Follow Your Gut on The Solstice

Anyone interested in self improvement and building a creative portfolio of work will enjoy Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, by Anne-Laure Le Cunff.

Her book starts with her deciding to let her curiosity and fascination lead her out of a corporate job at Google, and it led her to becoming a neuroscientist, author, and community leader. Hers is not a typical 'seasoned-executive-turned-consultant' kind of story.

The world is filled with people digressing from what their gut is saying and keeping the corporate job. Anne-Laure Le Cunff is not one of them.

I’m inspired by her and I'm reflecting on what fascinates me, and how my work is connected. How can I deepen my fascinations, and how can I turn that into my work?

Reflecting a bit, last year my coaching business was dissolving. I had satisfied clients. I enjoyed the work. But I didn't crack the networking and marketing to build a strong client base. I held myself back because the coaching model was someone else's IP. My clients all told me they just wanted me and not someone else's program. 

My fascinations are broad. But when I put that energy into service for other people, it shows up most for my kids.

To be honest, it's really frustrating - parenting. But the challenge to clarify what you want for them and to put into practice something that consistently transmits your message is the whole kaleidoscope.

My boys are 11 and 13. I'm hoping they turn out to be creative, happy, and financially literate.I want my boys to be dynamic enough to know when the attention suck of the world is too strong - to know it’s time to ask for help. And I want their friends to ask them for help. This all fascinates me.

Solstice

School’s out. We’re not goal-obsessing. Life's task has me recovering from finger surgery and guiding my boys. I feel like I’m finding my true work… practicing zen, reading, writing, filing notes in my Zettelkasten, teaching the kids. I do landscaping for exercise.

This coming week we are doing some reading, some writing by hand, and learning the foundations of budgeting. I’m going to get wet fixing some sprinklers too.

I’m also talking with other parents like me. What do they want for their kids? How are they going about passing down what’s most important?

Together I hope we all gain clarity. I’ll do my best to capture it for the kids.