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This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
Sylvia Phillips is a woman to be looked up to. Her strength far surpasses anything I’ve ever had to muster up, and reading her blog posts has filled me with nothing but gratitude and love.
First, I should tell you, she has nine children–and she still finds time to blog and be creative. I will never have a single excuse for not blogging ever again. Secondly, not only is she home schooling her children, (a few of them are grown up and out of the house), but she also attends to her daughter Bethany, who after undergoing brain surgery to remove a tumor back in 2000 was left with permanent disabilities that require an enormous amount of love, patience, and strength from Sylvia and her entire family. This kind of courage is rare for people in times of tragedy, which is why I am so moved by her strength to live a life completely filled with kindness and love, despite everything.
On her blog, Faithful Mom of 9, you will not find Sylvia complaining. In her pictures, you will not find her scowling. Sylvia’s blog is dedicated to spreading joy, and sharing the values that hold families together: love, patience, and more love. I am so honored to share her blog with you guys, because everyone needs a little inspiration now and again.
Here’s what she had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
I started blogging because most of the people in my life have frankly gotten tired of the fact that my life has become consumed by the care of my daughter since she became disabled after surgery to remove a brain tumor. I have a need to keep talking about what life is like now and so to spare them all the boring, gory details I decided to start this blog. It has become my therapy. I can keep “talking” and if no one wants to “listen” they don’t have to!
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
Blogging on a near daily basis has been good practice in setting goals and has given me focus. Writing about life has helped me to process what’s going on and how to handle the challenges that come up. It’s helped me to sort what’s important in life from what’s meaningless. Surprisingly, some of what I’ve written has actually been an encouragement to others, too!
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Connecting with other people, exchanging ideas, and getting mostly positive feedback has been very encouraging to keep writing. I’ve written an eBooklet and hope to write an eBook about my daughter’s experience with brain cancer and how it has affected my family in the near future. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my passion!
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
Julien Smith, co-author of the book Trust Agents, once said that it was always good to learn new things outside of what you were passionate about, because you never knew how those new things could relate back to what you actually were passionate about. I recall him saying this because as I sat down to review Dirk Myers’s blog for this post tonight, and happily absorbed all of the information he has written there, I realized that I was learning really valuable information that I would probably never think to seek out intentionally. And Julien was right–it totally related back to things I’m interested in.
Let me tell you a little bit about Dirk’s highly valuable blog, Service With a Style. It’s a blog centered on how to prosper in the service and hospitality industry, an industry Dirk has been thriving in for over 25 years.
In his posts, Dirk uses a great technique for coming up with good content–he takes situations that happen to him in a given day and turns them into informational blog posts related to his blog niche, resulting in really informative posts that stick. Just to give you an idea of what I mean, he used a bad experience at a restaurant to illustrate how important honesty and communication were between customer and employee in the service industry. Before I knew it, I was reading blog post after blog post, and immensely enjoying how much I was learning about teamwork and employee management, something I’ve always been interested in. You just never know where you’re going to learn something that ends up being really beneficial towards your end career goal.
Here’s what he had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
I created this blog because I wanted to share some ideas that I thought would help some people. Seeing the feedback indicating that it has been helpful to people has been very rewarding. It helps me feel like the time and effort have truly been worth it. Seeing how I am read in several continents also expands my horizons a bit and helps me think out of the box. It also makes you realize how widely received some simple ideas really can be.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
It’s actually helped me to set some goals. The fact that what I have done has been received so well has made me decide to take all of this to another level. I am in the process of seeing what opportunities there are for me to help companies put their best foot forward in Service. I am looking forward to seeing where this takes me.
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Participating in the WordCount Blogathon helped me build some good practices for regular blogging. I would recommend participating in such an event to any blogger. The event also helped me learn tools to assist me through creative blocks. That has been a very beneficial tool for me.
Thanks so much Dirk! I’ll need to check out this Word Count Blogathon sometime. I think my readers would get plenty sick of me if I blogged every day, but maybe one day I will have a host of more important things to say.
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>
Personally, there isn’t anything I feel like talking about more right now, than Disney.
Paul Harris blogs about visiting Disney World. While I’ve never visited, Disneyland is sure as hell my happy place, so I have no doubt that Disney World is truly, the happiest flippin’ place on earth. From the time he was a young boy, Paul was fascinated by the Magical Kingdom, and over the years developed enough experience visiting the magical place to turn it into something he not only wrote about, but a place where other Disney lovers could visit for travel information.
