If you are a business owner, a consultant or a freelancer, you have to come up constantly with offers, proposals and solutions for the people you serve. It is very tempting to create random content that tries to respond to general needs. It is tempting to compare what you are doing with what everybody else is doing. This "strategy" not only isn't very efficient in producing results but is also exhausting. There is a better way. In the words of H. Thurman:
Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
Let me share a personal example: goals and New Year’s resolution do not inspire me, instead every year I embrace a guiding word. In 2017 I had chosen a made up word #Freevolution. I wanted to celebrate and have more freedom, love and r-evolution in my life. For the entire year I documented with pictures, mantra, poems and writings my thoughts and insights on how to embrace more freedom, love and r-evolution.
When, everyone around me was suggesting to use social media to support the launch of The Whisper I felt uncomfortable. The idea of becoming visible and "social" didn't appeal to me. I had to find a way, my way, to come alive around social media if I were to use them.
I do not believe the world needs another person wanting to go viral on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
I do not think that we can even inspire anyone when we choose something meaningless to us. How did I find meaning in the use of social media? These are some of the lessons I learnt on the way:
- The value of intersections: when our inner world meets and connects with the outer world we are capable of not only coming alive but also serving a need someone else has.
- The power of making heART: when creative making is centred in the heart of our deeper and truer desires. From there we can design strategically our next steps.
- The source of inspiration coming from irritations: when goals setting frustrates you instead of moving you forward, find your own way to grow. Tap into your creativity to counter that irritation. In my case was setting up a daily practice I enjoyed with my guiding word Freevolution.
The courage to find what makes us alive is a transformative practice. In my case this transformation is about to become more public! Freevolution will be published this fall by Golden Dragon Fly press. I am excited to share with you a practice that has helped me to evolve and think differently. This is an excerpt from the book
Excerpt from Freevolution.
Creativity is innate to all of us. Pay attention to what brings you alive and play with it. We all desire fulfillment and completeness. We can’t reach them by comparing ourselves to others or trying to make the world need us so we can feel fulfilled. The creation of my own business, my books, my offers all stem from a very personal need. I created what I most needed and that I couldn't find out there.
Go make what makes you alive and come more alive while making it.