do what you love Page 25 of 81

“The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is curiosity.”                                                                      – Edmund Burke                                                                              

Born to explore…

Like all children, I was curious and I loved exploring. Whether it was venturing into hidden caves, fishing in rock pools, digging on sandy beaches or collecting things on woodland nature trails, I was always on the look out for interesting things. Everything was an adventure.

The natural explorers of the world never lose this innate sense of curiosity. They continuously choose to journey into the unknown; they aren’t afraid to push themselves mentally, physically and spiritually; and they’ll redefine the limits of human endurance just to see what they’re capable of. Natural explorers never stop challenging themselves and as a result, they never stop growing. (more…)

Recently Brighton has been overrun with graduation ceremonies. The cap and gown has been the most fashionable and revered of all summer accessories. Parents have been flocking into town, bursting with pride as they watch their child relish their moment in the spotlight and receive their certificate.

For anyone who decides that University or College is for them, this is a momentous moment in life. It marks the end of a chapter; your time in education has finished and you now stand at the beginning of a whole new phase. The big wide world is out there waiting for you.

I remember my graduation day well, and although it pains me to say it, pride was not an emotion I felt. I know my parents were there, and I know they were proud enough for the three of us, but deep down I knew that I’d let myself down. I hadn’t applied myself – at least not to my studies.

Yes I graduated with Honours in Civil Engineering with Construction Management but my grading was far below what I had come to expect of myself.

Did my degree certificate reflect me? The hard truth is yes, it reflected me at that point in my life. It reflected a person who was far too busy enjoying himself and making new friends. Study was something I always left for the eleventh hour – and even then there was still time for one last drink.

Am I proud? No.

Did I do myself and the University justice? Far from it.

Did I feel like I was ready for the real world? Not a chance.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is so much about my University days that I treasure. I have some great friends, hopefully that will be friends for life, and I got to live in a new place, which was a great experience. In fact Leeds became the place I called home nearly 16 years. I even went on to establish a fairly good career as a Civil Engineer until I decided my life needed to head in a different direction.

Now to my point… although my graduation wasn’t my proudest moment, it was still an important moment. That day I promised myself I would never feel this way again. In all honesty, I had only myself to blame. I had been given every opportunity to do well, and lots of advice, I just decided ignore it. It was a defining moment in my life but in hindsight I realise I dwelled on it for too long. Yes it was important but it was still only a moment.

I graduated in May 2000 and 14 years later my life now bears no resemblance to what I had envisaged or what I thought was even possible back then. The moment my adult life really started was the day I stopped feeling lost, stopped listening to others and started listening to myself.

Wherever you find yourself today, remember your past is your past and your future is yet to be determined.

Take a deep breath, give yourself a moment to ponder, ask for advice and then make YOUR decision. It is your life. What will you make of it?

Until next time,

Mr K

On my happy list… dreaming in glorious sunshine, cool beaches and ice cream! 

Each month we share a free downloadable ‘Happy List’ as a place for you to capture the things – small and big – that have made you smile and feel inspired each day. Get yours here.

We hope August is filled with all your favourite things,

Rachel

Summer is upon us and I really can’t believe where the time has gone since I joined the company back in April 2013. We’re in the midst of very exciting times here at DWYL and I wanted to take this opportunity to catch my breath and update you on the work going on here behind the scenes.

It’s all going on at DWYL!

As individuals we all have our own limits. We simply cannot do everything alone. And this is something that’s become very apparent for our company as well. At DWYL HQ we’ve been working passionately and tirelessly from day one to let you know that you have choices and a place to come to help you make your dreams a reality. We want to inspire you to take that first step. And more than that, offer you the tools and support you need to make sure the changes you make are sustainable and life changing. A big promise, I know! But a promise we wholeheartedly believe in. To ensure we keep our promise, and reach even more people worldwide, we need help to take DWYL to the next exciting level. So, over the past few months we’ve been recruiting…

Five new employees have joined the DWYL team! They are all amazing in their own right, with unique skills, stories and experiences. And more importantly, they’re all at a point in their lives where they want to contribute to something larger and more profound. They’re fully committed and driven to help you make changes to live the life you imagine. We hope that during their work with us we can also help them fulfil their own dreams and aspirations. Henry and Rachel have already made themselves at home and they’ll be joined by the other three who I look forward to introducing you to in the coming weeks.

And there’s lots more exciting news to report…

1. We’ve bought a beach hut! The aim is to provide you with a unique space to escape the daily grind and make time for yourself and your creative dreams. The Little Beach Hut of Dreams is that very space. Will you be our first ‘dreamer-in-residence’? Find out more here.

