isilay civan passiontheiwla.com/app/uploads/2015/01/janfeb20151.pdf10 13 14 isilay civan passion for...

A Publication of The International Women’s

Leadership Association

issuePassionIsIlAy CIvAn

Table of Contents

January - February2015

03 letter from the Managing Editor04 TheIWlA new Member list06 Editors07 I Am TheIWlA

Passion

07

23

18

25

21

273032

10 13 14IsIlAy CIvAn

Passion for Proper Planning

Everyday PassionBecky Paroz

Chrissy B

Elcho Stewart

Georgina Waterhouse

Fuada Delic

Suzana Petrozzi

Maureen Cresencia Kambarami

Passion - something Contagious We All Want to Catch

If you Don’t love It something’s Wrong

Work Hard for your Passion

From Passion to Purpose

A Passionate Beginning

HAsMIk ArAkElyAn ArlEnE sPAnn MAryEllEn vAn royEn

Letter from the Managing Editor

Dear IWM Reader,

Passion! The very sound of the word ignites a sense of importance, of purpose, of power unto itself.

For me, it is, indeed, all of these things and so much more.

Passion is what stirs the spirit, urges the body, and demands commitment. It is the stuff of love at its highest and pain at its deepest. It is overused, per-haps, and often to express far less significant senses than it should be reserved for.

Passion drives blood through our veins, pushes us beyond breaking points, and can consume our time and attention. That’s passion!

so, what‘s your passion? What’s always on your mind and in your heart? What keeps you up at night and steals your focus during the day? What is it that takes you out of the moment and puts you in a pleasant, satisfying daydream? That’s passion!

I believe there is passion born in every soul. Discov-ering it and nurturing it can be as terrifying as it can be triumphant. For some, it is the elusive goal meant only to be pondered yet never really attempted, let alone actualized. For others, it is what springs them out of bed each day, then their day’s work.

A well-proclaimed reference of passion is the pas-sion of the Christ representing the willingness of a human to endure horrific suffering because its pur-pose was worthy. still, it was His fulfillment of that purpose; a goal He was willing to die for.

A dramatic example; yes, of course! yet it poignant-ly illustrates what passion truly is about. It is that for which we live, work, and are willing to go the dis-tance for. It is not fleeting, though it is flexible.

life without passion – for something – for anything – is a life absent of that which may be the sweetest part of it.

This edition of IWM is a buffet of thoughts and exam-ples of where passions thrive among the women of TheIWlA. The articles present passionate perspectives that provoke you to find yourself in them – or identify your passion because of them; either way, you win!

live, work, and share with passion. Follow your heart. Do not ask for permission; do not apologize.

As always,

Beth JohnstonTheIWlA

shirley Abrahamsaundra Adamskristen Adanti-PedersenChristel AffleckDonna AhdootAngelina AikenCornelia AlaimoMaria Alvarezkim AndersonMarthajeanne AndersonTamara Arndtkatherine AstlefordCindy Austinlinda Xochi AvalosArlett Bagalue-Traceyshara BairAmanda BakerCarol BakerTracy Barkhimerlois Batchelor-Howardkate BaumannEricka BernhardtJeanette BierbaumMaryella Blundosue Bonarrakhee BowkerDenise BowlinMaggie Branchvanessa BrandAnnmarie BredaPatricia BrewerElizabeth Brookskanesha BrownBrenda BrownAnnemarie Browninglaura BusalacchiHeather BuzzardDenise Candelaria

TheIWLA would like to welcome:

Heather Carneyroz CarrollJudith CarterCaren CastleDana CastleberryAraceli Castroyolaine CharlesDr. Angela Chestersandra ChristensenDonna ClaryMargaret Connrita Consadkatrina CookAnnette CooperChristine Coraggio-ludlowGwendolyn CormierCathleen Couchmanlorraine Dayrenee DeanAnn DelamontAline DewApril DisonChristine DolWendy Dorseynatalie Dos santoslisa DreyerChristine DubytsCora DunbarFarnaz EhtessabianChristine ElseyMichelle FambroughDawn FeltCarolyn Fentonnorma FernandezDiane FerryTrudy FinlaysonWendy FisherJulia Fleming

rochelle FolesJillian Franklinvictoria FrazierTerri FrielMirta romero FrimtzisCarol FroelichTerri GaffTori GaiterJackline Galustianrachael GannEsther Garcia-TioBonnie Gasquet-Johnsonlaura Gesicki-WoodDonna GhanneyCheri GigliottiDeborah Gonzalesvernell GoreDiana GriesPaulette Amous GrossDeborah GubernickChristy Guenthersusan Guineysuzanne GurenlianDenise Guth-reedroberta Haddockrani HanohanoJessica Hardysapphire HarrisDonna Hayes

rebecca Heasliprebecca Heddinghaussharon HelzerJeanne Hickey-Hansenlindita HobdariTerri Hoodnancy Hornkaren Howardladawn HudginsFelicia JacksonPatricia Jackson-kelleyAparajita JeediguntaAnita Jeter-PeterkinClaudia JimenezHelena Jimenezlucinda nichols Jimenezrita JohannesMarina Johnson MdTara Jonessharon Joneslinda Jordonlina Jurilla-PastranaGillian karatinosBalpreet kaurConnie kelloggAndrea kellumCarol kendallDarcey kleinrachel kozicki

http://bit.ly/PVBFVY

Baiba kregerrachel kullkarla kurrelmeyerne’Che la’Mourshea larsonJudith lasalleFrancine laterzaAshley leggettstephany levinesheila lightsysu longmanAnnette MaedaCarla Magazinesue ManawayChristine MarinkovichChristine MarkowJulianne Martensenstacy MartinPaula MartinJoanne Massey-DeanJulie MatthewsD. nicole MattoxMisty Mayorgaroni Mcanultykaren Mcfaddenkathleen McgirrJudy MchughWendy MenaEvelyn MhinaConnie MilburnJacqueline Mitchell-Bellstacey MontgomeryAgnes Moreland-Jacksonstefani Morrowrachel Mowreylea Munnlisette naplinda neilson