Over at his blog, The Visitor’s Guide to Walt Disney World Resorts, you’ll find great insider tips on the best places to visit, the best hotels to stay at, and the best places to eat. It’s like getting advice from a friend, which in my opinion is the best advice because it is upfront and honest about how to prepare for important aspects of the trip (like how to tame kids who are hot and irritable), unlike something you’d find on the official Disney website. Oh and another cool thing I thought I’d share before I let him take the reins–his daughter used to be a Disney cast member at Disney World! I thought that was SO cool.
Here is what he had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
Creatively blogging has created an outlet for the writer’s itch that has “plagued” me since I closed the doors on a magazine that I published back in the 90’s. Writing has always been something that I’ve enjoyed doing, and blogging gives me the opportunity to do just that.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
I try to achieve the goal of posting at least three new posts per week. I don’t always get that since my schedule can get pretty clogged up with life, but that is the goal. Blogging has provided a good framework to enforce the discipline and work habit to fulfill that goal. More importantly, blogging has forced me to put aside the stresses of meeting deadlines to do something that I truly enjoy doing; being creative.
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Absolutely! After starting visitorsguidetowdw.com I have re-started a virtual animation studio, PappaBear Studios to create short animations to include on the blog. The ultimate in storytelling, these animated shorts will help me communicate the message of the Visitors Guide, which is how to truly enjoy the Walt Disney World Resorts. With a cast and crew of volunteer artists spread throughout the world coming together over the internet to make these shorts, it is a dream come true for me. Starting my blog was the impetus to getting that dream to reality.
I find it so inspiring that Paul was able to rekindle his old passion for animation through the start of his Disney World blog. Sometimes I think blogging is just the spark we need to ignite that creative fire inside of us. Thanks for stopping by, Paul!
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
We talk a lot about our passions, but many times that’s all it is. Talk. And talking can get tiring. Hell, even thinking about the things we are passionate about can get tiring, because they’re never put into action. And action from passion is what makes us come alive.
The following is a touching story about Shana Manuel, and the action behind her passion. Before Shana started her blog, Culture Weekend, she had a passion for discovering international culture within local communities, and didn’t quite know how to make a career out of it. Like myself, she had to take a moment to reflect on what made her truly happy, bite the bullet and go for it.
So like the rest of us, she started a blog. Culture Weekend revolves around Shana’s diverse 48-hour ‘staycations’ in New York, as she explores dozens of international places to ‘travel’ to all within her local community. It’s quite the trip! And I’ve never read anything like it. She writes all about her explorations and the dozens of cultural things you can do within a single local community. It’s cool to see how much culture you can absorb in one place without having to pay hundreds of dollars for an international flight, if you know what I mean. (They should build an Australia in L.A.).
I’m not sure if you’re headed out to New York any time soon, but this gal is the expert on cultural places to visit. I really had no idea how diverse New York was, and I love discovering unique, niche blogs like this that keep me knee-deep in new and useful information.
Here’s what she had to say. (Some of my favorite lines are bolded for emphasis.)
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
Prior to blogging, I had no idea how to apply my interests in exploring international cultures into a tangible job. One day, after reflecting over the reasons why I picked up and moved to New York after completing my graduate studies in North Carolina, it hit me. I moved to New York for the area’s rich cultural diversity; however, after living here for several years, all I had done was drown out my true passions with work in an industry that wasn’t the best fit for me. Following many personal challenges, I was forced to question my path in life. Ultimately, this reflection led me back to my true passion, which I had set aside on a shelf for years and allowed to collect dust. Blogging enables me to share my passion for exploring international culture within local communities in a way that no other platform can. Blogging is my primary outlet for creativity.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
After leaving the corporate world and staying at home with my son, I felt off schedule. I missed having work-related deadlines and assignments outside of naps, extracurricular activities for the kids, feedings and diaper changes. Blogging has given my life the structure I crave. Blogging helps me to feel alive again, dedicated to a cause. I treat my blog and the work that goes into it from coding, social media, emails, classes, and conferences as a real job!
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Blogging has me thinking more from an entrepreneurial perspective. I’ve recently turned my blog into a business and work daily to grow it into an authoritative site for information on all things international and local!
Thank you so much for being a part of my series, Shana! It’s been a pleasure sharing your extremely unique passion with my readers. 
