"Jen you are so intense"

For years, I heard this from people, employees, peers, and even family, "Jen you are so intense"!  See, here's the thing, when I do things, anything, I'm all in.  If I don't have passion, a strong enough why or desire, it's clear.  I'm the person who is in the gym by 3:30 each morning just to make sure I can get my workout in before the day gets ahead of me.  I'm that employee who will give it 10-11-12 hour days to make darn sure that my customers’ needs are fulfilled.  Is it possible to be "too" intense, maybe, but for me my intensity comes from my passion.   Passion and drive to grow, to get the things I am working towards, to accomplish my "why" in all areas.

Through time, OK, years, of hearing this comment I started changing my demeanor I slowed down to accommodate those that got intimidated or took my intense passion however they do.  I thought I needed to change to not as one colleague put it, "scare people away".   Don't get me wrong I would never be rude, mean, harsh or disrespectful in any way.  Those are values I hold very close and dear to my soul.  I do however want to be that person who demonstrates so much passion and intensity to my why's in life that others can see and grow from it.   So, others can get enough "intensity" around their passion that they stop allowing the naysayers to stop them.  
 
This morning when I was in the gym listening to a podcast, the person speaking gave me a kick in the ass (not literally of course), a moment where you think, "what was I thinking", ENOUGH!  I knew that slowing down and not being genuine to me was never the right choice but in this moment, I heard it loud and clear.  Then it hit me even harder, I thought about what it does to my anxiety level when I'm not being true to me.  I thought about how it makes me feel physically when I have to be cautious of showing my passion and intensity. 

Fact is this is one of the best parts of me. 

Why am I sharing this, you ask?  See friends, there are qualities of all of us that we try minimizing or hiding because, "what will people think".   Fact is, they are probably the best parts of you.  Be you, the people who you should truly have and want in your life are the ones who will appreciate you for your genuineness.  Don’t get me wrong we all have work to do on ourselves, I am not a believer of “I am who I am take it or leave it” but don’t stray from your natural qualities.  Don't cause anxiety or worse living a false sense of your life. 
You do you!  Stay strong friends!
Much love!

In the good words of Warren Buffett,
"Intensity is the price of Excellence"