Increasing numbers of us are looking for different ways to live our lives in a more balanced and fulfilling way, so that we feel connected with our work. At the heart of this, is the growing desire to have a sense of purpose and a yearning for meaning in how we spend our time and make our living. We want to feel the spirit of what we do – to be inspired.
People who have been working in organisations for many years are now being asked to re-apply for their jobs, unable to take them for granted any more and having to market themselves as the best candidates. This means they are in effect becoming more entrepreneurial in their approach to their positions. And those entering or rejoining the job market need to be very clear and precise about what they offer and how they fit with prospective employers, both for their own sake in finding satisfying work, and in order to attract a suitable opportunity.
Someone else who helps people achieve these aims is Judith Morgan, who I've known for several years and become much better acquainted with recently. Judith is an accountant turned business and wealth coach with more than 30 years’ experience of running her own businesses and those of her clients. 
Judith says she has always been called to be her own boss. Having helped entrepreneurs run their businesses and make money for more than 30 years, she currently runs a blogtalk radio show for entrepreneurs and an inner circle club for wealth creators who want support in staying on track financially and access to the latest entrepreneurial thinking, news and ideas.
Find out more here: www.alternatives.org.uk
…following on from yesterday’s post ‘Something to Think About’, which led to a comment from a Jackie Evancho fanpage – Wow! this girl is an amazing talent – and such a beautiful surprise – as she says elsewhere, great things come in small packages. Her passion for singing radiates, and her obvious delight in performing and having the oppportunity to enjoy what she loves really shines through.
It may be old hat for some people, but it’s the first time I have encountered her, and I just love what I see and hear, and the feeling she inspires.
How many would notice her, and stop in the Metro station to listen to her, I wonder? (Her actual performance starts at around 2.0)
A colleague sent me this today, which made me think about what we miss by rushing through life without pausing, noticing and appreciating things that in other circumstances and environments we would love and value.
In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
Joshua Bell
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . .How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
Brought me back to thinking about something I wrote last year – see here: Do You Value What’s Right Under Your Nose?
In my garden the other evening we noticed and loved this amazing effect so, inspired, I captured the scene; it was a beautiful dry evening, no rain or moisture on the tree, purely the effects of the sunset rays transforming the tree so it looks as if it is full of golden lights against the evening sky – the ultimate natural resource.
Magical, entrancing, couldn’t stop gazing at its splendour of light.
magical light at sunset
I’ve had a lot of messages from people telling me they haven’t written anything for many years, or that they dry up when they pick up a pen, or that the blank paper/screen stares back at them like a mean teacher as if to say ‘who do you think you are, writing poetry, writing prose – writing anything!’
If you’ve ever had that feeling, here are a couple of ideas for getting started. Remember that writing words can easily be about play and enjoy yourself.
Pick a topic - any topic, the first thing that comes into your mind, everything is a possibility …..simply say to yourself “I want to write about…(in the instance of writing a Valentine’s verse, then Love rather naturally springs to mind) and start. It’s the same with most things in life – just begin. Getting started is (I know it sounds ridiculously simplistic) the key. Don’t edit your thoughts or words, let them spill out – you can come back and refine them later….
Pick some random words: for example, I’ve got a piece of paper near me which says ‘Identity Card’ and the words that catch my eye on the computer screen are ‘Save Draft’…. What could I do with those?
Here goes:
My identity as occasional bard
Is sending you a Valentine’s card.
I thought of you and sweetly drafted,
So cherish and save these words I crafted.
It doesn’t have to be a rhyme, it can be anything – just get started. You could say something like:
What do I think about identity Cards? Will they really make us more secure, and save us from possible terrorists attacks, stop illegal immigrants, will they help prevent extremist cells from drafting in new, impressionable recruits?
See if this gets your creative juices flowing – look at what’s around you and start writing about it – you may be surprised how easy it can be to get into the flow!
FOR YOUR FREE GUIDE TO WRITING SHORT POEMS, LEAVE A MESSAGE HERE OR EMAIL ME ON POETRYGUIDE AT GOOGLEMAIL.COM
Sharpen up your writing tools
Lyme is a favourite seaside resort which is famous for its Heritage Coast rich in fossils dating back to the Jurassic period. It’s a quaintly attractive town with many artists and writers, wonderful walks and scenery and the world famous Cobb harbour is a major draw – “not just for its visual splendour and its magnificent naval architecture, but also for its connections with great literature. Indeed people come from all over the world to see the steps where Louisa Musgrove fell in Jane Austen’s Persuasion; or to see where Meryl Streep stood, looking forlornly out to sea, in the film adaptation of John Fowles’ The French Lieutenant’s Woman.” (http://www.lymeregistourism.co.uk/tour)
This poem was inspired by the amazing full moon which shone splendidly as I was returning home during a time I spent there writing.
Poem written in Lyme Regis
