We Can’t All Be Nelson Mandela

Ms. Cheevious Note: This week, I’m happy to welcome and introduce you to Karen M. Soto. Karen is fairly new to the blogging community, but is a Ms. Cheevious Power Player to the Nth degree as you will see from her bio at the bottom of this post! Here, she’s offered her heartfelt article “We Can’t All Be Nelson Mandela.” In it she proceeds to tell us just how we can come close.

Please read, enjoy, “Share” (hit the share button and post it everywhere) and Tweet to your heart’s content about this thoughtful article. Let’s show Karen how we do things here on MsCheevious.com.

xoxo

Lisa Jey Davis, Editor in (Mis) Chief

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We cannot all be Nelson Mandela, but each and every one of us was born with specific passions and unique experiences. Think about your own life, future and possibilities.

What excites you?

What do you feel passionate about?

What is life worth living for?

What in your life is worth changing or sacrificing for?

I shared my answers below (please share yours in the comments as well):

What excites you? Motivating, empowering and providing others with the proper tools to make transformations. Being inspired by what others have created or accomplished.

What do you feel passionate about? Sharing stories of people who take action every day and make their dreams come true. “Creating” — whether through words or visual arts.

What is worth living for? The possibility of a husband and children. My current family / friends in my life. Also, people I have yet to encounter, who will have a positive impact on me (or vice versa). I may meet someone through one random conversation, and I may never truly know or see them again, but the impact could still be the same.

What in your life is worth changing or sacrificing for? My family, friends and the world are worth changing and sacrificing for  (as will my husband and children be, whenever that happens). I acknowledge there are things I have done in the past that have not worked for me. Now I can only afford to take calculated risks. My time is limited, and there is no time for fucking up. I have decided that from this day forward I cannot risk even the remote possibility of destroying my relationships or credibility / accountability in any of the projects that I am working on.

An example of change is even something as simple as health. I grew up in Ohio eating fast food everyday. People in the midwest are on the meat and potatoes diet, where potatoes are counted as a vegetable. I have been on the west coast now for eight years and realize that with all of the people I love in my life, especially my future children, that I can (or should) no longer eat selfishly, as if I am the only one that matters. I need to start thinking about how I impact others. If I can live a healthier life with a meticulous diet, exercise, and meditation, which I have control over, I can possibly prolong my life by more than a decade. I know that I feel best when I eat a primarily vegetarian and gluten / dairy free diet, with a lot of freshly squeezed vegetables. This is a change that has been challenging for me, but it is an example of one I can make.

Imagine you are at the end of your life reflecting on your past. Do you want to look back realizing you never stretched your limits, never focused on your vision? Have the courage to listen to your soul.

Some of you have been fortunate to have one passion and to be focused on it since the time you were born. For me, it took a little longer to find passion and focus.

Remember this quote of Nelson Mandela: “There is no passion to be found playing small… in settling for a life that is less than one you are capable of living…”

Although we can’t really be Nelson Mandela… we can reflect on our lives now and make changes, if necessary.

Write out and answer the questions above so your thoughts can be clear. And play big.

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ABOUT KAREN M. SOTO

Karen M, Soto is the co-founder of Modern Nerd Apparel and The Sassy Six. She is also involved within her community as a co-host of the Venice Tech Entrepreneurs and Beach Reach (Heal the Bay). As an independent contractor for small businesses, start-ups and non profits, Karen wears many hats. Her jobs entail anything from copywriting, blogging, graphic design, illustration, wordpress, social media, SeO, project management, PR, marketing, strategy, promotions to everything in between.

In the past Karen has done print and commercial work for clients such as Nike, UFC and MGM. She still occasionally picks up a modeling gig here and there when the opportunity arises. Down to play beach volleyball or talk technology, you can find her online via @KARENMSOTO /KARENMSOTO or riding her beach cruiser on L.A.’s “Westside” on the way to a local coffee shop.

MORE WAYS TO FIND KAREN

Website: www.KarenMSoto.com I  TheSassySix.com I  ModernNerdApparel.com I  TheArtistKarenSoto.com

Twitter: @KarenMSoto

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenMSoto

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Other articles you may enjoy from Ms. Cheevious:

My Interview Updates: Some of you know I’ve been interviewing about my recent procedures in memory of my sister and in support of Ovarian and Breast Cancer Awareness Months. Here are links for you to watch, listen, and post comments. Please do. Breast Cancer is a scourge (as is Ovarian Cancer). Let’s show we care by commenting and posting these interviews to our Facebook and Twitter, especially if we cannot give to these causes financially.  YOU actually CAN make a difference this way, and save a life:

The Best People We Know

My Blog Talk Radio Interview with my Dr. Lisa Cassileth. Go there now!

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month

My On-Camera interview with the gals from DirtyandThirty.com (this is not the link to the interview, but their website) – where we had a Geneticist from Cedars Sinai talking about the risks and stats. Watch now!

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