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October #Cultivate2012

I’ve been asked about Cultivate 2012 after unveiling the mailing list, and I realized that maybe my #Reverb11 audience didn’t stick around to find out about the Cultivate series in January. So, I’d like to recap the Cultivate series a bit:

Cultivate is about growing as an individual and pursuing that which brings us happiness. It’s about taking the time to care for ourselves, our loved ones, and our environment (on both a micro and macro scale). Here’s how Merriam-Webster defines the word “cultivate:”

  1. to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also : to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
  2. a : to foster the growth of (cultivate vegetables) b : culture 2a c : to improve by labor, care, or study : refine (cultivate the mind)
  3. further, encourage (cultivate the arts)
  4. to seek the society of : make friends with

Cultivate will consist of monthly prompts that involve checking in with ourselves and our intentions, as well as planning ahead. Cultivate will culminate in a month-long evaluation and planning phase each December, incorporating prompts and suggestions. There’s no pressure to complete each prompt, and there aren’t any rules — except to have fun and be kind to ourselves. Use the hashtags #cultivate, #cultivate12, and #cultivate2012 to share your responses if you choose to share them publicly.

When I began the Cultivate series in January, I wanted to share the experience with my readers — to encourage my readers to follow along with me on their own personal journeys of cultivation. By June I realized I wasn’t being a very good leader-by-example. I was practically ignoring my own aspirations to cultivate a life in which I’m thriving instead of simply surviving. I decided to name my personal Cultivate journey “Operation Summer Vacation” — a plan to cultivate a life everyday feels like summer vacation from those magical years of childhood. By the end of the summer, I found that I was putting too much pressure on myself to make leaps in my life. I’m recovering from a very difficult period in my life. I need gentleness and kindness,not impatience and rushing. I need moments of silence and solitude, focusing on the breath, releasing the thoughts and words — healing from within.

This has been my personal journey. Starting in December, I’ll begin a month-long evaluation and planning period. I invite you to join me. Sign up for the email list to receive the prompts.

 

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October in Review

I dedicated myself to focusing and rebuilding during October, and I believe I succeeded in my intentions. I created another set of 101 goals for 1001 days, and I’m hoping the second time around I’ll achieve even more than I did the first time. I’m finally narrowing down my “point of view” — essentially bringing focus to my work. I’ve realized this because I see stories everywhere. I relish the stories that come with each person I meet. I find the stories behind my co-workers, my customers, and my students. My current sliding scale student travels a great distance — and has a wonderful story — to learn grammar and writing skills from me. This makes me feel like I’m impacting the lives I touch positively. I thrive on this validation and these stories. But the stories don’t end there. All the wonderful people who support me and bring me joy and inspiration push me through my slumps. All writers go through these times, but we all have wonderful support networks. We build stories together.

I had hoped to realign my websites with the help of Gwen Bell, but time doesn’t permit. I’m filled with hope and ideas now. I would have loved for her to sprinkle fairy dust onto my website and been my ace up the sleeve, but it just wasn’t meant to be. However, I’ve learned very valuable lessons from her feedback that I will surely utilize. As J.K. Rowling said, “We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.” And it’s true. All I need really is inside of me. I transformed my websites during October, bringing my hopes and dreams further into the binary. I’m still working on becoming the best version of myself. I live to be authentic, fierce, loyal, loving, kind, compassionate, and passionate. I am me, and that’s all I can be. I have unique qualities that make me special, and I can changed lives if I simply put forth the effort. After all, I am legendary in some circles. I have already begun to touch lives, and I can continue to do so in various capacities. I’m teaching a student to find his voice, too.

October gave me the strength to continue using my voice and sharing my stories. So much inspiration — from words of wisdom to colorful leaves — urged me to continue following my own path. Dream big.

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