Painting by Deborah Gainer
I’m sitting here in my studio, sun streaming down on me through the window. Birds chittering in the surrounding trees. This is my oasis. I leave and I return, leave and return.
I got home yesterday after two days away. On Tuesday I was in Victoria where I graduated my first class of students at Royal Roads University. The course was called 28-Day Launchpad to Entrepreneurship. ( A course that I first took a year ago and which lead to my creating the Heartrepreneurs program)
It was so thrilling to watch their presentations, to see how far each of them had come. The course helps people to start a business through a series of steady small steps. Many of the students had already had their own businesses but were in transition and exploring other options. Some were aiming toward their highest dreams this time. Others were hoping to create something solid and supportive while moving toward more of their artistic passion.
One of the most important aspects of the teaching was the recognition of how much we need each other to succeed. There was a lot of cross-pollination of ideas and insights. Business names were brainstormed, and potential leads to new markets were shared. I loved bringing some of the wisdom of the creative process into the conversation, reminding them not to be afraid to take risks and to fail even, because it really only means that we have tried. So many very successful people only got there after serious failures.
When I first said yes to teaching the course, I wasn’t sure I had what it takes to teach it. I decided to try, to take the risk. I’m now signed up to teach two more courses next year and a third, a weekend retreat in Loving Inquiry is being developed. I’m also loving the connection with the university. I feel grateful for the warmth and generousity of the people I am working with there. They are so supportive.
And I feel as if I am living into a dream I had over 20 years ago. It has taken that long to make it happen. Which is another teaching of the course, that these things (businesses, passions, artistic dreams) take time, patience, and faith, along with a willingness to not know how it will all unfold.
Painting by Mia Korn
Wednesday was was also full of delicious creative, collaborative meetings. The first was with my writing sisters, with whom I am co-authoring a book called Women Writing Alone Together. We have been meeting like this for over 5 years, writing and reading our words to each other, learning about who we are and why we are so compelled to journal. Our project seems to have picked up velocity in the past few weeks as we shared “The Invitation” to the book with friends and colleagues. I don’t think we anticipated how much receiving their feedback, encouragement and excitement would propel us. SO much so that we have chosen an editor to work with, to guide us toward moving the book to completion. I feel so grateful, as this is such meaningful project to me, who has been journal writing for 25 years this summer. Between the three of us we have been journal writing for over 90 years.That’s a lot of notebooks!!!!
This too has been a journey of patience and faith and unknowing, trust. There have been a few times when we almost dropped the project altogether. Now look at where we are!
Painting by Christie Oades
painting by Christie Oades
The second meeting was with a current creative mentoring client who has passionately taken the reins of her creative process and is discovering so much about herself, her voice, her art and her heart. What is so fantastic about her journey is that I didn’t know what it was going to look like when I told her I’d support her. I had to trust that together, with my experience and support, and her willingness and commitment to the process, we would uncover the way. So it is quite incredible to witness how she is learning to trust her own process now, and how that has happened through having been supported by my trust of her. And there is still so much that is unknown, which means there is so much to learn.
I am so amazed by how it all works. I love learning. I love the magic, and the mayhem too sometimes, and the openings, and the love and compassion that arise as we all become more intimate through the process of creating for ourselves and with others, whether we are writing a book, developing businesses or creating a performance.
Paintings by Ahava Shira
When I first started the Centre for Loving Inquiry, I had no idea I would come to teach a course called Heartrepreneurs, nor that a part of my work wold be as a creative mentor. I had to dive into the free fall of my imagination while remaining flexible and open to the needs and desires of potential clients (whether individuals, groups or universities). I had to trust that I could summon all my skills and abilities and channel them toward new opportunities, using my gifts and talents for the benefit of others.
What skills are you being asked to apply for the benefit of others? What opportunity are you being asked to say yes to? What support might you summon to become a happy heartrepreneur?