Jodi newmanAndrea newmanJo-Anne newtonHelsa nothoflinda o’GormanCristina o’keeffeAlisa olinCarol oschmannJill ozanickJanaya Parkerlynda PaxtonJoyce PembertonAndrea Perronsherry PetersonTannia Plytasvanessa PraterJennifer PurdueJennifer ramosDipti rathshannon raya-kultAmanda reedMechi reneeBeverly renfordkaren rhodesrobin righterkaren rileyrosa riveraDeborah robinsonCaroline Baer rogowsharon rossManveen salujaQueen Esther sarrHeshie segalrumiana sekulovaveronica shaverEva shaw-Taylorvanessa stewartHabibah sulayman

Donna sullivanAshley szanterConnie Taylorrenee Thalroseroxanne Thomasrogena ThurberTerri Trappkathy TrustyCarla TruttmanGail TycerPeace UdechukwuJoyce veranichole villanoDeborah villepigueJudy WagnerCarolyn Wainrightlinda WalkerMary WashingtonManuela Figueroa WilliamsMichelle Williamsvivienne Williamsnatalie Williamsrebekah Williamslydia Willinghamkaren WilsonMary Wolffkrystene WoodardTonya Zeigler

TheIWLA would like to welcome:

http://bit.ly/PVBFVY

A writer and researcher originally from the Us, laura has lived in Geneva, swit-zerland since 2001 and splits her time between Geneva and the mountains of France’s Haute savoie. In addition to her work with Inspirational Woman, she has written on aspects of life abroad for

Meet the Editors

Beth Johnston is an entrepreneur of the truest kind. known for her creative thinking in tandem with a strong math-ematical mind, Beth has started and sold 3 businesses, consulted, coached and been an invited speaker at graduate-lev-el classes and business events.

As the oldest daughter in a large family, Beth says she was born in to manage-ment and learned good listening skills sitting around the dining room table.

A believer that need and opportunity are a winning combination, Beth is ea-ger to take on new solution-based proj-ects that serve large communities and fill niches.

At her core is the belief that cooperation trumps competition and that collabora-

tive relationships are not only smart, but sensible: team-work promotes engage-ment, empowers and leverages oppor-tunities for faster growth, production and output.

Beth is the Founder of The International Women’s leadership Association (TheI-WlA) and currently serves as its Execu-tive Director and continues to do moti-vational coaching.

As the Managing Editor of Inspirational Woman Magazine (IWM), Beth sees yet another opportunity to be of service to women around the world through IWM’s thematic editorial format com-bined with articles featuring outstand-ing women of leadership. This is yet an-other way TheIWlA promotes ongoing communication….

for women by women about women

Jetsettlers and Hello switzerland maga-zines. Her interests include travel and dance.

Find laura on Twitter @lauratheexpat and linkedIn.

Beth JohnstonMAnAGInG EDITor

Laura MessengerlAyoUT EDITor AnD ProoFrEADEr

http://twitter.com/Lauratheexpat

7 INSPIRATIONAL WOMAN MAGAZINEJanuary - February 2015I AM TheIWLA

I AMIsIlay CIvanIsilay Civan draws on more than 15 years of trans-national professional experience expanding over three continents, covering most industries and all phases of a building life cycle, which gives her a distinct perspective on how to achieve and sustain truly wholesome built environments. In her current role as the firm-wide research and strategic inno-vation specialist with Hok’s Consulting Group, a global architecture and engineering firm, she is re-sponsible for cross-pollination among different in-dustrial sectors, running research-driven diagnostic and predictive analytics and developing innovative solutions for strategic master planning, portfolio optimization, and sustainability consulting.

Curiosity, determination, and real passion for re-search-driven design excellence have been the leading factors for Isilay’s rather unique education-

Dining in the New Year, Austin, Texas USA

http://youtu.be/neCWhSx9b-c


al background and highly diver-sified professional experience. “Even as a first-year undergrad studying to become an architect, I remember constantly question-ing what would become of my designs, what aspects were out of my control, and how I might gain a firmer grasp of the overall spectrum,” she recalls. “I wanted my designs to have a long and healthy life in the real world,

Isilay delivering the Keynote Address at the First Annual Facility Management Conference in Istanbul, Turkey in 2012.

which cannot be achieved with-out considering what would ac-tually become of one’s idea once it is built and in use.”

Civan earned her bachelor’s de-gree in architecture, master’s degree in construction project management, and two PhDs, one in facilities management and the other in real estate development, with a minor in business – giv-

ing her a comprehensive under-standing of the entire life cycle of a building. “While pursuing my degrees, I was also in the field practicing,” she notes. “Having at least 2-3 years of practical experi-ence in each of my degree fields, first as a junior designer, then a project architect, a construction project manager, a lead market analyst, and finally as a strategy consultant that progressed into a


specialist position within the same firm, is what, I believe, enables me to quickly transfer theory into long-lasting practical solutions.”

Currently serving on the International Facility Man-agement Association (IFMA) knowledge Manage-ment and the Environmental Design research Asso-ciation’s Certificate of research Excellence program development committees, Dr. Civan also sits on the editorial board for IFMA’s sustainability “How-to Guides” and was one of the subject matter experts for IFMA’s “sustainability Facility Professional - sFP” credential. she served a two year-term on the IFMA Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012 and chaired the IFMA research Committee and Global FM In-ternational Workshop Taskforce during that time. she is an active member of the Us Green Building Council (UsGBC) and has been a Green Building Certification Institute education provider program reviewer and auditor since 2009. she holds UsBGC’s leadership in Energy & Environmental Design pro-fessional accreditation, with a specialty in opera-tions and maintenance, and is a sustainability Facil-ity Professional. A published author of two books and numerous articles, Dr. Civan is also a frequent speaker at trademark industry conferences and training seminars.