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks! See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
The lovely moments I have been afforded, I tell you. I’ve just had the pleasure of reading one of the sweetest blogs, and connecting with one of the sweetest bloggers via email. Her name is Simone Graham, and she’s from New Zealand. NEW ZEALAND. I know, so close to Australia right? Well, geographically I’m not sure how close, but I’ve just returned from visiting Sydney and Brisbane not two weeks ago, so the fact that she’s from near there leaves a warm and fuzzy imprint on my heart.
So let’s talk about Simone, because you’ll want to get to know her and her blog, Great Fun 4 Kids, believe me. She’s a mum of three, who loves planning kids parties, and putting her creative skills to good use in all sorts of ways. Now I know there are a ton of family blogs out there, but this one is one of the loveliest I’ve seen. I’m a sucker for good design, as I’ve said in the past, as well as the clean way pictures, text, and buttons all flow together. Also, the topics she writes about are both insightful and comedic, as she discusses her children (who all have nicknames, so it reads like a story would) and past experiences with depression.
Next, what really got me interested was her Blog Design Webshop, where she sells her services helping you design buttons and headers for your blog. There are a lot of web designers out there sure, but actually trying to hire one is intimidating–at least for me. So the fact that I can just pop on over to her site and select a service makes it painfully easy to accomplish something I’ve always felt was daunting. Add to that she has a whole section dedicated to parties for kids–including invitations designed by her that you can print out for free!
Thank you so much for contacting me for this series Simone! What a pleasure. Here’s what she had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
Since I began blogging nearly five years ago, I have rediscovered my love of writing (and begun writing for Parenting magazine in NZ); it has also given me a creative outlet and a forum to share my ideas. Through this I have created two small businesses (blog design and party printables) and can work from home while my kids are in school. I love planning kids birthday parties and sharing my ideas, how to’s and free printables on my blog. With three kids who have birthdays conveniently spread throughout the year, there’s always a party in the wind. I have a Party Index Page on the blog where all the ideas and tutorials are collected for people to find. I have also built connections with a network of amazing women around the world.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
Through blogging I was able to become a feature writer for my favorite parenting magazine (the Editor came to interview me about my blog and I asked to write for them; she said yes. This would have never happened without my blog)
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Blogging helps you find the beautiful and the interesting in the mundane of everydayness. It also helps you focus on deliberately looking for the good in things. I have recently completed a two-week blog series on Gratitude (The Grateful Project) and blogging it every day has helped me “stay the course”. Lastly, for the past ten years I have battled depression and anxiety, which I share about openly on my blog and have just recently been diagnosed with dyslexia – a dyslexic writer – only me! What can I say – I love blogging for so many reasons.
I am thrilled that Simone has been a part of this series, and am so happy to have made her acquaintance from so far away. Thanks for reading, and if you’re up for a laugh, and want to hear how New Zealanders like Simone talk (kiwis), give this video a quick watch. It had me in hysterics. Adorable.
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks!
See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
This week I’m featuring a freelance writer and HR professional who combines the two professions in the most unexpectedly hysterical ways in her blog, Musings. I can’t tell you how happy I am that she somehow stumbled upon my Passion Series via Linkedin. I never took an interest in HR, but after just reading this hysterical post called Five Recognition Awards Your Employees Will REALLY Appreciate, I will definitely be returning. I’m trying to get into business school here, and if Ms. Spraggins can make HR sound entertaining? I will be her number one fan.
Her blog is a mix of personal and professional expression of who she is as a wife, mother, sister, you name it. And I love how dedicated she is to it. Go take a quick look at the sidebar of her blog to see all of the posts she’s written. I’m talking like, sometimes 30 a month. Now THAT is something to work towards! And they’re not like short, whatever posts. They offer opinion, knowledge, and experience from the perspective of an HR professional, as well as a creative writer.
Here’s what she had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
Absolutely. Blogging has opened up a whole new world of ideas and people! I’ve met so many interesting people through blogging, and their creativity fuels my creativity. Emotionally, blogging has helped me to appreciate my sensitive nature and even some of my foibles, because exposing all that informs my voice and point-of-view and helps me connect to readers. Also, blogging makes hurtful and painful experiences a blessing–something to write about! AND, blogging gives me an anonymous way to express my emotions by “telling” people things I can’t say to them face to face–like you’re a terrible boss, a selfish friend, an all-around-jerk, or the life of my life.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
Yes. Blogging has allowed me to achieve the goal of “writer.” In my previous corporate life I wrote all the time and was recognized as “having good writing skills.” But now I’M A WRITER. Fabulous!
