What is it you really want? The courage to start a new career? The time to pursue passions and hobbies? The freedom to travel and have big adventures? Or simply to “feel differently” about your life, just as it is? All of those wants — and so many others — stem from one big desire… The desire to do what you love.
And if that’s what you want, you’ve arrived in the best possible place you can be. This is your launchpad — and this is your community. And the Do What You Lovee-course might just change your life.
Do What You Love is about re-opening doors that you thought were locked shut… re-opening possibilities that you thought were long gone… and illuminating possibilities you never knew existed.
If you find yourself thinking things like: “I can’t afford to _______” … or “I’m too old to _______” … or “I’m going to need years of training before I can _______” … or “It’s just not realistic for me to _______”… or “But what if ______”,Do What You Love will show you that all of your options are still open, no matter what your current circumstances and responsibilities may be.
Inside this course possibility is your new reality.
Make this year the year you start doing what you love. Find out more or register HERE.
This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.
Over the past few summers I have been trying to rally people to tackle a summer solstice micro adventure. It has been a pleasant success, with loads of people heading for the hills. This year lots of people have been tackling a microadventure each month as part of the Year of Microadventure Challenge. Setting the idea as a challenge was a great way of galvanising people to action. People who quite liked the idea of sleeping on a hill but would not ordinarily do it were motivated to get outdoors and try something new.
So here is a challenge for you: a winter solstice microadventure…
The 21st December is the shortest day of the year. The day is short, the night is long. But if the weather is fresh and clear this can be a beautiful season. The sun lies low in the sky, backlighting or silhouetting the world beautifully. And the night is cold and long, filled with stars and the greedy knowledge that you own this night while everyone else is tucked up indoors frittering their lives in front of X-Factor Xmas Specials. You are out there, beneath the glory of the heavens (and – perhaps – freezing your arse off wishing you were back home in front of the telly).
Most people have a chunk of time off somewhere between now and early January. Why not spend one of those nights out on a local microadventure? Head out of town with a friend or two. Climb a hill. Crack open a box of 50%-reduced mince pies and a few beers. Earn your Christmas Dinner. Work off your Christmas Dinner. Do whatever you like. But why not try to squeeze one last night in the wild into these last few nights of the year? Reflect on the year just passed, scheme for the year ahead.
Have a look at this video – it might spark an idea.
So, please, do consider a night under the stars this Christmas time. It’s entirely compatible with nights out at the pub or friends’ houses. It’s compatible with getting home for a full day of putting up the Christmas decorations. It’s so easy to do, but so memorable, refreshing and fun! Work out where you need to be to see the sunrise (use this great link). Tell somebody where you are going and when you’ll be back. And then go!
The Challenge Rules
Go sleep outdoors somewhere – a garden, a hill, a forest, a beach
Do it solo, with friends, family, work colleagues, or an old flame
Here’s a talk that could literally change your life. Which career should I pursue? Should I break up — or get married?! Where should I live? Big decisions like these can be agonisingly difficult. But that’s because we think about them the wrong way, says philosopher Ruth Chang. Chang believes that hard choices are a godsend because they give us the power to create reasons for us to live the life we want. To become distinctive. And to become the author of our own destiny.
In this insightful TED Talk on decision-making and the human condition, Chang looks at how we exercise our freedom through the choices we make. She explores the relationship between reason and value, looks at how we navigate ourselves through the sea of pros and cons and offers a powerful new framework for defining who we truly are. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
What hard choices have you faced in the past? What did you do? What tips/techniques worked well? What hard decisions are you facing at the moment? Which choice will you make?
A lot of things happened during my maternity leave, most notably the arrival of our gorgeous baby girl Maia. But another that really stands out in my mind was a visit to a tarot reader in Brighton, just before we moved house.
If you had said the word ‘tarot reader’ to me a few years ago I would have rolled my eyes as the sceptic that I used to be. But then a couple of years ago, one of our collaborators—the wonderful Lilla Rogers—insisted we have a joint reading done before signing our partnership renewal contract. No pressure then! As it turns out, the reader (who pretty much blew my mind), said we have a very strong karmic connection, hinted at by the fact the same karma cards kept coming up again and again. And then she said we had known each other in several past lives, including one when we were travelling male musicians in Ireland, and another where I was a shaman and Lilla was my assistant. As you might imagine, we signed that contract pretty much as soon as we got out the door, and Lilla continues to be a dream to work with.
With that, my curiosity was officially piqued. I have been back twice since, once getting a valuable insight which helped me make a major business decision, and once a couple of months ago, just before we moved house.
As anyone who’s done it knows, discovering your life’s purpose and getting on the path to doing what you love is the most incredible feeling in the world. It’s exciting, exhilarating and energising but at the same time there’s an element of fear that comes with jumping into the unknown.
You might know what you should be doing (taking brave steps forward and embracing a whole new world and everything in it) but feel afraid to act because making such bold decisions or big life changes seems risky. What if you lose what you already have by walking this new path?
Before you know it the internal conflict between what you truly want and what you already have is spiralling out of control and you find yourself stuck. Frozen by fear.
