Ever been around someone who makes you feel really, really good? Just glad to be alive?

That’s what passion is all about… It's the capacity to experience extremely powerful feelings -- great energy -- for something beautiful.

You can be passionate about an activity, a person, an idea, anything and everything. In fact, the core of passion is a reverence for itself and the opportunities therein.

Passion is so powerful, it's not just not something you do, or merely a quality you 'have', it's something you become. You become passionate, and your passion affects the whole of your life.

Passion is contagious.
Passion is transferable.
Passion is a magnet.
Passion is addictive.
Passion is irresistible.

It's the ultimate drug, without the negative side effects. It's the fury... of wonder.

I've developed an exercise to create and enhance fierce passion for the beauty and possibilities in the world. It literally works wonders for me, and for everyone I've shared it with. Employ it as often as you like on your quest for irresistibility.

This process is a series of simple activities which you perform over the duration of at least 5 days. Although you may set aside specific blocks of time to do them, they're designed to be carried out through the entire day, integrated with your daily routine. This enables these passion-enhancing exercises to make you passionate, versus simply being things that you do.

All exercises involve engaging and enhancing your senses, for it's through our senses that we experience and represent the world. Here's what you do, day by day:

Day 1… see it

Day 2… hear it

Day 3… smell it

Day 4… taste it

Day 5… feel it

Day 1 : See it

How does everything around you look, really look? Focus on the intricacies of things you see throughout the entire day.

Notice the reflection on items… how everything is, in a way, like 3 dimensionally ray traced graphics (i.e., notice how light falls on objects, and the shadows and reflections that are created).

Notice the 2d shapes things are made of – squares, rectangles, triangles… in contrast with the 3d shapes – cubes, spheres, cylinders, pyramids.

Begin to really notice color. More than just red or blue... really delve into the shades and unique variances of color.

What do things look like at varying levels of focus -- if you're looking at them from far away, or up close? What would they look like in a microscope? What would you see if you really saw 'the big picture', and could really see 'the forest for the trees'?

Lastly, involve some of your other senses as you see things. For instance, imagine how particular things you see might feel or, if appropriate, taste... even if you're not actually able to feel or taste them.

Day 2 : Hear it

How do things sound? Focus on the sounds you hear, for an entire day.

How does your own name sound? How about the names of others? The sound itself, not the meaning, per se…

Take some time out and listen, really listen, to your environment. How many different sounds can you hear that you normally don't pay attention to, or would be inclined to 'tune out'? What can you identify? Try this now and throughout the day.

What's the sound of your hands against your steering wheel? What do your footsteps sound like as you walk? Can you hear the legs of your pants brush together when you walk?

Listen to your own breathing. Rub your own hand, and listen to your skin touching. If you listen closely, can you hear even the sound of your own blood, as it pulses throughout your body?

Listen to music, and imagine what it'd be like to play that music on your own. Pick out the different instruments, and notice how the sounds layer and merge.

Lastly, begin to tie in some of your other senses as you hear things. Imagine how things you're hearing look, when you can't readily see them. Imagine what it'd be like to touch the things you're hearing.

Day 3 : Smell it

How do things smell? For an entire day, put extra effort and focus into becoming aware of the smells around you.

What is the first thing you smell when you wake up? What does the air smell like? What's your bed smell like? What's your breakfast smell like? What do your beverages smell like? When you leave the house, what's the difference between what you smell inside and outside?

Inside your vehicle, what can you smell? Is there one overall scent, or can you smell individual scents?

If you can, take a walk, and focus on smells. Smell flowers. Even stop to smell trees. Be aware of the smells emanating from different houses. Is there something cooking inside? If so, can you identify any of what's cooking?

Involve your other senses as you smell things. If you can't immediately see what you're smelling, imagine what those things that are producing the scent might look like. Imagine what it might feel like, taste like, or even sound like, if it's capable of making any sort of sound.

Day 4 : Taste it

How do things taste? Focus on everything you taste throughout an entire day.

Do you bite your nails? If you do, what do your nails taste like? What do your fingertips taste like?

Do you ever place any other non-food items in your mouth? Use your mouth to hold anything 'for a second'? What does it taste like? How does your toothpaste taste? How about your toothbrush?

Can you tell how salty a particular taste is? Is it bitter, sweet, or both? Compare and contrast different tastes.

Involve your other senses as you taste things. Focus not only what something tastes like it in your mouth, but on how it feels in your mouth, and it's moistness and temperature. If it won't be too messy, touch things before you taste them. Really take a good look at them. Stop and really smell them, before tasting them -- figure out how much smell is or isn't involved in everything you taste.

Day 5 : Feel it

How do things feel?

Stop throughout the day, take your time. Slow your breathing, the pace of your thoughts, and your rate of speaking, and really tune into how things feel. 

Avoid over-focusing on one sense as you drive, but when your vehicle is stationary, focus on some of the feelings there. How does your steering wheel feel? How does that feeling change when you move it? How do you hands feel as they move your steering wheel? What does your seat feel like? And how does your body feel in relation to your seat?

Reach out and touch things. Things you rarely, if ever, deliberately touch. Consciously touch them, let go, and touch them again. Do they feel different to you now?

What's it really feel like when you shake someone's hand?

How hot are things when you touch them? How cold? How moist or dry are the things you touch? What are the textures?

What can you feel right now at any one moment with any body part except your hands?

Involve your other senses as you touch things. Take a close look at what different textures look like. As you touch certain items, close your eyes and visualize exactly what you're touching. Be aware of their scent, or how things might taste. Touching anything makes a sound, so take a close listen to things as you touch them.