Category: Pathfinding

Finding that “thing”

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

We all want to find that one thing we’re good at. That alignment between our persona; mission and work that is fulfilling. But you know what? Chances are we’re not the first person to have done it. There’s been a lot of people doing a lot of things throughout history. Even now, nearing 8 billion people, there are only so many “things” that can be done.

But no one can do your thing like you can. No one has the same you-ness that makes your contribution value. Not finding it, that deprives the world of what you were here to offer.

As Marianne Williamson wrote in A Return to Love: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

 

Wherever you go

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

Wherever you go, that’s where you are.

There’s a joy in solitude if you take the time to listen to it. Blocking out the concerns of the world, the struggles you may be experiencing, or the uncertainty of it all. At this moment, you get to listen to that inner voice.

What is it saying?

Track the positivity

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

There’s some terrible stuff out there. This virus is just the latest in a string of negatives that link throughout history. At the same time, there are a number of voices railing against the negativity, offering positivity, an upbeat message, and even, if you’re open to it, hope.

Find the positive messages in the world. Take control of your emotion, and be hopeful. It’ll get better. And just maybe, we’ll have a better frame of reference for the next downswing we experience.

Give yourself time

by MAÔ, posted in mindfulness

For some of us, now is a perfect time to, well, take our time. Perhaps rather than binging another show, and even in lieu of reading (but not all day – just for a bit), listen to an album. I’m a long way from my record player, but I have albums on my computer. There’s also YouTube, where you can find just about anything.

In The Artist’s Way, this was one of the tasks in a later chapter of the book. Julia Cameron recommended doodling while you listen. Let your mind wander. Listen, relax, and consume the album from start to finish.

As the days get longer

by MAÔ, posted in mindfulness

There’s magic in the coming spring. We can sense the Earth preparing for the warming weather; the ground softening, the ice thawing, and the foliage preparing to bloom.

There are experiences that a human can lose touch with. Not many tend to a garden anymore or spend enough time in nature. It’s all work, fifty weeks a year, with hopefully two for vacation. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, but the average is about right there.

But right now, when life the Nation is facing a bit of a crisis, and nothing seems to make sense, it’s good to remember to make time. Make time for the experiences that we might miss if we just plow through the day.

The Search

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.” That’s what I’ve been told many times.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

The sentiment keeps ringing in my ears, calling to my deeper instincts. It’s three parts:

  1. A wish for something, such as a favorable outcome.
  2. An acknowledgment of longing, of something that is missing.
  3. The promise of a search.

It’s my belief that we’re all looking for something. The ones who can put a name to it are more likely to find it. Yet, sometimes, a name isn’t to be had. If only a name was known, then the quest would be easy.

It’s not always easy. And it’s not always fruitful. But it’s always important.

Returning to simplicity

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

“On a basic level, there are three general methods to simplifying your life: stopping expansion, reining in your routine, and reducing clutter.”

– Rolf Potts, Vagabonding

Long before I discovered minimalism or the Kondo-method, there was a book I had read discussing the hows and whys of long-term travel. And I wasn’t ready for it when I first read it, back in 2003. The world was where I’d wanted to be, but I had a lot holding me back. It wasn’t until 2016 that I took significant steps toward making the dream of long-term world travel a reality.

Still, I combat the clutter and spending in my life. Having finished Strayed’s Wild, a portion of me wants to rid myself of nearly all my things, the bulk of which are already in a storage unit. She burned books after she read them, nightly, lightening the load of her pack to make walking just a tad easier.

We’ve all moved, and know that each time we lift that heavy piece of furniture we think that next time it’s not coming with us. But what about the smaller pieces, the things that don’t add value to our life anymore – things we just carry out of familiarity? Wouldn’t moving on be easier without them?

Maybe they’re not all material. Maybe some things we carry our internal – things that don’t serve us. Maybe those are the most important things to let go of…

Time is the commodity

by MAÔ, posted in mindfulness

“All real meaning accrued from duration.”

-Ken Burns

Most transactions now are momentary; fleeting. Real value is accrued through spending time with something. Learning, experiencing, taking time – this has how life is made worth living.

Don’t just rush through the day, checking things off a list. Spend time on them. Experience them, and feel the joy of life.

Not afraid to try

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

“Be broke or be wealthy, but never accept mediocrity.”

My friend and I used to discuss the problems with settling – that in so doing you’re effectively giving up on a portion of your dream. So he went out and started his own video production company. I’m not sure that he’s always doing exactly what he wants, but at least he’s in the ballpark.

I lost sight of my path about four years ago and since that time I’ve had some difficulty refinding my footing. I’ve jumped around from position to position, taking gigs here and there. Financially it’s been a lot of ups and downs. Personally, it has been mostly good, especially in the past three years. The year 2016 was the most tenuous.

Even still, I am constantly trying new things. I can’t seem to become satisfied in one specific area. I’ll enjoy the world of performance for a time, and then need to step back to make some money elsewhere. Work for a nonprofit a year, then switch to for-profit. Back and forth, in-and-out of projects – it’s a whirlwind.

And it is all in pursuit of some goal that won’t let me settle into something. That keeps me moving. We can’t always be doing exactly what we want. But if we’re playing the wrong game, it’s up to us to find the stadium.

The benefits of wilderness

by MAÔ, posted in Pathfinding

“Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.”

– John Muir

The wild places are where we found the heart of humanity. Man was not born of the city, but rather of woods, and plains, and mountains. We expect so much from our modern life that it’s easy to overlook the simple pleasures of walking through the woods or tending your own garden.

As children, we knew the woods just up the street to be wilderness. We played in those trees, rummaged through the low underbrush, and identified insects, reptiles, and amphibians best we could. As we grow older, we stray off the sidewalk less and less.

This isn’t universal. In fact, there is a push for reentering nature the likes of which probably haven’t been seen since the sixties. People are in need of more wilderness if merely to combat that rampant modernization.

So it’s important to be outside. To forest bathe, or sit under the stars. Away from light pollution, and outside of walls. It’s where we found our heart once, and it can show us the way again.