Greetings from Chicago! I’m attending a work conference in this vibrant city that I was lucky to call home for four years during college (yes, my university was in a suburb, but still claiming it).

Man, do I love a good conference. It includes so many things I value and appreciate: professional development, idea exchanges, networking, eating like you’re on vacation (you should definitely try the Cookie Monster cupcake at Molly’s Cupcakes next time you are in the city) and hotels.

Even before I became a parent, I’ve always enjoyed the solitude of traveling for work and staying in a hotel room. And I revel in the few days of having no laundry, bed-making, or bathroom clean-up. No matter the number of stars of the hotel, it feels like pampering to me.

As a parent of toddlers, this lack of responsibility is even more relished, while being equally harder to leave home. I hated saying goodbye to the boys, but the “me” time when I am not conferencing is slightly heavenly. When I find I have a couple of hours in my hotel room, my brain goes something like this: I should write a blog. I probably have time to write a post and do some planning for future posts. What I really need to do is read this book for work. But I could also just watch HGTV since I never get to do that. Ugh, it’s Love It or List It. I wish it was House Hunters. Okay, so that’s a sign I should focus on blogging. Or I could take a little cat nap….

And so forth. This analysis paralysis resulted in my delayed Weekend Reads and Listens post, but below are a few pieces I have earmarked to dig into.

LISTENS

I am so excited to listen to and watch Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions, Ms. Winfrey’s take on TED Talks. From the website, these sessions are “11 Life-Transforming Talks from Spiritual Thought Leaders, Change Makers and Wisdom Teachers.”

Since I have been listening to the Magic Lessons podcasts by Elizabeth Gilbert I mentioned in my last post, I started with her session. And I’ll be damned if she hadn’t gone and read a blog post I wrote in 2011 and turned it into a speech! It’s cool, Liz, it could use a bigger audience.

As she starts her speech, Gilbert says she would be the last person to ever front the anti-passion movement, but that’s what she was doing. A letter from a disappointed fan who had just heard her talk emphatically about chasing your passion had changed Gilbert’s mind about making everyone feel like they have to identify and fervently pursue a “passion.” Amen!

Throughout my career in higher education, I have long tried to assure students that it’s okay if you don’t know or don’t have what we all-too-frequently refer to as a passion. You will find one by going out and living life. And if you don’t ever have something you would call a passion, well that’s fine too. People are perfectly happy and satisfied in life finding things they are interested in and energized by, whether or not it checks off the list of “passion” criteria (like, if you don’t feel something “in your soul,” it’s okay).

To be honest, I haven’t finished Gilbert’s session yet because I have to keep pausing it. It almost speaks to me too much. Is that weird? I’m looking forward to getting back to it and I hope some of the sessions are of interest to you too.

READS

One of my favorite parts of conferences is getting energized (some might say “impassioned” but not me or my BFF Liz Gilbert) by conversations about what we can do to help college students be as successful as possible. A buzzword connected to this in higher education for the last couple of years has been “grit.” Since this TED Talk, the work at the University of Pennsylvania by psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth, who defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals,” has been the focus of the grit movement. It basically posits that one of the biggest predictors of success is not necessarily intelligence, but the personality trait of sticking with something until you achieve your goals.

I have read a lot about this, usually while I’m on my post-conference information high, and I find it fascinating. But I haven’t exactly figured out what I do with this information to help my students. So in the meantime, here and here are a couple of articles that further explain this concept. It really is interesting as we think about the roles not just of educators, but of parents, clergy, and anyone else who influences the lives of our youth. Or are you just born with or without it?

Finally, one more article I’d like to suggest. And it’s a shameful plug for my second guest post at The Seeds 4 Life. I’m writing about a favorite quote of mine from Conan O’Brien. You can read about The Seeds 4 Life and my first post here. I’m thankful for the opportunity to share some of my thoughts and opinions on personal development through this site.

It’s about time to wrap up my Chicago trip. Tomorrow I will happily head home to hug my babies who will probably excitedly throw a toy at my head as a way to show their love. I can’t wait. But while I still have this hotel room to myself, I think I’ll see what’s happening over at Flip or Flop.

What is on your reading and listening list right now? What are your thoughts about passion?

When I started writing this, I was watching the tragic events in Paris unfold. I’m sending thoughts and prayers to the people of Paris, especially the victims, their families, first responders and law enforcement.