GUEST POST: Author Charlotte Foust + Giveaway!

Hi there readers!

Today's post is all about PASSION.

Passion can show itself in so many ways but perhaps the most authentic version of it is when we find it within ourselves.  It's like finding the ultimate path in life, you know the one you've always been looking for.  I can only imagine the serene feeling one must have once it's found...I'll let you know if I ever get to that point myself.  In the mean time, let's take a look at one author's response to finding her passion and her outlook on the road ahead. 

Courtesy of the Pump Up Your Book blog tour for Life Choices:  Pursuing Your Passion, please welcome author Charlotte Foust!

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Surrender!

by Charlotte Foust

At last! I have finally surrendered to my passion. Yes, surrendered. I did not pursue it, it pursued me. Patiently, it has pursued me through all of the ups and downs, the good and bad of my life. My constant invisible companion, it has persistently guided me into situations where it could not be ignored. But until recently, I was able to acknowledge it and then lock it away in the deepest corner of my heart.

Pursuing a passion was something other people did. There was no room in my life for what I wanted to do. The ‘fact’ that I wasn’t good enough was always there staring me in the face as well. As a child, I was encouraged to get an education. I was told to learn to do something that would pay enough to support me so I wouldn’t have to depend on anyone else to take care of me. The implication was that no one else would want to, so I would need to take care of myself. I used a good deal of energy ignoring the constant pulling from within. I always believed it was easier to do that than to risk being hurt. The path I took to get where I am was full of pot-holes, twists and turns. It was a bumpy ride.

My passion has won. The war I have waged with myself is ended. This is not a temporary cease fire or a truce. I have surrendered. I have, at long last, realized that I do not have to be someone else’s vision of the person I am or do the things that other people believe are best for me.

The road I travel now, not so much in pursuit of but in response to the driving of my passion, is smoother. There are still twists and turns, but they are gentle. I rarely step in a pot hole. I am realizing my deepest desires. I am moving in a direction that is exciting and new…everyday. I recognize that passion is a synonym for truth. Allowing myself to be driven and led by my passion, I am becoming my authentic self.

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About the Author

Charlotte Foust is the Associate Minister of Unity of Las Vegas. After leaving her first career as a dancer in Las Vegas, she took time out to be a wife and mother. Always seeking her own place in the world, she pursued careers in direct marketing, retail, cosmetology, and escrow. As the owner/director of a ballroom dance studio, she developed a program of creative and therapeutic dance for the intellectually challenged. Leaving the corporate world behind, Charlotte became the executive assistant to motivational speaker and author, Judi Moreo. Working as Ms. Moreo’s assistant became the key to unlocking her true passion. With Judi’s support and mentoring, Charlotte began developing her writing skills. After years of study and with much support from family and friends, she is now following her calling as a minister.

Her latest book is Life Choices: Pursuing Your Passion.

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Stirring wasn't it?

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour as it continues on it's virtual journey through April 29th.

If your passion has been ignited by what you just read, you are not alone.  Life Choice:  Pursuing Your Passion is a book highlighting the possibility of finding your passion from 26 inspiring authors and thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book, you have a chance to win a copy of your very own!

Here's the scoop.

The prize...

(1) copy of Life Choice:  Pursuing Your Passion

How to enter...

Simply fill out THIS FORM.

(Promise it's short and sweet.)

The rules...

*Open to one and all.  That's right!  US, Canada and INTERNATIONAL mailing addresses!  Only "no" is to P. O. Boxes.

* Entries will be accepted from Thursday, April 14th, 2011 through Friday, April 22nd, 2011 at midnight CST.  The entries will be tallied and entered into the random.org randomizer, after which a random number will be picked by their number generator.  (This way all the entries are mixed up nicely.)

* All entries must be submitted using the form accessible through this post.  You MUST include your email address in order to be counted as well as contacted should you be chosen as the winner!

*The winner will be announced and contacted via email by Monday, April 25th, 2011 and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.  Should they fail to respond in the given time frame, a new winner will be chosen.  If you choose to include your full name and mailing address in your contest entry, no worries....the time frame issue is erased.

*Winner's name and address will be forwarded to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book for prize send out only and then discarded.

 

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So what are you waiting for?

Get the motivation to find your inspiration today with a few great words of advice from those that have already uncovered their passion and are merely waiting to see just who follows in their footsteps.

Until next time....happy reading!