Whenever you your mind starts ruling your heart, it can help to remind yourself why you went looking for your true passion in the first place. Why is pursuing a life with meaning important to you? How did you feel when you were lost; wandering aimlessly through life? Would you really be happy doing something that doesn’t matter to you? What do you really have to lose by taking this new path? Then ask yourself:
What is the best that can happen?
What is the worst that can happen?
What will happen if I do nothing and everything stays the same?
As Alan Watts says: “By replacing fear of the unknown with curiosity we open ourselves up to an infinite stream of possibility. We can let fear rule our lives or we can become childlike with curiosity, pushing our boundaries, leaping out of our comfort zones, and accepting what life puts before us.”
Sometimes the only way to overcome your fear of unknown is to take the first step and do something. Turn your fear into curiosity. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
“You’re already naked, so there is no reason why you don’t follow your heart.” ~ Steve Jobs
Is something stopping you from following your dreams? Do you want to make changes but find the process daunting? Is fear holding you back? Think about it… what are you afraid of that you should be curious about instead?
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” ~ Nelson Mandela
If we could wave a magic wand and remove all your fears – every single one of them – how different would your life be? What would you do?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since my grandpa got ill. At the ripe old age of 88 he might be frail and suffering with a brain tumour, but as he looks back on his life, he’s as positive as ever about the amazing experiences he’s had and the valuable lessons he’s learnt along the way. He talks with so much passion and pride about his adventures, for example: how he rose through the ranks to become Captain in the army and took big risks for high rewards in business; how he travelled the world and bought a 27ft yacht which he sailed around Holland, and how he taught himself to play the piano and he even wrote a book about his experiences so our family have a record of the life and times enjoyed by his generation. “I’ve had the most wonderful life,” he always says, “I’ve no regrets. None whatsoever.”
Self published: my grandpa’s book. He always says ‘life’s not bad’ – it’s his way of saying ‘life is wonderful’
It must feel amazing to be able to look back at your life and know that you have achieved everything you wanted to. You must feel immense satisfaction and inner peace knowing that regardless of how scared you might have felt, or how worried you were about the impact of your choices, you were brave enough to follow your dreams and live the life you imagined.
As John Lennon puts it: “There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.”
Fear can be a good thing – if we choose to see it that way
It doesn’t matter whether you are a first-time parent, an aspiring traveller or a seasoned athlete, every single one of us is afraid of something. Fear is a tricky emotion. It can paralyze you. It can keep you from your dreams. It can keep you small, safe and comfortable. At yet, in just the right doses, it can also be your friend.
Or fears can be our greatest source of power, our biggest motivation and our best teachers. What they need is love. Fear only grows when you let it consume you and that usually happens when we forget how helpful it is trying to be. Ultimately, fear really does want the best for us, no matter how irrational it may seem.
Embrace the four Cs
Clarity: Of course it’s only natural that we want to deny, run from and ignore the things that scare us, but the first step in dealing with fear is to recognize that it is inevitable. Keep a clear and objective mind and it is possible to move through fear and overcome it. Just stay focused on what you want to achieve, and what you’re doing to get there.
Choice: when you choose to make friends with fear you open yourself up to a whole new world of possibility. Think about all the fantastic opportunities that could come your way if you can find the courage to expand your horizons.
Confidence: it may take a huge amount of strength, but when it comes to facing your fears it helps to be in the know. Preparing in advance – whether it be with information, physical training, psychological help and support, or by improving your skills or level of experience – will help you keep your cool and maintain a sense of control when the going gets tough.
Character building: remember that we can only grow if we have the courage to challenge ourselves. When we face our fears we become better versions of ourselves.
As you face your fears and increase your freedom and happiness by allowing your dreams to become a reality, the good life is inevitable. So ask yourself this: what would I do today, if I were brave?
Need more inspiration? We love these books about bravery…
This is a guest post from Claire Le Hur who is cycling to China with her fiancé Stuart Block. The couple will start their journey in East Africa where they will follow new ‘silk roads’ charting the journey of key natural resources as part of an exciting new education project. Claire will be riding a bamboo bike, built by an African social enterprise and Stuart will ride a tandem, keeping the back seat free for those they meet en route. They will also be raising money and awareness for two great educational charities. Find out more about Claire’s big adventure here.
In my last post I talked about the genocide memorial and this atrocity is still what many people think of when they think of Rwanda. And yet Rwanda is a beautiful and fertile country where 80 per cent of the children go to school and where littering is illegal. In fact people are so conscious of keeping their community clean that they spend the last Saturday of every month cleaning up their streets.
It is amazing how far Rwanda come in the last 20 years, but despite its progress there are still many big issues simmering beneath the surface that lead you to question if, and when, things might start to unravel again. For example:
80 per cent of the population live on less than $2 per day, and 65 per cent on less than $1
freedom of speech is non-existent
disabled people are often exiled and there are stories of a ‘prison’ on Lake Kivu
despite the brilliant work by the Gacaca court to reconcile Tutsi and Hutu, many feel that there are still underlying tensions because most government and high paid jobs are now being taken by Tutsis and because many Tutsis still feel that revenge would be just.