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
In a roundabout way, yes. Reader RESPONSE motivates me to keep writing (and I’m passionate about writing.) While in many ways the act of writing is its own reward, I blog (as opposed to keeping a private journal) because I like to connect with others (including other WRITERS) through writing.
I feel the exact same way. Hearing from people who actually read and respond to what you write about, is a pretty awesome feeling, because it makes you feel like what you have to say is being heard. Crystal, if you’re reading this, I can’t thank you enough for stopping by. Keep doing what you do!
This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks!
See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
Clara Freeman is on a journey to empowerment, not just for herself, but for women everywhere. Years ago, as a young nurse, Clara found herself naturally coaching women who struggled to find their voice in times of hardship. Over the years, as the internet became the best medium to connect with people, she decided to voice her opinions on empowerment to a larger audience via her popular blog, Authentic Woman.
I can’t tell you how much in common I feel like I have with Clara just from reading her answers below. She talks about how a creative person’s interests can be so varied, which I feel like I struggle with every day as I ADD my way through a myriad of side projects. In fact her interests are so varied that she started up two other blogs just to house them all. And I have to give her props for attending weekly to two other blogs…I can barely keep up with this one! On top of that, she writes short stories, which are one my favorite things to write (besides blogging). It’s so awesome to connect with another blogger that also has her hands in so many different pies, so to speak.
Reading Clara’s answers below really gave me inspiration to keep blogging and keep writing and keep focusing on the things I’m passionate about….which if you think about it, are mostly blogging and writing
If you like any of her answers below, or can relate to them in any way, I highly recommend checking out her blog. Here’s what she had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
That would be a definite yes! Before blogging, there were constant streams of writing out my emotions and creative thoughts via my trusted Canon typewriter or on those yellow legal pads. You see, up until 2000, I literally felt wary about the computer. I wasn’t a savvy writer in that way:) But then, an Oprah segment appeared where a young man was teaching lady “O” how to use the internet and I was like, wow, if she can do it, so can I.
All of that ‘stuff’ hanging about in my closets from an early age of wanting to reach out and become the advocate for the “voiceless” came to a head when I began to blog. Blogging allowed me to release and relate to all sorts of woman issues that had captured my attention and had me itching to step up and say “No more of that!” Generally, I’ve always known my purpose. It’s always been to speak for the “underdog” or those folks I felt for whatever reason, failed to speak for themselves- women, children and the elderly. As a young woman, wife and mother I became aware of how women could lose themselves in the activities of daily living, only to voice regret later.
My authenticity began with a reawakening to the re-discovery of “Me.” A long time Nursing career became more of an advocacy platform for the numerous women who approached me with questions, concerns and ‘woe is me’ lifestyle attitudes and I knew It was time to start the journey of women empowerment and use my expertise on women issues to help make a positive impact in the lives of other women.
Blogging has allowed me to do that. It continues to be the “cat’s meow” for
networking and building community; more than any other popular form of social
media.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
Absolutely it has. I manage two blogs besides my Authentic Woman business brand. I usually post on a weekly basis for all three of my sites. Because my interests are so varied (as many creatives are) I realize I needed to separate those things that I love to immerse myself with, from those things I felt called to do; such as my celebrity news & entertainment blog, where I get a kick out of giving the teas on all things celebrity:) and then there are things that feed my spirit, such as writing, reading and connecting with other creatives via books/book bloggers/ authors and the writing community as a whole. My writers blog at Clara54 helps keep me grounded in that area.
I’ve been blogging consistently and professionally since 2006. It takes a lot to manage three sites and keep them relevant for my readers, but, somehow I’ve managed and it’s working out quite well! I’ve also taken classes to sharpen my skills so that I can continue to help others. By incorporating learning modules of Marketing, Coaching & Leadership classes into my schedule, I’m staying abreast of the constant ebb and flow of an entrepreneurial change that could potentially affect my business sustainability.
Blogging has allowed me to knock on doors, introduce my passion and purpose and have people say, “of course, welcome!” Today, Authentic Woman receives nearly 2000 views worldwide/ day, along with 100’s of visitors. If not for blogging, I might not have considered putting myself out there in cyberspace, in a career where I mentor and coach women to walk authentic and fearless in their truths.
