Poking

I am inspired.

Since the start of the year, leap has driven me to show up, connect with others, and give old dreams new shape. It's hard to write through this transition because I have all these ideas swirling around and no clue how to express them in neat little paragraphs. But surely I can leap through this, too.

If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably noticed my new fangirl crush on Seth Godin. I've known about Seth for years because of his impact on my industry, but it wasn't until I heard him speak at a marketing conference last month that he made a lasting impression on me personally. His talk of the post-industrial revolution, purple cows, and don't be a sheep MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN brought me to tears. The whole conference was like that. Most of the presentations directly related to marketing but pulled in ideas that also resonate on a higher level. Some quotes from the speakers (and I'm paraphrasing):

"Embrace the weird."

"If someone asks how your day was, and all you can say is 'fine,' what opportunities are you wasting?"

"It's not about time, it's priorities."

"Where do I find the people who are waiting for me to lead them?"

Godin gave copies of his books to every conference attendee. As a result, I've been reading Poke the Box - "a manifesto of starting" - in snatches over the last three weeks. More than 10 pages per sitting and I literally might combust.

More quotes, because why not?

"If you have quality and they have quality and that's all either of you offers, then you're selling a commodity, and I'll take cheap, please. We have little choice but to move beyond quality and seek remarkable, connected, and new."

"Poking doesn't mean right. It means action."

"If you've got the platform and the ability to make a difference, then this goes beyond 'should' and reaches the level of 'must.' You must make a difference or you squander the opportunity."

"Part of initiating is being willing to discover that what you end up with is different from what you set out to accomplish. If you're not willing to discover that surprise, it's no wonder you're afraid to start."

All of this and more is setting fire to my heart and shining a light on my need to affect change. 

I've given myself a pass these last five years because living knee-deep in morning sickness and night wakings and temper tantrums is HARD, you guys, but most of you know that because you're living it, too. That said, I'm now at the point where I'm ready to step up. Even if it's baby steps, even with a young family and demanding career. If not now, when? 

Years ago, when talking with another mom about balancing civic and domestic obligations, she said (and again, I'm paraphrasing), "If all I do is raise smart, healthy kids, that can be good enough. Who knows what they'll go on to do because of what they learned from me?"

I appreciate her point, but I don't agree.

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Luke and I signed up for a membership class at our church as a way to get involved. One of our assignments was to take a spiritual assessment to learn what our strengths are when it comes to serving God. Hokey, sure, but the older I get, the more I appreciate hokey, so okay.

According to the quiz, my gifts are in administration, leadership, and writing.

The results didn't surprise me - it was the realization I should be DOING something with these on a larger scale. 

Around the globe, children die from hunger and disease. Pregnant women walk the distance of a 5K to access medical care. Teenagers are targeted and killed for wearing a hoodie.

What kind of person am I if I have resources others only dream of and yet do nothing? Do my kids' future accomplishments absolve me of personal responsibility today?

I may never find the perfect balance, but I have a platform. I have ability.

I have a voice.

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I am Dorothy Boyd, abandoning conformity, shouting, "I will go with you!" and crossing my fingers my hunky new boss offers health insurance. 

At the same time, I am Jerry Maguire, writing (blogging?) 20-page mission statements and stealing office goldfish, ready to lead.

(I am way more excited about finding the above link than is appropriate.)

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Even before Seth Godin's book, I've been poking the box with a vengeance. I rejoined the volunteer board of directors for my undergrad's alumni association after a three-year hiatus to get my baby on. Meanwhile, others around me are initiating change of their own. My dad is considering politics. My sister Ryan is going back to school. Obama supports gay marriage. Luke is blogging again!

We are all moving forward.

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What inspires you?

Comments

[Molly]

Love this post, friend.

I am chasing down whatever my intuition draws me to. Right now it is poetry. I finally get it, appreciate it, want to climb in and live in it. I'm so excited for you in your quest to put yourself in action! You have so much talent and goodness about you. Indeed the slower times, personally, have to be when our kids are being born/little, because they need so much of us and we prioritize them. But I keep trying to find ways to sneak it into my days-- all of this learning and self-expression. On some very basic level that mom was right, that it is admirable to raise smart, healthy kids. But because we teach who we are, we need to go through the (lifelong) process of developing who we are, and appreciating ourselves, so that our kids will know to do the same.

[Beth]

Man, you're on fire! I love how passionate you sound about this.

With two toddlers and a newborn, I'm struggling just a bit with basic things like brushing my teeth and showering.

There is so much I would like to do, but personally and for the greater good, but for now, I'm having to let others (like you!!) be the leaders. But someday...

[Frema]

Beth: You are exactly where you need to be! This post was not intended to make anyone feel like they are doing less than someone else - and it's not like I'm going on an overseas mission trip or anything even remotely remarkable. Really I'm just brainstorming to see where I fit in my community, where that might lead down the road, and how/where I can give a little of my time. Definitely a "baby steps" process, since my kids are still very little and my main priority is to spend time with them.

In class last week, our pastor actually talked about how everyone's mission looks different based on where they are in their lives - sometimes you can give more, sometimes less, and sometimes it's gift enough just to survive the day. I should have addressed that, but I was already having a hard enough time reining in this topic. I'll do better next time - just bear with me!

Personally, I think the coolest thing about this post is the link to Jerry Maguire's mission statement. It took, like, 20 minutes, but I read the whole thing. Love!

[daddyd]

The Pastor's part about different levels of giving is right on the mark. In doing life's projects/actions/events, the main thing is "It's not about time, it's priorities."
Making those choices is many times harder than doing the work required by the first choice.