee's interview;

She says, “I was a freshman in high school when Converse approached me. Their ad agency kept sending me Flickr messages, and I just kept ignoring it, (Thinking the messages were spam) and so finally, Converse emailed me directly and was like ‘Hey, this is Converse, we wanna shoot with you’ and I was like ‘Whoa, I know about Converse.”

“I was so scared, but by the end of the day, I was like, ‘You can do this for a living?!  Sign me up!” said Olivia.

Since that initial shoot with Converse, Olivia has worked for Adidas, The New York Times, Le Monde, Levi's, Subaru, and many other high profile clients.

Olivia’s advice to others;

“Don’t focus on success, that will really do you wrong. Success in terms of money and fame — that won’t mean anything. You should focus on success in terms of what you love and what makes you happy.”

To paraphrase, Dr. Victor Frankel, in his book, Man's Search for Meaning, first published over 50 years ago, says don’t aim at success because you will often miss the mark. Olivia Bee at 18 years of age seems to have grasped this concept well.

In order to be successful, to find meaning and joy in your life, follow your passion, derive your purpose, and strive for excellence. In other words, “Be Happi.” Aspire to follow the core principles of Belief, Enthusiasm, Heart, Attitude, Passion, Purpose and Imagination and success will find you!

It does not matter how old you are, what challenges you face, or what your past has been. Find your passion and you will accomplish amazing things.

Tomorrow I will profile somebody who has found their profitable passion in spite of a severe disability. Stay tuned.

Be Great!

MB

Lindsey Vonn Has Heart and Attitude!

The 28-year-old Olympic medalist and World Cup Skiing Champion, Lindsey Vonn severely injured her knee after a horrific crash during a World Cup race in Austria. Vonn is determined that she will be ready to compete in the Winter Olympics in February of 2104.

The Doctor who is overseeing her recovery ahead the 2013 Winter Olympic Games said, “But I can't emphasize enough how upbeat she's been through all of this. She's very goal-oriented. She's got her sights set on these next two years.”

As for Vonn herself, she tweeted, “Success! Surgery went very well yesterday and I'm recovering at home in vail with my family. I want to sincerely thank everyone for their well wishes these last few days. It's going to be a long and hard road back but I will be back!! Xoxo”

Vonn is demonstrating the third and fourth principles of the Don’t Seek Success – Be Happi model in spades, Heart and Attitude.

In Don’t Seek Success – Be Happi I talk about the mental heart.

A mental heart means you have the courage to engage in challenges and overcome obstacles with passion, determination, dedication, and stamina.

Passion simply means that you do what you do out of love.

Determination is a single minded focus in achieving a goal.

Determination is the anchor to which all other qualities are tied.

Stamina is the physical and moral strength to resist or withstand hardship and stress. Stamina is synonymous with endurance, enduring energy, strength, resilience, staying power, toughness, grit, vigor, and tenacity.

Vonn also is showing us what a wonderful attitude can do. Confucius observed, ―Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.‖Vonn could easily have a woe is me attitude less only a year away from the Olympics and facing a long and painful road of recovery and returning to world class form.  Instead of bitterness and anger, her state of mind is, I can do it, “I will be back!!”

All of can learn and thing or two about Heart and Attitude from Lindsey Vonn. Best Wishes to Lindsey for a speedy recovery and good luck to her next year in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Be Great!

MB