Passion – University of Life

Are You Living an Inspiring Life?

by Shaun Roundy

Today’s podcast asks whether you’re living an inspiring life, then explains how to do that by choosing the better of the two motivations (hint: I’m not referring to love and fear). You also get a story of walking with young pioneers in disappointingly pleasant weather and you’ll learn a little bit about self actualization.

P.S. one of the “family” groups spent much of their walking time solving riddles, so I made up a brand new one. See how quickly you can figure this out:

I carry life on my back between the stars,
I’ll fight you both ways, my arms against yours.
No matter how far you walk, or how fast you run,
We’ll never reach our next destination.

Click here for hints

Hint #1: what do you need to keep you alive? Hint #2: stars have rays shooting out from them. Hint #3: what’s the farthest you can ever see (not counting the sky)?

Click here for the answer

A handcart. It carries your survival gear. The wheels and spokes are like stars. Both ways = uphill and down. Our next destination is the horizon, and we’ll never reach it because it keeps moving farther away….

Are You Really In Love?

by Shaun Roundy

Spring is in the air, and with it, people all around you are falling in love – including yourself.

Lucky you! Congratulations! The ecstatic bliss you now feel is the most joyous experience you’ve ever known. The sun shines brighter, birds sing more sweetly, and you’re about to live happily ever after!

But hold on for just a second – because you just realized how utterly sappy all that sounds to everybody else who’s not in love, and how much you sound like a Disney princess, which you know – or at least you used to know – is not exactly realistic.

So which is it? Are you in love or aren’t you? Will you live happily ever after or are you setting yourself up for heart break? Does True Love exist or is it only an appealing myth? You’d like to know for certain so you can plan accordingly.

Okay, great, let’s find out! Read more “Are You Really In Love?” →

Thank a Teacher

by Shaun Roundy

I recently came across this inspiring letter written by a new teacher and she gave me permission to share it here:

So, I’m a brand-new 7th grade English teacher. I work in a school where something like 80% of the kids live below the poverty line. Many of them have families who are barely making it. Many of them wear the same clothes to school multiple days in a row. For many of them, school lunch is the only meal they will eat that day. Many of their parents struggle with drugs, alcoholism, or are incarcerated.

And here I am, some 25-year-old white girl who saw Freedom Writers and wanted to make a difference. Want to know a secret? Some days, I feel like I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. Read more “Thank a Teacher” →

Sponsor a Dancer!!!

by Shaun Roundy

I’ve known Bridger Barksdale all his life. I am *awed* at his dedication to his pursuits and the *excellence* he achieves in them.

I produced this video to show off some of his inspiring skills, and to help him raise money to attend the Bolshoi Theater’s summer intensive program in New York this summer, where he was awarded a 90% scholarship when he tried out at the Grand Prix in Denver this winter. His family is not rich and could really use your help. I guarantee that any help you can provide would be a VERY GOOD cause!

Happy Thanksgiving + Merry Christmas!

by Shaun Roundy

What I am grateful for today (among other things) is that I finally finished writing the last book in my Courage, Love and the Meaning of Christmas series!

The Art of Heart finally wraps up the trilogy with the most exciting book yet. Click any of the books above to view them on Amazon.com and click the book image there to read the first dozen chapters or so and see if you get hooked by the interesting characters and engaging style!

Have you ever wanted to write a book? If so, GET STARTED!!! I wrote Courage, Love and the Meaning of Christmas after reading another popular Christmas book and deciding I could do better. Now it has sold thousands and thousands of copies and climbed as high as #442 on Amazon’s overall best seller list.

If you need some tips for how to write and how to get started (the writing process will save you much time and frustration), also pick up my writing textbook, The Art & Craft of Writing: the ultimate step-by-step guidebook to the writing process and effective composition.

I Love Work

by Shaun Roundy

Imagine for a moment* that you have a dream.

[*If you have to *imagine* you have a dream, you should really find yourself an *actual* dream!]

Imagine that you feel excited about that dream. Imagine that attaining/accomplishing/becoming your dream would make you happy and satisfied and excited, and that it would give life meaning.

Clearly, living your dream would be a good way to live.

So why haven’t you reached your dream yet? Why haven’t you accomplished it? I’m guessing you haven’t, because once you reach a dream, it becomes reality, and then it’s time for a new dream, unless your new dream is to continue enjoying the old one. Read more “I Love Work” →

How to Come Alive

by Shaun Roundy

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

When was the last time YOU came alive? Watch this video for five tips on how to make that happen more often! Read more “How to Come Alive” →