Allegedly Rwanda is supporting the rebels over the border in DRC and there are some dubious dealings going on concerning the export of minerals and weapons.
President Kagame has worked wonders since the genocide, and while there is something to be said for a ‘benign dictatorship’, in 2017 he will stand for a third term – which is constitutionally illegal – and there is no opposition. Who knows what will happen at election time but hopefully the current climate in Burundi is not a hint of things to come.
This is a guest post by adventurer, author and motivational speaker Alastair Humphreys. Find out more about Alastair here.
“O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in’t!” ~ William Shakespeare
It’s good to be almost fearless.
Many of the things that used to really frighten me don’t bother me at all anymore.
Most of us have been brought up, very sensibly, to worry a lot. Here are some of the issues that we like to have a good worry about:
Career progression
Earning as much money as our friends
Getting a decent Christmas bonus (a mixture of the two points above)
What people think about us
Wearing stylish clothes
In recent years I have not worried about any of these. (Those who know me will say I never paid much heed to the last one!). And the funny thing is that the less I care, the more I just concentrate on following my own path, doing what I care about and am passionate about, the more money I earn and the curve of my “career” progression steepens.
I’m aware that my “career” is an odd one, hence the quote marks. But the point is that by consciously choosing not to worry about all the things I was supposed to be worrying about, a lot of them simply slipped away. They didn’t really matter to me.
To kick off this month’s theme, ‘Love to Relax’, we want to let you know about some inspirational events that are happening across the world this October.
1) YESTIVAL (Surrey, UK)
October 23 – 25, 2015
At Do What You Love all our work is driven by our core values: Freedom, Bravery, Purpose, Authenticity and Connection. So when an event comes along that encapsulates everything we believe in we just have to shout about it!
Yestival is a brand new event set in the stunning Surrey countryside with around 200 people who are ready to instigate small lifestyle choices that ultimately lead to big changes. Boasting over 30 lectures, workshops and activities on subjects ranging from adventure, working around the world, podcasting and biodiversity, this event is stacked with brainfood to get your motivational cogs turning.
If you’re ready for an autumnal recharge and love the idea of campfires, making new friends, relaxing in peaceful surroundings, being inspired and generally just feeling warm and fuzzy inside, grab your ticket now or visit www.sayyestival.com for more information. There’s no better way to spend a weekend in October.
2)Yoga and Detoxification: Mind & Body Sayulita (Haramara Retreat, Mexico)
October 17-24, 2015
Imagine being completely de-stressed and feeling calm, healthy, refreshed, and at peace. Imagine doing daily yoga classes in an open-air palapa in the jungle and learning tools for daily health transformation. Imagine enjoying nourishing whole foods and freshly squeezed juices to rejuvenate your soul. Imagine swimming in the sparkling blue ocean, and laughing with new friends. This is life at the Haramara Retreat.
Image credit: Haramara Retreat
Run by Dr. Lynn von Schneidau, Naturopathic Physician and Eiric Ovrid, yogi this seven-day break is for anyone who wants to detoxify, heal and revive their spirit, regain energy and vitality, balance their hormones and emotions, calm their thoughts and embark on a voyage of self-discovery in a beautiful serene environment. Find out more here.
3) The world’s first mindfulness summit
October 1 – 31, 2015
Melli O’Brien of MrsMindfulness.com has gathered over 30 of the world’s leading experts on meditation and mindfulness for a series of online interviews, practice sessions and presentations, which you can watch for FREE from the comfort of your own home!
The Mindfulness Summit is a not-for-profit project with a mission to make mindfulness mainstream. Their aim is to make high quality mindfulness training accessible to everyone and support mindfulness-based charities at the same time. Watch this video to find out if the summit is for you.
It’s not too late to take part in The Mindfulness Summit. Click here and sign up today.
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We know it can be a little scary to try something different but when you find a community or a ‘tribe’ that understands you it can be incredibly inspiring and motivating. When you surround yourself with like-minded people, who share similar values and who care about the same things, your defences come down and you are able to draw breath and relax from the inside. You can listen whilst others share their stories and wildest dreams. You may even find yourself sharing your own thoughts, motivations and hopes for the future, safe in the knowledge that there is no judgement, only support and encouragement from people who get you. Ultimately, you discover that there’s no need to be afraid. No need to pretend. You can just be you – real, authentic, and true.
If nothing else, by venturing out of your comfort zone and trying something new you’ll have met some fascinating people and have fresh food for thought so there’ll be lots to chat about on Monday morning at work!
And if you can’t make it to any of these events, why not take your journal off somewhere quiet and answer some of these questions yourself?
What you really want from life? What do you want to give back?
How you want to feel each and every day? What could you do differently, or more often, so you feel that way?
Do you get annoyed at people’s (or your own) negative attitude to life? If so, what can you do about it.
What could you do today to make yourself more aware of the small things in life that make you happy?
What small changes can you make to give yourself more time each day to relax?
Let us know how you get on,
The DWYL team
Disclaimer: We are not affiliates of or involved in the running of any of the suggested events. Please contact the organisers directly with any questions or queries.
Image credit: Haramara Retreat