#68 - Throw Out The Baby

Change is afoot at You Inspire Me. Behind the scenes, my website is in revamp, automated systems are being put in place, and I'm growing a team - all of which will allow me to communicate my work more easily and give me more time to develop and deliver services I love.

And as I've been putting these new plans and procedures in place, my Saboteur has been having a field day. [Saboteur = that part of us which wants to keep things as they are, not rock the boat, and therefore sabotage any forward movement]. His stance is that change is a bad thing and he drags me down, telling me that these changes must mean that everything I've done before has failed, been wrong. He would love to convince me it's all too much, to throw out the baby with the bath water. When he's in charge, I feel wobbly, even despairing. Thankfully, over the years I've become intimately acquainted with his strategies and when he allows me a moment to breathe, I can eventually shake him off and put ME back in control.

Anyone else recognise that feeling?

Just as you often feel clearer after a cold has passed, so too with the banishment of good old Sab. I feel refreshed and stronger now, like something stagnant and toxic has been washed out of my system. Without the distorted vision he gives me, I can now see that it's time for celebration. I am standing clearly in the acknowledgement that I run a rapidly-evolving business and it's time to hire people and put robust systems in place for the next phase. I've seen too many amazing businesses fail because they weren't functioning as businesses. They positioned themselves as community services and didn't take that leap into solid professionalism.

Just as Obama's inauguration speech focused on the dawning of responsible maturity, so too for me it is time to put off any childish, amateurish ways. You'll soon see a cleaned up website, fully hosted under my own domain name; a request for you to opt-in to a new email list; automation of e-courses & digital product delivery; sexy incorporation of audio and video; and perhaps even a few new names and faces as the You Inspire Me team.

Yes - You Inspire Me just grew up.

Do Things Differently
1) What does YOUR Saboteur have to say about you making changes, growing up, evolving? How do you ensure you move forward anyway?
2) Inquiry: What do I need to give myself permission to do?
3) Action: Take the next step forward, noticing and bypassing your Saboteur's efforts to stop you.
4) Share your comments on this blog post.

** I was interviewed about one of my favourite topics, Fear of Failure. Listen here today only - it's up on the radio archives for one more day, after which we're looking to upload an mp3 version to my website. If you know that fear of failure blocks YOU from moving forward, commit to change that today. Join our workshop on Sat 7th February in Cambridge - full details here **

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2009

#67 - We The People

Little things can change the world. A simple 20 minute film is doing just that: The Story of Stuff. The story of stuff is the story of us. It explains why we came - by design - to be related to so heavily as consumers, and it explains why we have forgotten how valuable we inherently are.

If you've read my article, The World Needs Your Passion, you'll know that this premise is at the very core of what I do and I have been delighted to see such synergy in Annie's approach and my own. We share an insatiable passion for people, and for the planet upon which our survival is dependent. We believe in human potential - that we are all walking, talking, breathing solutions, and that we don't need anyone other than who we have right now to bring forth what is required. We share a conviction that we need to look somewhere other than the work-spend-shop cycle for our sense of value and purpose.

We both recognise that our current set-up wastes people and communities (at best) and destroys them (at worst) - all because we are putting 'stuff' above principles such as equality, health, earth stewardship and justice. There's also a tremendous amount of excitement as we see people uniting to reclaim communities and means of production. I am continually inspired, at the moment more than ever, by being connected with so many inspirational people and projects. Every day, I get to work with women who dare to hope that their passion is of value to the world and who are brave enough to overcome the obstacles which would otherwise prevent them from following it. All around me, I see engaged, proactive citizens taking small steps which make a big difference.

If you're inspired by The Story of Stuff, click here to see Annie speak further about this project and its global impact. [With thanks to Mark D for directing me this way].

Do Things Differently
1) Consider: What does your identity as 'consumer' feel like? How - and how often - are you related to in this way? What are your consumption habits? How much of this enriches and nourishes you? How much of it connects you with others and their passions? What's next for you in this area?
2) Consider: What does your identity as 'citizen' feel like? How - and how often - do you engage in this way? What do you contribute as a citizen, and what do you receive? What's next for you in this area?
3) This week, become acutely aware of your relationship with the 'golden arrow' that Annie describes. As you read news articles, participate in conversations, and sell or buy services/products - where is that 'golden arrow' in the equation? If it's not there, what's there instead? What do you notice about our system, and about the importance of your place within it?

** Come and hear me speak about 'The World Needs Your Passion'. It's the first time I'm turning the core message of my article (and my work generally) into a talk and I'm nervous and excited! Tues 27th January, 7.30pm, Cambridge, UK. See here for more details.

