Leap of Faith: Merging Technology, Information, and Spirituality
A few years ago, I attended a college graduation ceremony. I don’t remember the speaker’s name, but I clearly remember the story she told. She had graduated with a degree from the college she was now addressing. After a few years of working in that field, she knew it wasn’t a passion of hers.
After months of soul-searching, trying to decide what to do as a profession, she was standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf full of cookbooks, picture books of food, and travel books related to eating. Her husband walked into the room and asked her what she was doing.
“I’m trying to decide what to do with my life,” she replied. “I just don’t know what my passion is.”
Her husband rolled his eyes, looked at the wall of books, and suggested that she look more carefully at what was filling her library.
Message received, she went into the food industry and is now one of the leading authorities in her field.
A few weeks ago, after having read The Passion Test by Janet Atwood, I stepped in front of my bookshelf to see if it reflected a direction I might follow. What I saw were shelves of books on spirituality: The Bible, texts on Buddha, the Baha’i, Native American, Jewish, Mormon, Islam, Shamanism, and many, many more. Alongside of those were books on healing and personal and spiritual growth. Almost as many, were books on writing and publishing.
This may be an odd time with the economic chaos surrounding us for me to take a leap of faith, but I am driven to follow that passion.
For the past 12 months, I tried to mold myself into a teacher of social media, then to meld that with writing, looking more at the “business” end of my business (read: follow the money). The result has been a feeling of frustration, emptiness, and regret, all resulting from my fear that using my genius and talents in a way that honors my desires and purpose would be a financial risk.
Ironically, the other path didn’t really bring that much financial return, because it’s hard to attract something you want into your life when the vibration of energy isn’t there.
The recent upheaval in the world due to the illusory picture of the economy has been the final piece that is leading me to move to a business that encompasses healing and spirituality. Ironically, what the world needs more of right now are those who can help bring a message of change to help shift perspectives, reduce stress, and come together as a global community to help make our way through this scary time. It’s a time for healing, personally, in our communities, and in our world.
My vision for years has been that leaders become healers and healers become leaders. I have been inspired by the changing paradigm to stop dreaming about it and take an intentional leap of faith that healing and bringing that message of healing leadership to others is truly what I am meant to be doing in my business.
For those of you who are looking for more information about writing, I am most definitely going to continue to bring that knowledge and experience to my readers and clients. More than ever, the messengers of transformation and healing need to know the strategies and vehicles that will bring their voice to life.
For those of you who are looking for information from me about social media and how to use it to build your business, I will still be using those tools on this new path, researching what works in this fascinating world of technology, and will continue to pass beneficial learning on to you.
You might say it will be an eclectic mix of discussion, information, and sharing of perspectives.
I welcome you to join me. Please enter your comments at the bottom of this post. Leave your information, so others can find you. Let’s connect. That’s what the internet and social media is all about – the coming together of like minds to share information. And remember to subscribe to the RSS feed so that you know when a post or comment is made in response to yours!
Thank you for letting me take a moment of your time to share my path with you. “As Gandhi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” It is my renewed intention to follow that wisdom.
I hope you will stay tuned!
Sincerely,
Marilyn
November 12th, 2008 at 2:17 am
It appears that the idea of merging business and spirituality is gaining some steam. I just recently read Noble Enterprise by Darwin Gillett, and while it could be considered as “The Secret” for corporations, his concept of spiritual capital really resonated with me. It’s something I’m definitely putting into practice in my own business, because you’re absolutely right… if there’s no passion there it’s really hard to make a profit.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
You’d have more luck finding books about “the B’Hai” if you spelled them “the Baha’i” - actually there are accents but most of the internet doesn’t like ‘em.
As for the general form, I’d say civilization is sitting well in it’s adolescents. Lot’s of focus on bodies and independence and argument. Also lots of focus on groups and partisans. Going beyond that will be the effort of a few. But it’s the leading edge of our growth.
November 17th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Thanks for the correction Steven. Duly noted and changed :-).
M.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Thank you for this post. I am still in the start-up phase of my own business, but need to take seriously the fact that I need to be sure my passion is the heart of my business. Thank you again - please keep me informed on your progress!
November 20th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I applaud your courage and conviction to follow your heart and make your work one of joy by making it your own. Not an easy decision with all the confusion and anxiety surrounding us.
May you go forward on your path in light.
Blessings…..Christie
November 20th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Marilyn, I am so appreciative of your sharing all that you do with us. It’s been very helpful for me, as I start a new business and envision the success I’d like to attain within the next year. Thank you so much for reminding us of what’s truly important (passion and vision) and what we need to let go of (fear). Please keep writing on! I hope to see you at the next Writing for the Web gathering.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Excellent content and style…keep up the good work!
November 26th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Dear Marilyn,
I think you have a much better than average shot at achieving the quest of bringing healing into our culture BECAUSE you have so effectively learned (and use!) the tools of social media and communications.
I’m occasionally frustrated by clients who say things like, “I’m gonna open a Reiki clinic. God’ll send me people to work with ~ just look at all the healing that’s needed!” Or “Obviously, if I offer quality and good value as a healing-direted, spiritually conscious consultant, the corporations will find me; the Universe will take care of the business end.”
I’m looking forward to watching you succeed, so I can further point to you as someone my clients and I should learn (and fill our SWIPE files) from.
Best wishes,
Neal
December 18th, 2008 at 7:00 am
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