“speaking/publishing engagements and active in-volvement in various professional organizations have been among the most rewarding aspects of continuous learning and keeping up with the con-stant change that we come to expect and enjoy,” Dr. Civan adds. “keeping not just a finger, but both hands on the pulse of change is crucial, especially in the consulting field, to stay current and continue to offer the best possible alternatives each time for the ultimate solution.”

As a strategy consultant, Dr. Civan strives to make each and every project more efficient and stream-lined in its processes. Her focus is primarily on ex-isting buildings, and her aspiration is on consider-ing the entire life cycle of a building and providing advice on the best ways to increase and maintain the optimum asset value, by avoiding premature obsolescence caused by market shifts or change of original use in time. In this capacity, she conducts facility assessments, facility planning and program-ming studies, business relocation strategies, high-est and best use analysis, return on investment studies, and sustainability assessments and devel-ops tools, where needed, to increase efficiency and quality. “I highly enjoy dealing with multilayered, complex issues and developing strategies that bal-ances efficiency with resiliency for truly sustainable solutions,” she comments. “Ability to cross-pollinate between sectors is also a highly desirable benefit of working in a multinational company that serves to various industries. lessons learned from one proj-ect can become a stepping stone for many others.”

When not working, Isilay enjoys being outdoors – hiking, biking, sliding (scooter like, non-motorized vehicle), kayaking, and skiing. “yet, I have to admit,” she continues, “I am more of a ‘glamper’ (short for glamorous camper), which basically means I enjoy being outdoors during the day but prefer retiring to indoors for a comfortable sleep when it is time. I also enjoy hanging out with friends, street art, poetry (both written and spoken), traveling (both domestically and internationally), watching inde-pendent movies, and reading almost anything and everything that I can get ahold of.”

Read more about Isilay here.

http://theiwla.com/member-profile/isilay-civan/


I AM

HasmIk arakelyan

http://youtu.be/wGgD3tYkUVA


Tell us a little about yourself.

I am from yerevan (the capital of Armenia). I am the youngest in my family; I have a sister who is 24 years older than I am and two brothers who are 16 and 17 years older than me. I came to the Us in 2001 when I was 20 years old to study psychology. I did not know the language yet but was determined to learn it to go to graduate school. I started study-ing language and reading books about psychology, and my fascination with studying human mind and behavior deepened every day.

Where did you study in the US, and what did you plan to do?

In yerevan I did my bachelor’s in journalism and Armenian-russian philology, then earned my mas-ter’s in communication; that is when I had a course in psychology. Here, I graduated from Pepperdine University with an MA in psychology. I am also a PhD candidate in psychology; meanwhile I also earned my JD to be able to combine both my degrees and be more productive in both fields. At first glance, psychology and law may seem polar opposites, yet in reality they enhance each other.

What fields in which you have worked are male dominated, and how did you succeed in them?

I worked at a radio station, where I was a produc-er, creator, and host of a weekly talk show called Psychtalk. I would discuss various topics related to psychology, from intimacy to lGBT issues, wom-en’s empowerment to self-actualization. The field I worked in is male dominated; however, as we know, sex is innate, but sex roles are learned; they are conditioned. All the socially prescribed masculine and feminine characteristics are, in reality, not sex specific; to the contrary, they all are human char-acteristics. A woman can be assertive when neces-sary and nurturing when necessary, and the same

goes for men. In this regard, I consider myself a psy-chological androgyny, someone who incorporates both characteristics; in other words, someone who expresses her personality characteristics regardless of socially prescribed roles because your character is what makes you authentic. Being authentic gives you an opportunity to go beyond expectations, grow, thrive, strive for more, discover new talents and abilities you have, and be yourself without restrictions - that is what propels you to succeed. I also teach at a college, and no matter what field you are in, the same principles apply.

What propelled you to succeed?

The drive and passion to grow that was instilled in me by my parents. The incredible support of my lov-


ing family, parents, brothers, and sister, whose unconditional positive regard and love makes a difference in my life each and every day, and for that I am eternally grateful. From a very young age, I felt like I have had many role models and warm, caring, inspiring people around me. At the same time, all of them gave me the freedom to choose and freedom to grow, freedom to be who I am, never forcing their personal notions on me but guiding me into finding mine. I remember when my uncle complained to my dad that was I not acting like a “girl” because I loved climbing trees, playing sports, and being competitive. My father defended me by telling him this anal-ogy that will always stay with me. He said that when you plant a flower, its mission, its natural course, is to blossom to its full potential, yet for that to happen, the flower needs sunlight and water and space to grow, freedom to grow to its full potential. now if we take any of these essential components away from the flower, no matter what we do, it will never blossom the way it had an innate potential to do. The same thing works with people - they need freedom to explore and find who they are, what they love in order to thrive, grow, and be the best they

can be. For people the essential compo-nents are freedom, unconditional love, and acceptance by the family so when they grow up, they know how to love and be the best they can be. The idea to never stop exploring and growing was what my parents instilled in me, and that is one of the biggest foundations I build my values and life around.

What is success for you?

Be able to do what I love and be authen-tically myself.

What is your advice for today’s wom-en?

I would advise them to not try to “act like a woman” as in trying to be liked by people through conforming to what is feminine (from job to behavior) but to love themselves unconditionally; to not repress their true personalities just be-cause some may not think it is “feminine” but to express their full potential, sexu-ality, and personalities; to realize how strong they are; and, most importantly, to be unconditionally loved by them-selves first, and everyone else will follow.

