Feel and Follow All that you are passionate about

​Yesterday, I sat in a 3-hour meeting with colleagues from The United Way of Southwest Virginia and another dear colleague I work closely with in this region. Usually, when I say 3-hour meeting - I will quickly follow that with some expression of excruciating pain.

Me and 3-hour meetings don't do well together.

But there was nothing painful about this meeting. I was with community leaders who believe early childhood experiences are the greatest predictor we have of lifelong health and wellness. Which means I was with people committed to making those experiences as loving and caring and nurturing as possible for every child.

This afternoon, I will guest lecture at a Masters level Public Health class at Virginia Tech on this same idea. That the quickest way to improve public health is to do everything we can to improve the earliest experiences of every child.

The thing is, just 7 years ago, I had very little interest in this connection between childhood experiences and public health. I literally stumbled into a breakout session on this topic at a conference. As I listened, I felt my work being redefined, I felt the story I told myself about my life being redefined, I felt the stories I understood about other people's lives being redefined.

I felt a passion knocking at the door of my soul.

Mel Robbins says we often get advice to go find our passion. Yet, so many people just can't find it. She suggests that sometimes we don't find our passion, it finds us. It finds us when we're willing to feel and follow.

I get awed when I sit in a meeting like I was in yesterday. I get empowered when I realize I am there because I was willing to follow a feeling. A feeling that came over me in a moment; a feeling I've been following now for years.

Today, I will stand in front of a bunch of students at a large college who are going to go out and influence the public health practices in this country. Maybe even around the world. As I share my passion with them, I will remind myself that I would not be there if I hadn't followed a feeling.

I would not be there if I was still looking for my passion.

Before I offer myself that reminder, I want to offer it to you. Feel and follow what you are passionate about.

I'm afraid too many of us wait for our passion to define itself for us. When maybe the whole idea is we're suppose to be following feelings and defining our passion as we go.

Seven years ago, I had no idea I was passionate about early childhood experiences. Today, there is nothing I'm more passionate about. Today I'm excited by the possibility that a young person might get a feeling as I talk - a feeling they just might follow - a feeling that will lead them to define a passion that makes a difference in their lives.

That makes a difference in the world.

Feel and follow, my friends.

Just follow.