You are Amazing.
I’m just back from a road trip on west coast USA and a conference, so a different style to my newsletter this time.
Do people tell you that you are remarkable, kind, inspirational …
Too often we don’t listen to these words, we filter them out and have our antenna tuned to the negative and critical.
I don’t think I’ve been telling you enough, that you are amazing and there is never going to be another person just like you.
I want you to be as amazing and great as you want to be. This doesn’t mean that you should be shooting for the unobtainable.
Being good enough is perfect, and takes away so much pressure from thinking that you have to be number one.
… and I think I’ve been acting a bit too conventional, and that’s not the true me. It takes speakers like Brene Brown discussing vulnerability to remind me of being true to me and my values.
Brene said that most of us put our armour on when we get up. It’s like putting on spanx, hard to take off. So we get locked inside the person we think we should be.
Does that ring true to you? Are you trying to fit in with a job that isn’t right for you? Or with people where the true you is submerged as you try to be a perfect spouse or hide your creativity through trying to be uber organised?
I’ll be writing more on this sort of topic.
Refocusing this blog
I’ll continue to write blog posts related to careers and job search but I’m going to focus much more on helping people to understand, appreciate and reach their true potential.
I’ll be posting inspirational questions. I think you should find this of interest, I know once people find a new job there is less of an interest in job search techniques, but helping us all to grow and develop should be relevant to us all at all times in our lives.
I’m really interested to find out if you like this new direction, so do let me know.
It feels right for me, I set up Amazing People in 1998, the newsletter in 1999 and the focus was on Love Your Job.
But my company is Amazing People, and I chose this name for a reason. I want to help the people whose lives I touch to feel they are amazing, to live amazing lives, and (with a blush!) I want you to think that the people I work with, and me, are amazing too!
It’s not just about careers, it’s also about health and wellness – and amazing people live healthy lives. Plus it’s about relationships and also contribution.
So plenty for me to write about.
World Domination Summit
I’ve spent the weekend at an event for people who want to be remarkable and live unconventional lives. It’s led by Chris Guillebeau, called the World Domination Summit and held in Portland, Oregon. So good I’ve already booked up for 2013.
People get a bit confused about this conference, the focus of the event is ‘living a remarkable life in a conventional world’ and one way that Chris described this was that we are about community, adventure and service.
1000 people attended from all ages and from 24 countries, I thought travelling 5448 miles was a long way, but others travelled from Asia, Austrailia etc.
I’m now brimming with thoughts and ideas and still on a high from so many experiences. I’m going to be sharing these with you over the coming weeks and telling you more about the people who inspired me. Not just the famous such as Chris Guillebeau, Chris Brogan and Danielle la Porte but the many other people I met such as Oscia Wilson, Trevor Lohrbeer, Stacey Marolf and Indrani Goradia and so many more.
As with all conferences there were main events and workshops but this was an event like no other with masses of additional options, from swimming across the river to going on a chocolate tour. I had breakfast with 8 baby boomers set up by Scott Madden, went on a photo walk and saw the city through a lens, had lunch from the Portland street carts and met up for drinks. Then there was a lunch with lawyers, and those who want to hang out with lawyers (many of my clients are unhappy lawyers), a networking for introverts event (!) and a beer tour, then the afterparty including bollywood dancing! (and many more I didn’t choose to do as I also wanted some quiet time too). I was thinking of suggesting similar to more formal conferences I attend, but then … would I want to go to a traditional event anymore? I want to be inspired and challenged and meet new people who I want to stay connected with and I got plenty of all of these.
I think often the best way to expand our thinking and to grow and develop is to do something that isn’t a conventional learning event, least ways that’s my take on development. I’ve grown so much more through this event than attending a career coaches or psychologists conference.
Charity Water
The second main stage speaker was Scott Harrison who founded Charity Water. 100% of all donations goes to help people get clean and fresh water. So far the organisation has raised $Ms for 6,720 water projects.
I’ve set myself a challenge to raise $5k to build a well. It’s a stretch goal, but even if I don’t reach it I’ll help many people get access to water. I’m going to do this in various ways
- Asking friends and family to donate money instead of buying me birthday (and 15th wedding anniversary) gifts
- Running a 1 week window where you can choose any of my eBooks in exchange for a donation (100% of whatever you donate goes to Charity Water).
- The day either side of my birthday (29th August) I’ll be offering coaching sessions in exchange for a donation. More details to follow.
http://mycharitywater.org/DeniseAndSimon
What would you do with $100?
At the close of the event Chris talked about the parable of the talents. Remember the bible story – one son buried it, another made lots of money and the third spent it all.
He said that they made a significant loss on last years event but were determined not to take on corporate sponsors. After last years event Chris said that an anonymous doner provided a significant sum of money (and sought no publicity) because he saw the power of the first years’ event.
The WDS team discussed what was the best way to use this money and the decision they reached was to give every paid attendee $100 to make a positive change in the world.
As we left the auditorium we were each given an envelope containing $100 and a note. I was truely in shock, close to tears I was overwhelmed with joy, what could I do?
I could give this to charity, but I want to make a much bigger impact. It’s a responsibility to do my best with this gift and to use this as a start. I’ve got an idea running through my head but I’d love to know what you think.
I’d love to hear your suggestions for what to do with this money.
Action
- Email or make a note on FaceBook, with suggestions and ideas for how to use this money.
- Make a donation using http://mycharitywater.org/DeniseAndSimon and then let me know which eBook you would like.
- Any other thoughts, ideas or questions – let me know.
Till next time
Denise x