Also, I would advise women to empha-size cooperation, to seek out women mentors, to find motivating role models, and to thrive to grow in every possible way. Be passionate in everything you do, be a woman who impels, inspires and empowers. It is the most incredible gift you can give to another.

Read more about Hasmik here.

http://theiwla.com/member-profile/hasmik-arakelyan/


Author and speaker Arlene Griggs spann was recently awarded an honorary doctorate by Global oved Dei seminary and Uni-versity. she has published several books, including s.W.E.A.T.s.: The Arlene spann Weight loss Program, which focuses on los-ing weight through a holistic, healthy lifestyle. she is the co-author of: Congratulations! you Just lost your J.o.B! (compiled by lasean rinique), which is available through Amazon.com. learn more about Arlene and her program at www.Arlenes-pannsweats.com or by calling 866-432-6896 or sending an email to [email protected].

Read more about Arlene here.

I AM

arlene spann

http://theiwla.com/member-profile/arlene-spann/


I AM

maryellen van royen

http://youtu.be/44JGW-83-bk


over the past several years I have coached, men-tored, and trained many people with a variety of levels of knowledge and experience in the hos-pitality industry, primarily in hotels. I have been interviewed by many people, including college students, newly hired hotel employees, or profes-sionals transitioning into the hospitality/tourism industry about my career path and my passions and interests. The inquiries were to help them learn more and create their own career paths. I may have fallen into this industry by answering a blind ad in The new york Times, over 20 years ago, though it is

Maryellen with the front desk staff at Hyatt Regency Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, discussing group needs.

certain to me now after all these years of life experi-ence that I was destined to be a coach and mentor in the hospitality industry.

I was raised in Milton, Massachusetts, in a commu-nity where everyone looked out for each other and their children. Parents were very involved in the community and after school programs. I was very blessed with a community of coaches and mentors long before I understood the meaning of those im-portant roles in life. I am thankful for the guidance and influence of Mrs. Blute, Mrs. Dunphy, Mrs. smith,


Coach riordan, Professor Erb, my Aunt Donna, and, of course, my mom and dad. They taught me to be the following, in no particular order:

1. Fair and honest2. Involved and interested3. Passionate4. Compassionate and kind5. Focused6. Respectful7. Approachable8. Knowledgeable9. Helpful10. Good at listening to others

These are the qualities I keep in the forefront of my mind daily, and I can credit to my success as a coach and leader in the hospital-ity industry to them - it is that simple. I was in train-ing from the young age of eight and was surrounded by people that cared and took a moment to listen had my own experience the summer before my first year of college, when I was employed at the Mil-ton Cemetery. I needed to be a good listener, very compassionate and respectful toward the different styles of grieving. needless to say, I built upon my foundation of learning from my coaches and my mom and dad in that office administrator job that lasted four summers and one full year of employ-ment after college! It was a real life experience that had an impact on me for many years afterward and certainly helped me secure job interviews in a down job market. Many were dying, no pun intended, to meet a young woman who worked at a cemetery! After ten years or so, my husband told me to focus

on a new specialization for my resume, so I focused on mentoring, a strength for my disposition and good experience from my childhood.

My first experience in the hospitality industry was with a new york City hospitality consulting firm, Directional Marketing, where I figured out my per-sonal passion: helping people learn and grow and

do their best daily. Passion (from the latin verb patere, meaning to suffer) is a term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing, as quoted in the Wikipedia free dictionary. And according to the Mer-riam-Webster dictionary, passion is an intense emo-tion, compelling enthusi-asm or desire for anything. My passion and commit-ment was solidified at age 26. There have been many studies and books written about passion as a motiva-tion in finding a job or ca-reer path. It is known that when an individual is pas-sionate about her occupa-

tion, she finds it less work and more rewarding, gets more done, and is more satisfied. In other words, when people generally enjoy their profession, they are usually motivated by their passion. I realize ev-ery day that I am deeply grateful to be in an indus-try that resonates with my heart and soul. Whether I am helping out a colleague, guest, or direct report, I practice what I preach and have grown and devel-oped from each and every interaction.

My passion for helping people learn and grow and do their best daily is still with me today, 22 years af-ter my first introduction to the hotel industry, when

“...when an individual is

passionate about her occupation, she

finds it less work and more rewarding, gets more done, and

is more satisfied.”


I applied blindly to that new york Times advertisement. My ap-proach has changed over time as the workplace has changed, though my guiding principles and set values that I learned in my childhood and at Directional Marketing have not. I have learned to be true to myself and to stand up for what I be-lieve in, even when others choose to be silent: another form of passion. I learned from many industry professionals, though the key influencers I would like to recognize are Ms. Julie An-drews, my first boss at Directional Marketing; Dean rach of the new york University hospitality and tourism program; Mr. Joe Gaeta, my boss of over six years at The new york Palace and loews regency; and Mr. Tony occhipinti, a longstanding client and industry peer. I am a more confident director of sales and marketing and leader in the hospitality industry having been mentored by them.

In closing, I hope that many read this article or another one that motivates them to get involved in their workplace or com-munity as a mentor. It impacts you as much as the one you are mentoring and is rewarding beyond measure. My personal ad-vice on leading a team, whether in sales or service, to success is to remember the ten qualities listed earlier and to add the following five to them to be the leader you must remember to be (no particular order):

1. Graceful2. Diplomatic3. Factual4. Patient 5. Attentive (with intention and attention)

Maryellen Douglass van royen can be reached at [email protected] or at her linkedIn account under Maryellen Douglass van royen.

