Time flys, yet internally I feel like the same woman I did 38 years ago when I set out to claim my place in the world after my divorce. My daughter Erin and I are business partners. We have been for 26 years which kinda boggles my mind. We’ve been through so many experiences together, to hell and back in some ways, yet here we are going through another reinvention. For anyone new here, Erin and I just closed a five year chapter of publishing Trailblazher - an international print magazine for gutsy, rural women that shared their stories of resilience, grit and lifestyle endeavours. What a ride that was!
Publishing the magazine was one of our most tangible successes because you could hold it in your hands and revel at how beautiful it was and how rich it felt. The magazine stood out as a symbol of just how amazing women really are and showcased the cool things they are doing and being. I feel a little shy to say I am now cutting out article titles, sayings and embellishments to use in our Createbook. It seems sacrilegious to admit it. But the results are stunning and speak to my creative heart.
Looking back over the years feels somewhat like a dream. Maybe it comes with the season I am in. Maybe it’s just how time shows itself in our memories. The changes that have transpired in the past 38 years are HUGE. Internet. Social media. Screens. Amazon. I-phones. So much! Yet as humans we are still rooted in some very core elements.
We still need people. We still need to feel worthy and loved. We still like to use our hands to make or craft. We still like to think about or envision the future and our lives. We still need to eat good food. We still need to move. We still like to explore. We still love stories. And so on. We haven’t actually evolved a whole lot. And maybe we aren’t meant to.
Our needs are basic in many ways, yet we are told through messaging that we need to keep levelling up. The constant and never ending flow of ads, and posts, and videos is a bombardment to our minds. Minds that are trying to think one thought at a time, and stay grounded.
If you’re like me, perhaps it’s time to sort out what really matters. I’ve been caught up in the hustle culture. I’ve sifted and sorted through copious amounts of information to find a path forward that feels good and solid. What I’ve found is - there isn’t a ready-made formula to get behind. As people, we have been given (born with) so many transformative talents, and skills, and ideas that are awaiting our attention. Sure there are aspects out in the world that will give us clues and hints, but generally we have our own guidance system built right in.
That’s a very powerful idea to consider. And with that guidance system we naturally have passions and intentions that line up. That make us feel alive and vital. We’ve been so busy ‘doing’ life that we forget how to tune into them. I think that is the reason I still feel so young. My passions and intentions are still a work in progress. Still a part of my internal vision and how I see my life unfolding.
What about you? Do you have a sense of who you are apart from the craziness of the world? I’m going to explore more of these ideas in my upcoming writing. I hope you found something valuable here and you’ll share your thoughts with me. Until next time…
Jan
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