A walk to unearth what matters

The weather did its best to thwart our plans on Friday morning, but it didn’t stop anyone from showing up. And wow - how they showed up: with all their honest, joining-in, supportive vibes of the best kind.

Rain turned my ‘Walk to Unearth What Matters’ into a ‘Gather Around a Table’ instead - with huge thanks to Dave for hosting us at the brilliant Fishermen’s Chapel close to Leigh-on-Sea's waterfront. Yet we still benefited from a wonderful morning of stories, of being vulnerable, of sharing our personal journeys.

Then, the sun came out. We made it outside for a curiosity walk for coffee and to notice our surroundings.

Back at the chapel we shared stories of how we’d each found clarity about what matters. We talked about forks in the road, seeking the right path and journeys towards ourselves.

Sometimes when we are navigating transitions in our life, it can be hard to even see the path ahead. I shared Jerry Colonna’s concept of the ‘pathless path’. This can take the pressure off us, some times in life, maybe it’s enough to just put one foot in front of another:

“We all have to walk our pathless path. But it can also be liberating: if I’m creating my own path, there is no ‘lost.’ If I’m creating my path, there is no wrong step. There’s just steps. Which means I just have to put one foot in front of another and walk the path life has unfolded for me. I don’t have to look at anyone else’s progress on the path, none of that matters. The only thing that you have to do is put one foot in front of the other. And do your best.”

Around the table we explored how to wrap up what we do professionally when we do more than one thing? I shared Cali Harris' concept of 'our Life's work.' What changes when we think of what we do, not as a career but as our Life’s Work? A life’s work encompasses how you show up to every part of your life. It's wide and open - like those big estuary skies through the window - rather than restrictive.

Finally, we thought about the estuary itself. The big skies are like a blank canvas. What kind of future do you want to draw in the sky? What’s indelible? What’s your message to yourself? Can you paint a picture of what really matters?

And the estuary waters - it’s so tidal here. It’s constant - the tide moves in and out; constantly changing too. What’s in and what’s out? What do you want to wash away? What do your want to welcome in on the new tide?

I started the gathering with the words of David Whyte, from his poem 'For the Road to Santiago:'

“For the road to Santiago, don’t make new declarations about what to bring and what to leave behind. 
Bring what you have.
You were always going that way anyway, you were always going there all along.”

Maybe we were going to bring what we had whatever the location or situation. It’s all we can ever do. Show up with our own true selves, ready to embrace the new and fresh.

Thank you to everyone who came and showed up so glowingly.