Read more about Maryellen here.

http://theiwla.com/member-profile/maryellen-douglass-van-royen/

18 INSPIRATIONAL WOMAN MAGAZINEJanuary - February 2015Passion

EvErydAy passIon

B e c k y P a r o z

I am passionate about writing. I have passion for what I write. I am passionate about the messages that are exchanged when communication occurs; e.g., I write, you read! I am passionate about assisting people with improving their lives, their out-looks, and their mindsets. As a coach, I am passionate about people.

so why is this article so hard to write?

Because I am also passionate about many other things. some-times I just get really passionate about sleep. Mainly because as an insomniac, I don’t get much!

19 INSPIRATIONAL WOMAN MAGAZINEJanuary - February 2015

If you haven’t been under a rock lately, you will no doubt have heard, read, and seen all the various ways in which you can be passionate, have passion, get more passion, find a new pas-sion, and so on!

Do we really need to be passionate all the time? Do we need to live every second as passionately as we can? As a young woman, my answer was absolutely yes! I had been diagnosed with a chronic illness that saw me not likely to make it to old age. I dived into life, got hobbies, went travelling, threw my-self out of planes, flew helicopters, and did everything I could with passion and zeal, enthusiasm and vigor. now that I have reached the age I was told I’d never make (40, for anyone who is curious), I am a bit tired!

I still have passion; after all, I am writing this article during the Christmas holiday period, which is generally when we all get full of the spirit(s) of the festive season but not as much pas-sion. you might be passionate about spending time with your family, but at this time of year, it is traditional that we all give passion a rest in exchange for parties!

It takes passion to be motivated to do something we don’t re-ally want to do. or we do want to do, but in our time, not to deadlines! so, how have I found the passion to write this ar-ticle?

now that I am a little older, I can see that passion is tiring. It can be exhausting to try to feel passion for something, everything, all the time. so I give myself a break from being passionate every now and then. I distract myself with some cheesy mov-ies, or some great fiction - something that takes me away from the life I live and puts me into another pair of shoes for a short time. once I have had a vacation from myself in this way, I can take a deep breath and dive right back into that passion pool.

sometimes I check out altogether, turn off the social media, the computer, and the phone and just sit still – you might call it meditation. I just stop. It has taken me a long time to forgive my all too human body for letting me down and being tired or unable to perform. It has taken a long time to convince my-self, she who must squeeze all she can out of life before its too late, that it is okay to have a minute, an hour, a day, or even

“...we are not machines, we are not robots; we are in fact

simply human.”


Becky Paroz is known for her use of humor to challenge everything. She is motivated to pass on her lessons learned to assist and educate the next generation of leaders to become high achievers like herself. She challenges herself racing cars, learning stand-up comedy, and studying quantum physics in her free time. She is now published around the world in several co-authored books and is releasing two of her own books this year - something she is looking forward to very much.

As a performance coach, she generates lasting change in every communication she is involved with. Re-ceiving a standing ovation at her first ever presentation set her up for a lifetime addiction to receiving applause.

a week in which I do not achieve something, educate myself, or be of service to the community in some way.

It’s okay to take a break from pas-sion and being passionate. To sustain any kind of intense emo-tion takes energy. In this busy world, with the expectation on women to “have it all,” we can all feel guilty for not being there yet. We can be our own worst enemy for not achieving something ac-cording to the goals, the rules, and the deadlines we set or have set for us.

But how about, as we start an-other new year, filled with op-portunities, excitement, growth, and passion, we take a moment to remind ourselves that we are not machines, we are not robots; we are in fact simply human. We need our downtime. We need to have some silence or solace in order to gather our thoughts,

file our facts and figures, to reas-sess and regroup before the next round of passionate achieve-ments.

And that is how I have written this article. By taking a break. By not worrying too much about the deadline. By taking a deep breath and thinking about what I want to achieve this year. When I did that, I realized that I want to reach more women; I want to help all of us to be easier on our-selves and manage our expecta-tions for success along with our health – mental and physical.

And writing this article is a part of the passion that I have to en-sure that every woman, no mat-ter what she is going through, no matter what she wishes to achieve this year and for her fu-ture, has an ally, a good friend, who says – it’s okay to just breathe. you are still a passion-ate creature. you have the ability

to tap into that source of passion at any time you want. Just recon-nect with why it is you want what you want, and remember why it is you do what you do.

And that, if you realize that you are not passionate about some-thing, it is okay to change your mind and be passionate about something else.

Passion is flexible and change-able. It is not fixed. It is movable. It is the creative flow that assists you, along with your motivation, in moving toward your destiny, your goals, and your desires. so I hope you all enjoyed your festive season as much as possible. I also hope that you have something that you can reconnect with and be passionate about this year. I know I do, and I am excited and passionate about what 2015 has for all of us.

Passionate new year to you all.


If you don’t LovE It, sometHIng’s Wrong

C h r i s s y B

When you first wake up in the morning, what goes through your mind? okay, apart from wanting to hit the snooze button a few times, how do you feel about your new day?

If you’re not excited, if you’re not looking forward to it, if you don’t feel driven, there could be a problem. of course, we all have our off days, but if these “off days” are happening too of-ten, something probably needs to change.

I’ve lost count of the number of guests that have been on my Tv show who had a story to tell of being in the wrong career and how miserable and stuck they felt. But when they decided to do something that they loved, that they were passionate about, their whole life changed. some took big risks. some even took pay cuts but the difference now is this: they are happy.


Chrissy B is the TV presenter of the Chrissy B Show, a talk show whose underlying theme is to bring people happiness within themselves, their careers, health and relationships. www.chrissybshow.tv.

When you are passionate about something, you don’t think twice about investing in it. you don’t have a start or a finish time. It’s on your mind 24/7. It’s not a chore to work towards it. you love doing it. you look forward to waking up each day because you have your “baby.” And it’s this passion for some-thing that leads you to true success.

so think about this:

are you really doing what you love? If not, it’s never too late to change. you may need to make a few sacrifices and decisions that are unpopular for others, but you need to be true to yourself. If you’re ready to take the plunge and to feed that passion you have, start working towards it AsAP.

