The past two days Jim and I have had the pleasure of hosting friends from Cleveland who are in NYC attending a conference. I met Craig & Sue James last December at a conference in Washington D.C. where I was a guest speaker and they were facilitators. From the moment I met this dynamic couple I knew there was a connection. It’s not always something you can put into words but more a feeling of knowing. It was clear that they wanted to make a difference in the world and be a part of something bigger than themselves. And in truth, their hearts are bigger than life and have spirits that make a difference no matter where they go. Had I not answered the opportunity to speak in D.C. I would not have met them. Had I not answered the opportunity to speak in Manhattan last August, I would not have met the man who led to the opportunity to speak in Brooklyn, which led to the opportunity to speak in Philadelphia which led to the opportunity to speak in D.C. where I met the James’ and connected with several others. How fabulous to look back and appreciate the wonder of divine order and timing!
A big part of moving into action is the word “moving”. The Universe can only do so much, and if we don’t become willing participants in the co-creation of our lives than our life’s dashes will be marked with stagnation. When I think of what moved me into public and inspirational speaking, something I had never planned for when I wrote my business plan for Life Design, aside from answering opportunity, was simply stating “why not me”. Why not me to speak at a conference! Why not me to submit a proposal to speak at this conference! Why not me to speak about becoming a part of the conversation and making a difference at a conference where I know no one and have never held the title of guest speaker before and really don’t understand what it means! And… breathe….
I think one of the biggest obstacles we face when we move into action are the traditional and societal definitions and ideas of certain industries, titles, states of mind, genres, nouns, adjectives and verbs. For example, if you throw a group of people in a room from all walks of life and ask them to raise their hands if they’re an artist, chances are high that the only ones who will lift up a hand are those that fall under the “traditional” definition of the word artist ~ painter, photographer, sculpture, actor, etc. Yet, it is my definition that each and every person on the planet is an artist and is creative. There are those of us who are conscious of it and those who have yet to tap into that energy. I’ve met people who are so caught up in an old definition of a word that they dare not enter the possibility of testing their talent. Oh I’m not a writer because I’ve never had anything published. Oh I’m not a “real” actor because I’ve never been on Broadway or in Films. Oh I can’t be an entrepreneur because I never went to business school. Well, I graduated with a degree in International Relations from Rollins College where I never took a business or speaking course and I had to withdraw from a computer class or I would have failed. Today, I am a successful entrepreneur, writer and speaker whose first successful company was a technology consulting firm. If I had held onto the false belief that I could not follow a passion, I would not have given myself permission to visualize and then manifest not only my former company, but experience the moments that led me to today. Where will your opportunities lead you once you allow them to not only show up, but also become an active participant? What new definitions and ideas can you create for words like creativity, artist, success, prosperity, and entrepreneur? How will you move into action?
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