Sunday, December 7, 2014

Simple Intentions

It’s been awhile since I posted to this blog.  Though I made no public declaration, it was intentional to stop.   I began to feel my efforts were contributing to the clutter that I speak and write about minimizing.   In some ways I saw blogging about balance as a contradiction and my fear was (and still is) this will seep into the clutter.  I also stopped tweeting, abandoned my company Facebook pages and made the choice to not publish any of my seven books as e-books. 

I know, I know, it was a bit extreme and Luddite of me; but at the time, it felt right.   I listened with cynicism to the voices of peers (many peers) and advisors touting the importance of creating a social media presence for my brand.  I felt overwhelmed by the volume of options at my fingertips to create, share, and continue “connection”.   I struggled with wrapping my mind around how to make the connection feel authentic.  (I still don’t how to do so.)  To be blunt, having Facebook likes or being retweeted didn’t (and still doesn’t) feel like I’m adding real value to world.

Then I saw this year some magic in people using these tools in heart centered ways – for example, the poet David Whyte, the author Brene Brown and Humans of New York.  And I felt inspired.  Beyond being in the room, I’m unsure of how to create meaningful connection. I don’t know if it’s possible for me to use social media with real soul, depth and sincerity, but I’m excited about what might be possible.  (Please keep expectations low as Humans of New York is a super high bar.) 

What does this all mean? My speaking engagements and workshops go on, alongside publishing printed books (I have to hold out somewhere).   Back is this new/old blog and a new FaceBook author page.  My intention is to write, share (and continue) the conversations I have around the world with teams in hopes of linking people struggling with work-life, workload, and energy balance.  What I’ve seen in six years and over 50 counties – we are more alike than different in our struggles with balance.   We are humans of the world, looking for love, acknowledgement and acceptance in all of our environments, at home, at work and the spaces in-between.

Moving forward blog posts will be made to my author page and no longer posted on my personal page.  (They might get lost between the endless photos of trees and flowers!)  Also new, is the blending of my publishing and consulting companies under the single brand Simple Intentions, all this change is guided by the simple intention to create and share conscious content that generates intentional conversations.  

Make way in the clutter, I’m looking to homestead.