If you are a manager or business owner, take a good look at the people who work for you. are they enjoying their roles? Are they better suit-ed to something else, to something that means more to them? If that’s the case, and you change things around a bit, it could have a dramatic ef-fect on your business. Why not take some ex-

tra time to talk to your employees and find out more about them and where their passions lie?

If you are a parent, what do your children love? you may have their future all mapped out, but is it what they want, or are they just going along with whatever you say? listen to them, and if their eyes light up when they talk about a par-ticular dream or career, be supportive. you may have always dreamt of them working along-side you or becoming a doctor or a lawyer, but if that’s not what they’re passionate about, they will lose interest, be mediocre, and even end up feeling down.

I truly believe that we were born to be happy, and if there are things in our life that aren’t making us feel that way, then it’s down to us to change them.

Be happy!


PAssIon for proper plannIng

Common €ents

E l c h o s t e w a r t

Most personal trainers will agree that if people stick to their diet and exercise re-gimes during the holiday season, they stand a better chance of staying on track during the new year. Those of us who could not resist all the dessert treats over the holidays are now seeing that it is much more difficult to lose any extra weight and equally difficult to keep it off. one of the de-fining elements of passion is having a very strong feeling about a person or thing. It seems acceptable to have a passion for so many things, including lovers, places, fash-ion, travel, and the aforementioned des-serts, yet being passionate about money is often frowned upon. somehow it con-jures up images of greed and selfishness. It requires discipline to consistently stick to one’s “financial diet,” which, unlike weight, will result in more money for the things we need to do - not less.


Elcho Stewart is an Independent Advisor in the financial sector specializing in individual and small business financial security planning. With 19-years experience, Elcho uses a common-sense approach to Key-man, partnership funding, critical illness, long term care, RRSPs, savings, education savings, and life insurance solutions for “…everyday people planning for the financial security of their fami-lies, businesses, communities, and countries.”

Her natural thirst for knowledge and being guided by the Golden Rule contribute to Elcho’s high level of integrity, honesty, and loyalty to the customers she serves.

Here are some money management practices to set 2015 on track:

1. Accelerate paying off holiday credit card debts. Interest rates on credit cards are in the double digits, while high sin-gle-digit interest earned on savings and investment is hard to come by. one strat-egy is to pay more than the minimum payment required. Another is to divide the outstanding balance into pay peri-ods and focus on wiping out the debt early in the new year.

2. Take advantage of the discount pe-riods after the holidays, and purchase Christmas cards as well as any anticipat-ed gifts that you will be giving through-out the year. see #3.

3. Avoid impulse spending. you and I have seen the poster: “Get the shoes.” For 2015, read the other poster: “step Away From the shoes.”

4. Begin reviewing your financial se-curity program (include your spouse or partner), then set a date for your yearly review with your financial advisors, in-cluding your banker and tax accountant.

5. Create a budget for 2015. see #4.

6. Make gifts, travel, and entertainment line items in your budget for 2015.

7. Establish savings/investment goals. Determine how much to set aside each paycheck.

8. Draft your last Will and Testament as well as your Mandate in the Eventuality of your Intestability. The absence of both can create otherwise avoidable legal and personal complications for interested parties.

If we parse health, love, and belong-ing, just about everything else that we need and want throughout our life-times depends on money. Money mat-ters…and the more we know about all aspects of it - earning, saving, invest-ing, and spending - the better off we are. A quick online search for new year traditions revealed that having money in one’s pocket to ring in the new year symbolizes keeping the money flow-ing throughout the year. It is never too late to start financial planning, and the earlier in the year, the better.

“...just about everything else

that we need and want

throughout our lifetimes

depends on money.”


PAssIon – soMEthIng ContAgIous WE ALL

Want to CatCH g e o r g i n a Wa t e r h o u s e

There are many contagious things we spend our lives avoid-ing, but passion is one thing we all want to catch – an infec-tion we all welcome.

you must have seen it happen. For sure, you will have sensed it, felt it creep up on you despite your reluctance not to. Be-ing within spitting distance of a passionate person (although it must be on record that spitting is not how you catch it) can be a revelation. you may be dog tired or simply worn down about a subject, project, or topic. However, when you find yourself in the presence of someone with true passion, it can reignite your fires. Passion is the key to unlocking and un-leashing energy, determination, and drive.


As with all things that are consid-ered contagious, here are some signs to watch out for. These will confirm that you may be at risk of catching what is known as passion…

THe SIgnS:

The subtle head nod.

While the aforementioned pas-sionate person talks, you will sense the beginnings of a subtle head nod. It will bob in response to what the passionate person is saying.

The mouth twitch.

A slight but distinct twitch of the mouth will form into a slight smile the moment the passion-ate person tugs on your pas-sion strings. you may not know where these are located, but as soon as you hear something that resonates with you, they will be tugged, and a smile will thus be formed.

The simmering feeling of ex-citement.

It will start with a slight bubbly

Georgina Waterhouse is a British writer living in Italy following a six-year stint in Zurich, Switzerland. She is the founder of The W Agency (the-w-agency.ch) – a communications and copywriting agency working with retail, finance, and sports brands to develop content, taglines, and advertising campaigns. When not writing, she is furiously pondering what she needs to write while sipping tea and eating way too much Italian food. Her favorite quote about passion is from Eve Sawyer (author and writer): “Never underestimate the power of passion.”

sensation in your tummy and will begin to evolve into a rip-roaring desire to join in, add your own ideas, and bring more people into the mix. you have been warned.

THe TReATMenT:

Share with as many people as possible.

