
My sister is a Life Coach. This occasionally comes in handy… and especially when I’m trying to spring clean the clutter in my head. She has a way of asking me unnerving questions, and twisting my words around (in a good way) to force me to look at my (many) issues from new angles.
Two nights ago, we shared a chimichanga and a cappuccino in my lounge… and I spilled my guts about how I was undergoing an identity crisis of late (may also have something to do with me turning 40 this year… and other recent events).
Anyway – this blog you’re reading used to be called “Adventures of a Creative Social Entrepreneur”… but, after this and this – I’ve kinda figured that I’m NOT an “entrepreneur” (here’s why)… which surely means that I can’t be a Social Entrepreneur either… can I?
So… what am I? What do I do? What do I want to do?
Well, for a start…
- I’m an artist / illustrator / designer
- I’m a musician / singer / songwriter
- I’m a photographer & aspiring filmmaker
- I’m a writer / blogger / storyteller
- I’m a speaker / presenter / performer
- And… I am an IDEAS person / visionary / out-of-the-box-thinker
Problem is – I’m not brilliantly awesome at any of the above! I’m not the world’s best artist – my cousin’s girlfriend paints stuff I couldn’t even imagine painting. I’m not the most fabulous singer or musician… I can sing fairly well but not magnificently… I can hold my own behind the piano – but nobody is going to hire me as a professional musician (and besides, everything is ‘by ear’ – I can’t read a note of music!). I can get-by with my writing and blogging – but I am definitely not a Writer’s Writer…. and so on.
So, even though I am – by definition, a Creative Creature, and I’m able to do lots of different things… I don’t think that I am particularly, amazingly STRONG in any of those creative disciplines.
So, my sister’s next question focussed on my passions. What am I passionate about?
- Well, for one, I’m a feminist. I believe strongly in equal rights and opportunities for women and girls the world over. Anyone who is ignorant enough to believe that women have already attained equality needs to read the United Nations Millennium Goals – and this amazing book! More on this at the Beautiful Life Project blog here.
- Another one of my passions is Storytelling. Omigosh! – I am a huge believer in sharing stories (here’s why)… but personally, I also get a big, fat kick out of sharing my stories too - hence this blog already has more than a few of my own personal stories.
- I am passionate about experiences… experiences change us, challenge us, grow us and make us into the people we are. That’s why I’m such a huge fan of travel and adventure!
- I’m passionate about the arts – although that should already be very obvious by now…
- I’m very passionate by encouraging people to dream (here’s why)… and it’s also a big reason as to why I launched VENT! and co-founded Tapestry of Dreams.
But also – let’s not forget that my deepest passion is, of course, my family: my husband Nick and my two children, Morgan and Joah. Wherever they are – well, that’s “home” for me. It is hugely – HUGELY important (for me) to create a life full of beautiful, meaningful moments, memories and experiences with my family and friends.
These experiences don’t need to be HUGE and wow-some! They don’t even need to be expensive. Sure, I love travel, adventure and holiday’ing with my family – but that’s not what defines a beautiful moment. Beautiful moments can be something as simple as the four of us snuggled up under a big blanket in front of a our log fire in Winter time. Or… the kids playing in a big, self-made mud pool in our back garden… creating a variety of mud pies… while Nick and I swing on our hammock nearby, sipping something cool and discussing our dreams.
I don’t want my work / duties / responsibilities to rob me of that which, for me, is the most important – and that which makes me come alive.
And isn’t that exactly what happens in life? There’s SO much To DO! We have soooo many responsibilities, duties, errands, administration… our lives are choc-full of things we “must do” and “ought to do…” and things we “really should do…” – but at what cost? What cost to ourselves? What cost to our families? What cost to our dreams?
I dunno. I want to live differently. Nick does too.
And living differently is going to mean a whole bunch of things. If we are to re-define what it means to LIVE… then there’s a lot of things that will need to be re-defined. Everything from how we live… where we live… how we educate our kids… how we eat… what kind of work we involve ourselves in… all of this will need to be re-thunk.
There’s still loads to write on this particular topic – and this blog is already a bit long… so I will just leave you with some food-for-thought:










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