2. Our website is getting a makeover: in order to make DWYL more accessible and to inspire even more people we’re making some cool changes to our website over the coming months. We can’t wait to get your thoughts.

3. We’ve emerged from hibernation… Last month we were privileged to be invited to the Hibernate retreat along with other businesses and inspirational individuals who are striving to make a difference in the world. The concept behind it was a digital detox. That simple. Leave emails for Monday morning, turn of the phone and socialise. And as always, Sienna quickly became the star of the show!

On top of the world…  in our treehouse!

We discussed our businesses, the challenges we’re facing, and more importantly, how we could help one another. The power of community is huge and I’ve witnessed this first hand with the DWYL, Make It In Design and Make Art That Sells communities. On this weekend we definitely found our own little community. Subsequently, the ideas flowed – and continue to flow! Of course we’ll be keeping most of them a secret while we work hard to bring them to life here at DWYL HQ! What we can tell you however, is that over the coming months we’ll be introducing you to some very interesting and inspiring guest blog columnists… watch this space!

An update on collaborations

Make Art That Sells: The Global Talent Search 2014 – Starts August 5th. Registration closes on July 31st. Last year’s competition changed the lives of two very talented people (Zoe and Daniel) and they haven’t looked back. Don’t miss this opportunity to change your life.

Make It In Design: Fill your Summer with inspiration and creativity, by joining the Make It In Design Summer School – for FREE! There are three options – beginner, intermediate and advanced. Please feel free to sign up for one or more options, and use this opportunity to stretch yourself and grow your portfolio.

Most importantly, we await the arrival of Rachael’s baby with eager anticipation! We look forward to sharing the good news with you soon.

Our thought for the month: you’re never too busy to play

Beth and I love what we do but that doesn’t mean that work doesn’t overwhelm our thoughts from time to time. It really is important to take time out, relax and have fun. Last week we had our first SUP (Stand Up Paddle) boarding session – SUPing to the regulars. It was brilliant! We were out in the ocean, sun blazing down and we did nothing but laugh at each other falling in. For two and a half hours we were just Beth and Paul. We were not directors, we were not parents, we were simply two people in love.

The beauty of SUP is that there’s no big long tutorial so we were out on the waves within minutes of starting our lesson. It was the perfect break, just what we needed, and I can highly recommend it.

Beth showing great form

Make sure you make time for yourself to play – whether it’s having an adventure, drawing, painting, taking a new class, or chatting to a friend over a cuppa in your garden. Those precious moments will improve your daily outlook no end.

Have a great day.

Mr K

 

“I’m too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful and too determined to be defeated.” – Unknown

12 years ago a good friend lent me a book that changed my life. I was 22 and in a job I hated and a relationship I’d outgrown. “Read this,” he said. “It really makes you want to get out there and go for it.” I couldn’t really see what it had inspired him to do until he dropped the bombshell: “I’m moving to America! I’ve booked my flight and I’m going to write.”

That night I read Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers, and my eyes were opened. For far too long I’d been worrying that somehow life would come back and bite me if I dared to chase my dreams.

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Get stuck into a good novel, read more to your children, flip through a magazine, start a journal, write a story of your own… what will this inspire you to do this weekend?

Download a hi-res version here.

 

 

Andrew Stanton’s TED Talk: The clue to a good story

Some of my earliest and most treasured memories are of being tucked up in bed, listening to mum or dad read to me. I couldn’t wait for story time because I knew I’d get to spend time in some magical fantasy faraway land before drifting off to sleep.

It is in our DNA to love a good story. These words, in an advert by Sky Atlantic, summarise just why stories can be so powerful: “Stories, we all spend our lives telling them, about this, about that, about people… but some, some stories are so good we wish they’d never end. They’re so gripping that we’ll go without sleep just to see a little bit more. Some stories bring us laughter and sometimes they bring us tears… but isn’t that what a great story does – Makes you feel? Stories that are so powerful… they really are with us forever.”

Today we invite you to immerse yourself in the world of words, unleash your creativity and discover the power of a good story for yourself. Here’s how:

1)    Dive into the book you’ve been meaning to read for weeks

2)    Take a trip to your local library, browse to your heart’s content and be inspired

3)    Put pen to paper and write! A short story, your very first blog post, begin that best seller!

4)    Visit your local bookstore and treat yourself to a new read

5)    Make a cuppa, relax and enjoy that audio book

6)    Write a book review, send it to your local newspaper or magazine and see what happens!

Need some more inspiration? Watch filmmaker Andrew Stanton’s TED talk.

“Storytelling is medicine for the spirit and healing for the soul.” – Linda Goss