A person who exudes passion creates group dynamics and val-ue, not discord. Those who are passionate maximize the energy of the team and are viewed as great mentors and great people to work together with. They also make great leaders who take people along with them for the ride, not just show and tell them the way.

Be passionate. But also be open-minded, not blind-sided.

yes, of course, passion is great, but I believe that you really can have too much of a good thing. Focusing all of your energy on the one thing you are passionate about may blinker your vision to other opportunities, things that may enhance and build your

passion. so keep your eyes and ears open at all times.

Don’t just keep your passion for your business.

For me (like many people I know), business and life are not sepa-rate entities. They merge, over-lap, and intertwine. The people you meet in your personal life may, down the road, become your clients or business partners or open the doors to new ideas and projects. so be sure to ap-ply passion to all areas of your life and rub it into the nooks and crannies to ensure every aspect is covered.

Turning your passion into a suc-cessful business not only allows you to be profitable while do-ing something you love - it sets you up for lasting success. sure, passion alone won’t ensure your success, but it will help (by the bucket load.)


Work hArd for your passIon

f u a d a d e l i c

What is my passion? Where do I go from here?

These are two of the most common questions we struggle with.

And I am not in a position to answer them – all I can offer in this article is an opinion that is slightly different from the typi-cal response. It’s easy to get pumped up and passionate about a product you know will be the next great million-dollar idea. There’s no problem burning the midnight oil while you per-


fect your pitch, tinker with a pro-totype, or map out your future success.

But what happens as days or weeks turn into months or years – and that sought-after success remains elusive? It’s not easy to stay fired up – not when you’ve been burning the candle from both ends for so long.

Throughout my life, I have been through many challenges, ob-stacles, and failures in trying to follow my passion. I have learned that pursuing your passion is not the easy and fast way at all, but that anything in life that is wor-thy is not going to come without hard work. To follow your passion requires determination, positive energy, and sometimes a long waiting time to achieve passion-ate success. All of us have a differ-ent passion in life, and some of us have more than one. The key to holding the passion is not to rush and not to expect all glory days.

Learn from My experience

I get questions like these all the time: “What turns you on?” “What do you really like to do?” “Why do you do what you do?” I don’t think I was born to be an accountant. I was a foreigner who came to the Us from a warring, economically developing country. I had an op-portunity to enter an educational

training program in the Us state of Florida when I graduated from high school. But I refused, even with the full scholarships offered to me. I knew that was not what I wanted to do and what my pas-sion was. Working late one Friday night, I asked my boss what he thought I should be. I had very high respect for him, and I kind of looked up to him for success. His answer shaped my future. He said, “I think you should be an ac-countant because they all live in big houses and drive expensive cars!” Good enough for me! I be-came an accountant! I was happy that he responded that way be-cause it did give me confidence that I had a feeling for numbers. I also love to solve problems, and that’s what accounting does, working with figures and reports.

I worked hard at it. I wanted to be the best. Get in my way and you were in trouble! I was play-ing the game to win, to get the trophy for me! life was a strug-gle until I learned a better way! That better way was learning to serve my clients, partners, em-ployees, and others by putting their needs before mine. At first, it was hard labor! It didn’t take long, however, for labor to turn into fulfillment and for fulfill-ment to turn to passion for my work! There wasn’t a lot more money or recognition, but work and life began to be fun!

“The key to holding the passion is not to rush and not to expect all glory days.”


Fuada Delic is an entrepreneur and CEO of the Delicas Tax and Accounting Inc, nominated as a best business for the five consecutive years by the Business Consensus, Motivator, Business and Carrier Mentor. She received nomination as a Finest of Jacksonville for the year of 2014 and was also nominated by the International Women for the women of 2013. Her community involvement includes mentoring young girls through Generation –W, Hands on Hands, Jacksonville Community and Bosnian Community of Jacksonville. She can be reached by email through [email protected].

Keep a Stable Mind Approach

Maybe you know exactly what you want to do, but it all seems a little overwhelming. rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t achieve your huge, passionate goals in a day either. Break that big, scary goal down into a lot of little goals. Make each goal a step in the right direction. It took me years of struggle, fi-nancially and emotionally, to achieve my passion. I could have easily picked something simpler to do in my life, but did I re-ally want to spend all my life doing something that I would not like and complain every working day, like many other people? With my passion for accounting, I make fewer mistakes and I care more about customers, and every day, I take the next step to improve my work ethic.

Feel Happy every Day

For me, it is very important to wake up happy every day. I am passionate about my life and about my work. We all have our down days, but to deal with mine, I read biographies of suc-cessful people and blogs and listen to speeches. successful people talk about failure just as much as they talk about suc-cess, and it’s because they respect how important it is to em-brace it. Even the greatest people in our world have fallen, and fallen hard, at one point or another. My point is that whenever I feel unmotivated or tired, I don’t let it affect my passion for the work. I will get up and stand up the next day with even more enthusiasm and be ready to face the day. reading, gain-ing knowledge, and having patience is the key for any success and passion to become reality!


froM PAssIon to purpose

I came across this quote from Oprah Winfrey and had to share it: “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” I agree. As a psychologist, I’ve been fascinated by how we feel and express emotions, espe-cially passion. And I love to observe how passionate people create positive change in the world. I get inspired and excited by the power of their passion when used for the higher good of all people. It inspires me to live my own passion.

We human beings have been designed to feel passion. Passion is an intense emotion and energy designed to propel us into living a purposeful and fulfilling life. When there is no passion, there is little or no purpose to life. Daniel Goleman says that a life without passion would be a dull wasteland of neutrality, cut off and isolated from the richness of life itself. so when I look around at the despondent faces I see every day, I know that these people lack passion in their lives.

But how can we evoke more passion in our lives, especially when we are busy fulfilling many roles, day in and day out?

s u z a n a P e t r o z z i


1. Feel your feelings. listen to what you feel, and allow yourself to feel the energy of your emotions without stopping or gripping on to them. Use the inhaling and exhaling of your breath to move the energy of your emotions.

