A Change Up

What’s my story?

I’m changing it.

I’ve decided to take a different path in my blog. Over the past year it was mostly about how I experienced the Dutch culture which I seemed to do an entertaining job at  expressing my experiences through writing. The funny thing was that my first intention of this blog was to share my thoughts and experiences of my life going through a year at Knowmads. That turned out to be tougher than I thought and I found writing about Dutch culture much easier.

Technically writing about bikes, dutch accents, and bunny shaped cheese is all part of the Knowmadic experience. I wouldn’t have been able to talk about it if I hadn’t decided to become a Knowmad. So to be fair, I didn’t veer off my intention that much.

Now that my Knowmads year is over I finally want to get down and vulnerable. To really share my story.

For now on I’m challenging myself to tell my real story. To tell the honest truth of what is happening in my life. My fear is that you will find it boring. That when I start talking about life and deeper things, my entertainment factor drops considerably. You’ll think, “she can’t write. goodbye.” My jackal will start saying, “this stuff doesn’t make any sense. Backspace, backspace, backspace.” And who actually gives a hoot and haney about my life?

What I think I’m most afraid of is the shame. The vulnerability I’m challenging myself to express and share. That the people who read this blog actually know me! I’ll see them and I’ll have to look them in the eye. Ahhhhh! That’s scary.

But I shall go forth and share my story. I will be courageous and share because there’s a part of me that knows that what’s happening with me resonates in others and that brings me comfort. Criticism and judgement will always be there but I can’t control that. As the book of Brene Brown declares, I will Dare Greatly.

*I have no idea what direction this blog will head. My only intention is to be start being honest. We’ll see what comes of it.

What Are Your Plans?

Here’s my recent post over at the Knowmads Business School blog. Thought it would help me get back in the groove of writing on my own blog. There’s so much I’ve done while I’ve been away which means lots and lots to write about 🙂

Look for more blog posts coming soon!

 

What are you going to do after Knowmads? 

The infamous question I get asked at least once a week and it started 3 months into the program (watch out Tribe 6). It’s not like I haven’t been thinking about it. I’m a very goal oriented person so knowing where I want to head is really important to me.

I actually was already trying to figure out where and what I wanted to be doing after Knowmads the first few weeks I arrived at Knowmads. That’s how much I try to map my life out and set goals.  I spent the last 6 months trying to figure out what my true passion is and how I can turn it into a business.

Turns out that trying to figure out your passion can be extremely exhausting and something quite hard to ‘figure out.’ All those reading this who just knew what their passion was from an early age consider yourself lucky and blessed. It seems like a really nice thing to just know you are going to do something in your life because that’s where your heart takes you. Do you understand how lucky you are?

So while everyone at Knowmads was out traveling throughout Europe during the 3 week holidays, I had the pleasure of spending my time here in Amsterdam because of my work. I had some homework from Tsila (our white witch) to write out 100 things I want to be, 100 things I want to do, and 100 things I want to have. I completed it and learned that what I really enjoy is adventure and sports. If you know me, that doesn’t actually come as a surprise. I’ve played sports all my life, playing basketball in college and Europe and now I’m currently obsessed with Crossfit and Bikram yoga.

The big question is how do I turn what I love to do into an innovative business that makes a contribution to the world?

Then on top of that, how do I make it happen so that I’m doing it by the time my Knowmads year ends?

Well…I had a revelation during the holidays. I had a meeting with some people who run Lev Kaupas(a shared workspace) and they asked what I was up to at the moment during the holidays. I told them I’m working on creating a paleo diet challenge app. I went into detail about how it was going to work and how there’s a need a for more gamification in creating healthy lives.

Then they asked me that infamous question; what are your plans after Knowmads?

Sigh…

I went into whole thing of, “well, that’s my problem. I’ve been trying to figure this out for the past few months blah blah blah.”

Then Ivana from Lev Kaupas enlightened me. In a nutshell she said that I seemed pretty darn passionate about my paleo challenge app so just go with that. Follow what you’re passionate about right now. It may not look like it aligns with the ideas and goals you have in your future but most likely if you follow your heart now, doors that you never saw will open and vwa-lah, you’re doing what you love.

Maybe your passion is just a glorified version of  what you love to do right now. 

Shifting my mindset that I don’t need to know what I’m doing later but just follow what I’m really interested in now will lead me to where I need to go later. It’s the art of letting go. Having faith that everything will work out*.

*As long as you’re taking steps and going after what you love now

So no more deep thinking about what I will be doing after Knowmads. Who really knows that question with doors always opening right and left  with amazing opportunities all because I belong to the Knowmads organization. For now I will just work on what I love and feel is necessary and things will just figure themselves out.

I have faith that come February I will be traveling in some direction which I know I will love.

Do you know your passion? Are you enjoying your passion everyday? Have you always known that’s what you were going to do with your life? Do you have an exercise for figuring out your passion? Would love to hear it in the comments.