change of pace & special announcement

This Doing Things Differently blog is shifting to fortnightly as I dedicate time to creating content for my new website.

There's no blog post this week but instead I am delighted to announce that my article, The World Needs Your Passion, has won the Ooffoo Laureate 2008 award. Thank you SO much to those of you who voted and to those of you who have sent me messages letting me know the impact of this piece on you.

Click here to read the full article and the judges' feedback. You can also get a feel for what Ooffoo is all about and enjoy other fantastic pieces of writing.

See you back here next week when I'll be exploring: What place is there for competition in a sustainable society?

#73 - Think For Yourself

It's not often I criticise but for the sake of Doing Things Differently, I want to share an experience which shook me this weekend.

I went to a talk by a highly articulate, charming and entertaining speaker. The topic was exactly my field of interest, his words were beautiful and I made copious notes. His core message made sense to me... and yet I also felt a nagging unease. It later became apparent that his governing agenda was to sign people up to become members of his global networking 'nation' which would cost a few thousand pounds. I happily pay to be affiliated with wonderful organisations so this wasn't the problem. No - here's what bothered me....

The more he talked, the smaller I felt. His promise was that if I joined his organisation, I would feel big, important and connected. If I joined his team, I'd be 'in', if I didn't, I was 'out'. His talk was about a more equitable world and yet when I looked for evidence of him walking the talk, I couldn't find it. His air miles, his choice of breakfast provision and large corporate hotel venue did not reflect the sustainable future to which he was referring. I tried to ask a question during his presentation, but I was ignored amid all the cheering, whooping, "Yes!" shouting and raised hands he was encouraging. I went over to speak one-to-one with him twice. He was like plastic. He wouldn't hold my eye contact and seemed entirely uninterested by me and my desire to connect. He didn't hear my acknowledgement and he batted away my questions.

I actually cried when I'd got far enough away from the venue to take a breath. I realised the feeling I had was of being violated - taken away from my own truth and whipped up into a 'bigger, faster, better' frenzy, so far from the message he ostensibly was conveying. Beautifully juxtaposed was what happened next. I hopped on a bus and asked the driver whether he went to Angel tube station; he looked at me with a smile and said, "YOU'RE an angel". I glowed for the next half hour. That's my compass - how I feel when one-to-one with a person and how I'm left feeling afterwards. A true leader is one where you come away feeling inspired to find YOUR way, YOUR possibilities. Where you feel big enough to lead, not scared enough to follow.

I've had my beloved grandmother staying with me the last few days and I am always fascinated by her tales of growing up as a Jewish girl under Nazi oppression. Perhaps I get so passionate about this topic because I still cannot understand the herd mentality which allowed such atrocities to take place. In a time of fear and uncertainty, charismatic leaders undoubtedly emerge, promising us wealth, safety and freedom - IF we go their way. We must keep thinking for ourselves. Healthy criticism and discernment are imperative. When a new idea comes our way, let us chew it. See how it tastes, see how we feel. Only then, let's decide if we want to swallow.

[And please chew, taste and feel THAT suggestion before even thinking about swallowing.....]

Do Things Differently
1) Inquiry: What is everyone jumping on board about... but something in you tells you otherwise? What would you have to do if you let yourself trust those instincts?
2) Action: Next time you hear a broadcast, read an article or blog post (yes, including mine!), engage head and heart fully and feel whether this is true for you. How do you know? How do you use your body, your instincts and your rational brain to decide? How do you ensure fear isn't speaking, or your Saboteur? What's your compass? Challenge: Be bold enough to say when you don't feel aligned with someone's message. Speak out in a crowd if no-one is questioning the status quo. Dare to do things differently, for the sake of freedom of thought.
3) Leave a comment here, letting us know your take on thinking for yourself. Refreshing? Challenging? Have you needed to be brave, put your neck on the line, stand out from the crowd or lose friends? Have you gained new respect, realised others thought the same, or felt more fulfilled because you were living your truth? Let us know....

Ooh - and do look closely at the picture. Herd mentality.....? :)

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2009

#72 - Food For Thought

I've just watched the most amazing BBC documentary, A Farm For The Future. It's available to watch on iPlayer until 14th March and I'd highly recommend it (with thanks to Maddy Harland, editor of Permaculture Magazine, who alerted me to this must-see).

In the documentary, Rebecca Hosking takes a thorough and honest look at our food chain and how the end of cheap, abundant oil will affect what we eat. Her explorations take her to peak oil experts, a Soil Association conference, and permaculture-designed small-holdings.

I found it very accessible because she doesn't set out to preach or convert. In fact, it's a tale of her conversion. She's a very regular woman coming from a family of farmers and yet doesn't cling stubbornly to 'the way things are done'. Instead, she's willing to look anew and investigate her (our) inherited assumptions about how we feed ourselves. She acknowledges with deep respect and gratitude what her family have passed on to her AND is brave and humble enough to explore doing things differently. She doesn't know if alternative ways of managing her land will work but she recognises that the current way is unsustainable and so other options must be found.

As she takes in the alarming facts and statistics about our imported food and fossil-fuel-dependent system, we can see her fear and yet rather than going into denial - as we all so easily could - she keeps her eyes open so that she can find genuine solutions.

Here is a living, breathing example for all of us of how to compassionately challenge the status quo in the area of life most close to our hearts. Whether it be food production, medicine, or our education, housing or transport systems, the message is: Another way is possible. It might take courage and hard work but perhaps what's at stake makes it worth it.

Do Things Differently
1) Inquiry: What's the area you're most passionate about? What other ways are possible there?
2) Action: What's one step you could take to find new solutions for this area? Is it getting together with like-minded people or doing research? Or is there a big project you're just on the verge of starting already? Take a deep breath, gather your courage, and just get started. Let the passionate urgency of Rebecca's work inspire you.
3) Inquiry: Where in your life do you need to swallow your pride, acknowledge that things aren't working, and go back to the drawing board or seek support?