#66 - Easy Does It

One morning, I woke up at 7am with an article in my head. It was a bundle of words and phrases, it had a tone and a voice. I got up and wrote it out in less than an hour. It was the easiest thing I've ever written.

I popped it up on a blog, then Permaculture Magazine picked it up and published it back in July 08, and that led to a Canadian textbook buying reprint rights, as well as an extract being featured in Earth Pathways Diary 2010 and it being requested by an on-line magazine called Celsias.

So many people have said it has inspired them to find work that fulfils them, or it was the wake-up call they were waiting for. I write about finding and making our Contribution Footprint, our way of making a difference in the world.

Now a friend has suggested I enter the Oofoo Laureate competition - which I have! I haven't read the other entries yet - my guess is there could be some other fantastic ones in there - so make yourself a cuppa, have a browse, get inspired - and perhaps even vote for mine? :-) It's called The World Needs Your Passion and you vote simply with a tick.

The website link is above - look for the 'Vote now' bit in the competitions, or use this link to jump straight to the articles: http://tinyurl.com/9jakac

Thanks and happy reading!

Do Things Differently
I decided to make today's blog super easy for me. I've recycled a note I wrote on Facebook and have done without a photo. I'm continually learning that there's only so much I'm in charge of - I don't have to make everything perfect, triple-checked, all-singing all-dancing for it have impact. Let me know the impact of this easy approach for you by posting a comment on this blog.

An inquiry for you: Where could you make life WAY easier for yourself today? And what will you do with all that extra time and energy?!

#65 - Right Footing

We have a number of New Year traditions. From my partner's grandparents, we've inherited and modified a version of 'first footing'. Just after midnight, Sam leaves the house as the old year, carrying away anything we want to let go of AND our appreciation for all that is to be celebrated. She then returns as the new year and is welcomed in holding three objects to represent fuel, food and wealth. We like to ensure it's eco-fuel - 2008 was a solar lamp, 2009 an energy-saving light bulb... We then go out into our neighbourhood to wish everyone a magical year ahead.

We also spend a day on what we call Reflection and Intention. We go back through last year's calendar, plucking out the gifts. The challenges with all their learning and the strength we developed to deal with them; our achievements and how we celebrated them; and the heart-warming surprises and little kind touches which made the year what it was. We make lists and gather photos. We treasure the chance to do this and are horrified to think that these precious memories might otherwise get lost. We then decide what ingredients we want to ensure are present in the new year and put the list on a wall as a reminder of what our priorities are.

I love this time of year because the air is always buzzing with hope and possibilities - and I love it because that's what I want for every day. Greeting people and wishing them health and happiness, prosperity, dreams come true; having encounters which start off on the right footing - Good morning, Namaste, Aloha.

Several of my clients have a value called 'day one', 'fresh start', 'blank page' or a variation on that theme. Just as we are continually given new mornings, so do we always hold the power to change the course of our life in any moment. Whether at the level of thought, word or deed, if we catch ourselves engaged in something which doesn't align with our values or vision for who we want to be, we can in that moment choose differently.

That's why I call them New Way Resolutions because the opportunity to find a new way exists in every moment that we decide to be at choice in our lives. There is a band of inspirational women, committed to steering their lives, who subscribed to the New Way Resolution e-course and received their first issue this morning. I'm so looking forward to hearing from them how the step-by-step process, over the month, supports them in making meaningful shifts in their lives.

When my partner and I got married, we entered through two archways, met in the middle, and then walked down a few steps together. We practised that walk several times and when we watch the video of the day, we see ourselves grinning as we hold hands and focus on walking in step.

As this new year stands open before us with its abundant possibilities, what are we holding hands with? What are we ensuring our steps are aligned with? How will we set our intentions, decide our course?

Doing Things Differently
1. What are your New Year traditions? How do you - or how do you want to - seize this opportunity for reflection and intention? If you need inspiration, you might like to ask your family for their traditions, or search on-line. Squeeze one or two in at the start of this year and calendar them in for the next.
2. Ask: What are my priorities for 2009? What key ingredients do I intend to focus on?
3. If there were a newspaper headline for this year, what would it be?
4. Share on this blog your nuggets from 2008 and your vision for 2009.

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2009

** Ready to get unstuck? Want to escape the grip of procrastination?**
It could be fear of failure that's holding you back. Start 2009 on the right footing with the Fail Is Not A Four Letter Word workshop.
The Early Bird price ends this Saturday (9th Jan) so book now and enjoy a £10 discount**

** Grab 2009 and start doing things differently **
This is your last chance to join the merry group of committed women who started today on their New Way Resolutions journey. Click here for more details and book YOUR journey - only £7.50. **