2. People, places, past. Think back to what you en-joyed doing when you were younger. What movies/cartoons did you enjoy watching, what books did you love reading, what games did you enjoy play-ing? Think about the type of people that you liked spending time with and why.

3. Find the time to just be. Put aside time to medi-tate, journal, spend time in nature, paint, or do something else that grounds you. It can be a cre-ative activity or simple a walk on the beach.

These three steps are bound to help ignite your passion over time, but here’s a little warning: Pas-sionate people can feel overwhelming and pow-erful to others because passion, being a powerful energy, can evoke powerful emotional reactions in others. For example, if you get passionate about writing the next bestseller, it may be best that you keep it to yourself or share it with someone, maybe a mentor, who will cheer, support, and guide you and give you honest feedback. If others attempt to suppress your passion, remind yourself of why you are passionate in the first place. remembering this will keep your passion alive.

Suzana (Suzi) Petrozzi is a director, consultant wellness psychologist and life coach at Petrozzi Wellness Centre. She is an expert in helping people step into their potential and live a life of purpose. She works with elite athletes, singers, actors, writers and other artists and helps them move past obstacles to achieve optimal performance.

Suzi works alongside her husband John Petrozzi who is a chiropractor at their Petrozzi Wellness Centre in Leichhardt. Their centre provides holistic services including chiropractic, psychology/life coaching and massage to local community and beyond. http://www.petrozziwellness.com.au

Being a busy mother, wife, psychologist, and entre-preneur, I often suppress my own passion because I’m too busy looking after other people’s needs. And yet passion is an emotion that provides us with the energy and momentum to keep moving forward in the direction of our dreams, hopes, and desires. Feeling passionate is akin to plugging an electric cord into a power source: suddenly we feel the energy flowing freely through our body. We awaken energized and ready to tackle anything. Passion is there to remind us of what is important to each one of us and why. For example, I’m pas-sionate about learning about human potential and spirituality. When I give myself the opportuni-ty to learn about this, I feel energized and inspired to make a positive change and help others do the same. And when I’m doing this I’m in purpose, ful-filled and aligned. In other words, when I feel pas-sionate, my life feels more purposeful, and when I’m in purpose, I align myself with source.

oprah Winfrey is a wonderful example of some-one who lives with passion and purpose. she is the success that she is today because she chose to listen to herself and do what she loved doing, which was connecting and communicating with people, even when she was discouraged by oth-ers. Following her passion led her to discovering who she was and what her purpose was in life. If she didn’t follow her passion, she wouldn’t be the amazing woman that she is today.

so here are three important ways to help you ignite your passion in life:


M a u r e e n C r e s e n c i a k a m b a r a m i

The old adage goes, “First impressions are important, be-cause they last a lifetime.” so do beginnings. I can’t agree with Plato more that “the beginning is the most important part…for that is the time that character is being formed.” Hence, it makes sense to start a brand new year by reflecting on our “passion” in every sphere of our lives, be it at home or at work. Do we still have that spark, or have we lost it?

If there is a word with diverse meanings, it is the word pas-sion. Most often, we tend to link passion to romance, but I will talk about passion as the deepest urge or desire to do something. The powerful feeling of enthusiasm that makes us tick, that fires us up to achieve desired goals. A passionless life is not worth living at all, as it is directionless, like a head-less chicken.

A PAssIonAtE BegInnIng


some of us are now trapped in dull, boring, and un-eventful lives, relationships, or careers. If you find yourself struggling to get out of bed each morn-ing because you do not have anything to look for-ward to, or if you find yourself just going through the daily motions as if in a daze, then know that it is time to reinvent yourself, your life, or your ca-reer. I have met countless women in my work who are not happy with their lives but just lack that spark, that fire to make the desired change. some of them end up leading fake lives which are just performances, mere cover-ups, while deep down they feel depressed, sad, and trapped and wish they could bring about desired change. However, as I always say to them, change starts from within and begins with you. Dig deeper into your inner self and find that passion again, your niche. What is it that you like doing? What makes you happy? What gives you satisfaction in life? What makes you unique and special?

I always used to read about mid-life crisis and nev-er thought it would come knocking at my door one day. Then bang! I woke up one uneventful morning to realize that I was not the same person anymore. Everything in my life had turned upside down as I

slept. Even my own achievements did not feel like achievements anymore, as I felt I could have done better just like my peers. My own career, which I had built over decades, was not appealing to me anymore; I felt I was in the wrong career path. I was devastated and felt like retreating into a cocoon of self-pity, and then I realized that it was actually a good thing that I had arrived at such a stage soon-er rather than later. I was being given an oppor-tunity to do serious introspection on my life and change what I could, to accept the things I could not change while embracing new opportunities as well. I only have one life, one opportunity to make a mark on this planet, and, hence, I have to make the most of it. I will not get a second chance to live the same life again.

so, ladies, what are you waiting for? There is no room for excuses anymore. Always remember that the day you stop finding excuses is the day you will forge ahead. Do not be satisfied by staying in the shadows; always stand out in a crowd. you are unique and special, so take control of your life to-day. you only have one life to live, so find your pas-sion, put on your best winning attitude, and make 2015 your best year ever.

Maureen Cresencia Kambarami is a qualified social worker based in South Africa. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, both from the University of Fort Hare, South Africa. She currently works in the field of HIV/AIDS, and her special focus is women and children. Some of her work is outlined in her master’s thesis entitled The experiences of women of their HIV/AIDS status disclosure to sexual partners: An exploratory study of Magunje Township, Zimbabwe (LAP Lambert Company, 2011). Maureen is also involved in family counseling. She can be reached at [email protected].

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