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
For sure. I’m so passionate about empowering women to live their best lives, that I’m always looking to get the word out. In the first week of January 2013, I had a motivational column in the Premiere issue of a New Jersey entertainment magazine, a Women in Business piece accepted for an online women’s business magazine, and an inspirational 2013 article accepted in an online beauty & fashion magazine…I was thrilled and a bit amazed this all happened within the span of one week…and then, there’s my love for short story writing!
When I’m blogging, nowadays, it’s because I have something meaningful to share (even in celebrity news) that might have been overlooked or downplayed or bears repeating. I am always on the lookout for information that will help another person get a leg up, so to speak. Life is too short and much too fluid to hold back in your purpose for being. I love what I do. I will continue to do it- as Frank Sinatra says, “My way!”
Bloggers, creative writers and authors will need to have a thick skin, in that, sometimes on the journey to living your truth, people will tend to ignore you, overlook you and even talk bad about your contribution to society. Bloggers needn’t worry though, because when you’re blogging to your heart’s content? Your heart will truly be “Content.”
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks!
See all Passion Series posts >>
This post is part of a weekly feature called the Passion Series…enjoy!
At the ripe age of 20 years old, Chris Coleman decided to go into business for himself. He dropped out of college and decided to pursue what interested him: becoming an entrepreneur, and motivating young adults to pursue things they were passionate about.
Since deciding to go into business for himself, he’s started a blog, published a book, and started two technology companies. What initially started as a hobby blogging about smartphones, slowly transformed the way he thought about life and how to make the best of it. His decision to successfully chase after his dreams inspired him to share his story through his blog in hopes of motivating both kids and adults to go after theirs.
One of my favorite lines from his “About” section, regarding how inspired he was to turn his life around, is “I wanted to escape the Matrix and enjoy life the way it was intended.”
I couldn’t agree with him more. I’ve recently been acknowledging the fact that life wasn’t intended to be cookie-cutter clean and soft around the edges. It doesn’t even have to go in the order society tells you to put it in (e.g., go to college and get your degree first). It was meant to be enjoyed like a glass of fresh water after a tough work out, and never to be taken for granted, which I think Chris definitely realizes. I absolutely envy his courage to go against the grain by dropping out of college, and pursuing the career of his dreams, no doubt a challenging feat. But, like the wonderful Erika Napoletano put it in a blog post recently: “If what you’re doing right now isn’t challenging, you’ll never find better.”
Here’s what he had to say.
Has blogging helped you in any emotional or creative way?
I would say blogging has helped in both ways. I started blogging when I was about 17-18, so almost five years now. When I first started I honestly had no idea what I was doing but I was interested in providing information about a topic I was very passionate about; smartphones. Blogging brought out my creativity in a way that school could not as you can be more personable in your blog post, less structured to a degree and not stuck writing about a topic that you have no interest in. In terms of emotional whenever I had something on my mind that was troubling I could always bury myself into writing, doing research on a story or just getting lost in translation as my words spilled onto paper.
Has blogging daily/weekly helped you achieve any personal goals?
Blogging daily has certainly helped me achieve personal goals. By being consistent and creating new content daily, even when I had no audience, allowed me to see the fruits of my labor as my audience began to grow and opportunities began coming my way. Blogging has not only allowed me to attend various events and provide coverage to literally readers from all around the world but it also allowed me the chance to connect with a whole group of people that I would never be able to interact with if I had not began blogging.
Another thing that blogging has helped me achieve is; giving me a platform to be able to share my experiences, my thoughts and my journey with people from all around the world who hopefully can find inspiration, motivation, etc,. from what I’m sharing.
Does the ritual of daily/weekly blogging give you motivation to pursue things you are passionate about?
Absolutely. Through blogging and looking to spread my message to as many people as possible, I’ve acquired a passion for helping others to go after their own dreams, desires, goals and passions. It is truly rewarding having someone watch a video I created or a blog post I have written and send me a message saying how my words have inspired them to take action or to keep pushing towards whatever it is they want. I know I’m not famous or successful by societies standards but if I can motivate one person that brings me great joy!
It’s bloggers like Chris who remind me that I don’t have to follow one single path–I can be messy and all over the place, as long as I’m pursuing shit I love. Also, today is his birthday, so happy birthday Chris, and thanks for sharing your story with A Novel Quest.
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This post is part of a series on bloggers who have found direction or passion through blogging. If you would like to be featured in the Passion Series, please contact me through this form with responses to the above questions, and share your passions. Thanks!
See all Passion Series posts >>