"When I ask what I can do most beautifully, what comes to mind, without hesitation, has nothing to do with work. The answer isn’t thought, so much as it’s felt. It’s to be a dad as beautifully as I can. To be a husband as beautifully as I can. To be an adult child to aging parents, and loving brother as beautifully as I can. To be a friend as beautifully as I can. To be not just here, but present, as beautifully as I can."
This brought tears to my eyes. I have done very interesting things in my life and been "successful" in some ways but you describe where I am now. There may be more things to do "beautifully" but right now I'm sitting with being a mother, grandmother and friend to those that need me. Thanks.
I love the question. It reminds me and kind of merges the first two elements of the Ikigai concept: The intersection of "Doing what you love" and "Doing what you are good at"!
Unfortunately, I don't think I would've understood how powerful the wisdom shared here was prior to my experience this year.
Jan 1st I started my newsletter featuring essays with 20 buddies. Then I came across found poetry in March. I loved it so much I shifted the focus of my newsletter on a whim. Then boom!
The universe winked and the people tuning in for my art went from 20 to 800+ over the next few months. I didn't have a numerical goal for my journey, only to lean into vulnerability, so I'm working to continue to create without expectation.
This is the best thing I’ve ever read about how to figure out what I want to do. The right question to ask and then how to go about the process.Thank you
I think you hit home with being a dad, husband, son, brother etc as beautifully as you can because that one brought tears to my eyes. Yes that is where it all begins. Creating beauty is just the icing on the cake of life.
My time is short, what can I do most beautifully? I can hang bed sheets on a line so that my sleep feels soft and outdoor fresh. Similar to camping. I feel like I get something for free when I hang sheets on a clothesline. Is it free or is it using well what I have? Not wasting resources. Beauty is in the nose of the beholder. You can't see the beauty but you can smell it, feel it. Outdoor freshness is beauty. It's the morning dew, and the morning stillness from the night before. I can hear it. The trees rustling and the sheets flapping a soft dance. When I take the sheets in, I fold them carefully because the gravity has pressed them like they have been ironed. I put the rained earthy smelling sheet, still warm from the sun to my face. This is what I can do beautifully.
well, ideally, the answer would be if I could write most beautifully! (I don't know if this is inappropriate self promotion... https://lezzles11.substack.com)
"When I ask what I can do most beautifully, what comes to mind, without hesitation, has nothing to do with work. The answer isn’t thought, so much as it’s felt. It’s to be a dad as beautifully as I can. To be a husband as beautifully as I can. To be an adult child to aging parents, and loving brother as beautifully as I can. To be a friend as beautifully as I can. To be not just here, but present, as beautifully as I can."
This brought tears to my eyes. I have done very interesting things in my life and been "successful" in some ways but you describe where I am now. There may be more things to do "beautifully" but right now I'm sitting with being a mother, grandmother and friend to those that need me. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the kind words. It's so interesting how the answer to this seems to change with the seasons of life, isn't it?
What can I do most beautifuly....to help create a joyful, safe space for myself and others to connect as our true selves.
Great intention, Scott!
I love the question. It reminds me and kind of merges the first two elements of the Ikigai concept: The intersection of "Doing what you love" and "Doing what you are good at"!
great analogy, and I think the element of beauty also adds an aesthetic piece that tethers us to something bigger.
Certainly yes! It adds some creative aspects and the notion that human beings lean towards beauty and aesthetics!
Beautiful post with a beautiful question. I enjoyed reading it and have come away with a yard stick for measuring next creative steps. Thank you.
So glad this helped inspire a new way to explore creative steps!
This was a powerful piece 👏🏽
Unfortunately, I don't think I would've understood how powerful the wisdom shared here was prior to my experience this year.
Jan 1st I started my newsletter featuring essays with 20 buddies. Then I came across found poetry in March. I loved it so much I shifted the focus of my newsletter on a whim. Then boom!
The universe winked and the people tuning in for my art went from 20 to 800+ over the next few months. I didn't have a numerical goal for my journey, only to lean into vulnerability, so I'm working to continue to create without expectation.
Love how you discovered found poetry as a path to expression, Jamal!
🙏🏽😊
This is wonderful. Our world need more of this in order for humanity to really get in touch with why we are. Here.
So agree.
This is the best thing I’ve ever read about how to figure out what I want to do. The right question to ask and then how to go about the process.Thank you
So glad this resonated, Helen. Love finding hints like this along the way.
Our life itself as a work of art. Lovely post.
Indeed, it is!
I think you hit home with being a dad, husband, son, brother etc as beautifully as you can because that one brought tears to my eyes. Yes that is where it all begins. Creating beauty is just the icing on the cake of life.
It is where it all begins, and the further I get into life, I'm realizing it's also where it all ends as well.
My time is short, what can I do most beautifully? I can hang bed sheets on a line so that my sleep feels soft and outdoor fresh. Similar to camping. I feel like I get something for free when I hang sheets on a clothesline. Is it free or is it using well what I have? Not wasting resources. Beauty is in the nose of the beholder. You can't see the beauty but you can smell it, feel it. Outdoor freshness is beauty. It's the morning dew, and the morning stillness from the night before. I can hear it. The trees rustling and the sheets flapping a soft dance. When I take the sheets in, I fold them carefully because the gravity has pressed them like they have been ironed. I put the rained earthy smelling sheet, still warm from the sun to my face. This is what I can do beautifully.
well, ideally, the answer would be if I could write most beautifully! (I don't know if this is inappropriate self promotion... https://lezzles11.substack.com)