Bobby Lefebre

By Kblake on October 5, 2016 in Podcast 0

Bobby LeFebre is a walking example that we do not have to pick one passion to follow in life – and that, in fact, we can live a life that honors all of our passions. It just takes a bit of dedication and an understanding that there are moments where one passion gets a little more attention then the other – but, in the end, it is about living with intention and allowing yourself to be the multi-talented person that you are. So, perhaps instead of thinking that you need to make a change, you think about how you can add things to your life in a way that makes sense for you. It is a mind shift from changing your title to adding some hyphens to your already existing one!

Bobby is an award-winning spoken word artist, actor, and social worker. He is a two time Grand Slam Champion, a National Poetry Slam Finalist, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and has been a member of three National Poetry Slam Teams. He has dedicated much of his life to supporting disenfranchised youth and helping them find their voice, as well as bringing to light the issues of gentrification in Denver – a city that his family has lived in for many generations. He recognized from an early age that he had many interests and that putting his answer to “What do you do?” into one box, was not for him.

As Bobby points out in our interview, “When people are their authentic selves – when people are who they want to be and who they think they need to be – they are going to be better partners, sisters, brothers, friends. And then you can all share in that success.” Instead of limiting ourselves, how do we open ourselves up to all of the possibilities that might be available to us in this life? Bobby’s BE story is one that shows that it is possible to live the life you want to live, on your own terms.

In the podcast episode we talk about Bobby’s creative process, how he balances a multi-hypen life and the letting go of external expectations about it all! Listen below to learn more about Bobby’s Chapter Be story…

LISTEN…

External expectations should weigh very little on your own personal idea of who you are.

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CHAPTER BE QUESTIONNAIRE…

Be:

Exactly who you are/were/want to be!

What’s your favorite quote, story or fact?

Our world is both extremely beautiful and miserable at the same time. There is so much joy and so much pain and there are days I am both astounded and disgusted by human beings. We have not yet learned to love each other the way we should. The Mayan greeting/saying “In Lak’ech” roughly translates to “you are my other me,” or “you are my other self.” If we saw ourselves in each other more, maybe we wouldn’t be so divisive.

Worst work experience?

My first job at 15 years old was being a busboy at Denver’s infamous Casa Bonita. This was both an amazing and terrible experience. Amazing, because, well……IT’S CASA BONITA!!!!! Terrible because, well, I was picking up the leftover food from CASA BONITA! The unlimited sopapillas made it all worth it!

What is your definition of success?

Living life on your own terms, feeling like you have ownership of your choices, growing more and more each day, finding and feeling love, surrounding yourself with friends and family, and making this world better with your presence.

How do you tap into your creative energies – especially when you are feeling drained?

Creativity lives in all of us. It is a natural state that emerges when it needs to. I never try and force it. Instead, I’ve learned to navigate myself freely and when I bump into creative energies, I hitch a ride to wherever they takes me. When I am drained, I let myself be drained. I know low-energy is temporary and take it for what it is.

What does “to be” mean to you?

“To be” is to exist fully. To be alive. To take advantage of the gift of life by making sure you actually live!

How do you spend your time when you are procrastinating?

My favorite thing to do is to sit in silence and just let my mind wander. I listen to the voice in my head run wild and just listen. I find ideas, concepts for art, and profound existential experiences in this silence. That, and like everyone else, I look at Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Ideal READING LIST – books, websites, blogs, podcasts, magazines, etc. that you would want on your Swiss Family Robinson deserted island?

I would spend my time writing.

Favorite song with “be” in the title?

Be Intro by Common

It’s really very important for us as a society to accept the idea that we are multi-talented people.

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