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2009

** What's it like to have a goal you're passionate about, but keep feeling it slip away from you? How important does it feel to see it through this time? Jump on to the New Way Resolutions e-course. At £7.50, this offers a super-affordable way of staying focused on what you want to achieve. Click here to read how the e-course works, how it has helped others and subscribe now to join the March 2009 course. No more excuses. Resolutions are not just for January 1st. **

#69 - Out Of The Extra-Ordinary

Today in Cambridge, my neighbourhood is at its most beautiful. Covered in powdery snow, the landscape exudes a regal calm. I've been out for several walks and whoops, the cold air waking me up to the magnificence of being alive. I've chatted with neighbours I've never seen before and laughed with kids throwing snow-balls. There's a real feeling of community here as the extra-ordinariness of today takes us out of our houses and jobs and into our streets. We've been given the chance to see the familiar anew.

For some, weather like this is inconvenient at best, dangerous at worst. I'm under no illusions that snow is pure magic. If you're dependent on help arriving at your door or need to get somewhere urgently, this is no fun and my heart goes out to you. For many of us, though, we can seize today as a chance to get off the treadmill, postpone till tomorrow, grab our friends, family, partner and colleagues and reconnect, rest, energise and reflect. We can take time out of the ordinary to enjoy the full potential of the extra-ordinary.

At its very least, this weather reminds us of how beholden we are to nature, to our climate. We are not in control, no matter how much we pretend to be. The huge snowflakes blowing in my face this morning said loud and clear: Sometimes you have to receive and adapt. We must be open to negotiating new ways of living. When the bus doesn't run, the car's snowed under or the school's shut down, we create new options - for one day, maybe for more. When we allow ourselves to detach from business as usual, we find different - sometimes preferable - ways of living in these times.

Sometimes our world does things differently - and we just get to follow...

Do Things Differently
1) Inquiry: How do I respond when the extra-ordinary happens, when 'business as usual' is not possible?
2) Inquiry: Where in my life am I trying to fight to re-establish business as usual when I could let go and trust that another way is possible? Which of life's circumstances could I receive and adapt to?
3) For goodness sake, get out there! In the UK as in other parts of the world, this snow is so rare and so precious. Let's get wet, get dirty, take the risk of saying hello to people, swing out.
4) Please feel free to comment on this post, letting us know about your laughter and learnings on this snow day.

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2009

** Does fear of failing keep you plodding on with business as usual, even though you're longing for the extra-ordinary? **
My Fail Is Not A Four Letter Word workshop this Saturday only has ONE place left and I may have a taker so instead of promoting that, I'm including a link to an 'expression of interest' form. This means you'll be first to hear about future workshops, 1-1 coaching & e-products to support you with breaking free from this discomfort.
Click here to let me know you'd like to be free from fear of failure sometime soon!

#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. **

#45 - We Are A Circle

We got married on 26th July. Our wedding could not have been more beautiful, nor more in keeping with the spirit of Doing Things Differently. So many people told us that it was the most enjoyable wedding they'd ever been to - firstly, because there was such overflowing of love and secondly, because it was so unique and had 'us' stamped so clearly upon every aspect. I could go on and on about every little detail but instead here is my top ten of some of the reasons this day became the dream it was:

10. tons of activities and chances to get involved e.g. a treasure hunt, a video diary room, a 'guess the baby photo' game and a Wisdom Tree from which guests could hang their thoughts
9. the whole thing took place outdoors in my parents' beautiful gardens with recycled glass jar lanterns at sunset
8. both wedding dresses were from Oxfam Bridal and tiaras from British Heart Foundation
7. a performance section with friends offering juggling, jokes, beat-boxing & singing
6. many decorations were enjoying their second life from shop window displays e.g. sparkling pink fairies from Lush, and signs were painted by our friend
5. the buffet was entirely vegan and sugar-free and had everyone going back for more
4. our friends made a photo slide-show which documented our 4 years together and played piano and sang as the back-drop for our first dance
3. speeches were toasted with home-made champagne from hand-picked elderflowers and accompanied by local strawberries
2. the ceremony itself was held by our three best friends, with various friends and family offering readings and singing our favourite chant: We Are A Circle
1. our love truly was at the centre of the whole day, with every decision leading back to that core.

Our love inspired all the organisation and then the sense of created-by-community inspired our guests. What made this possible was that we really looked to our circle of friends and family to hold the day for us and support us, both practically and emotionally. We looked to their skills and asked what they wanted to contribute. And rather than this being a burden for them, we saw their joy at being so instrumental in creating the magic of our special day. They gave us so much, and we gave them the opportunity to share their gifts with others. It fully affirmed my belief that we all long to contribute and find our meaning in this way. The beauty of the day will be with us forever - THANK YOU to all of you who gave that to us.

Do Things Differently
Whatever you're working on at the moment - be it a business venture, a home-development project, an event etc - really look to see: Who is your circle? Who would absolutely love to contribute something of their skills and talents to help you out? Play with the idea that they might be desperate for an opportunity to offer their gifts and see if you can provide them with that.

(c) Corrina Gordon-Barnes, 2008

After-thought....
Yesterday, I got chatting with my optician about our wedding and he was so impressed by how different it all was that he wants me to sit down with him and his fiancee and help them generate ideas for theirs. I'm wondering if there might be something in this so I'm keen to explore a You Inspire Me 'plan an inspirational event/do your event differently' service. So... if you are planning an event like a wedding, birthday, or anniversary bash and want to Do It Differently - book a session. This is a new venture so we'll assess as we go how many sessions you might want. Sessions are £50 each and can be booked here.