Personal Legend

This week wasn’t unlike others, day to day routines, constant coming and going, staying up late and getting up early (8 a.m. is early for me), taking for granted the connections that create my life story. The days and weeks and months add up to tell a story of the journey, blasé at times maybe, popping with every moment at others. However, one thing that hit home this week was that there are people who are generous and use their intuition even when they’re not sure why and even when it’s not reciprocated. Here’s what happened.

I want to upgrade my website (www.4excellence.ca), so after being referred to Suitcase Interactive I checked out their website and was immediately taken by one line, they described their business as a company “focused on relationships” (http://www.thinksuitcase.com/). That drew me in. I found out later, little guys like me are not on their radar but they agreed to help me anyway.

When we met, the owner (a young, genuine, flipflop wearing guy who started the business in his house and grew it to a top floor office space in downtown Calgary) said, “I don’t mean to sound arrogant but I don’t know why I’m doing this.” He was a little perplexed. And rightly so, he had just met with an international running shoe/sports wear company, big business bureaucracy and high pressure. What did I have to offer him?

Being a little dumbfounded myself, my brain didn’t kick in until later when my husband suggested that I offer him my services (au gratis) in facilitation or training needs they may have in organizational culture, leadership development, exploring innovation through collaboration and/or wellness. I hadn’t thought that I could offer them anything. No brianer right? Why didn't I think of that? It’s about meaningful connections, what can I do for them, not merely what they can do for me.

I challenge others to think big, break the rules, open spaces by squeezing through pinholes, but I didn’t see that pinhole staring me in the face. It got me thinking about my Personal Legend.

The concept of a Personal Legend is central to the novel ‘The Alchemist’, by Paulo Coelho. "It's what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is...there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth." The importance of following the omens on the journey to realizing one's personal legend is passed along to Santiago, the central character.

I gave the book to a colleague who was searching for her place in the world. After reading it she left an emotional voicemail thanking me for the deep message she received, an omen. She’s now creating her personal legend. She collaborates with artists of various sorts and is “dedicated to empowering our local and global community through the healing powers of human touch, movement, art, and nutrition.” (http://www.wayspa.com/Vintage-Roots-Lifestyle) Very amazing and I am in no way taking credit for her movement towards success, however, each omen along the way, as this one, led her to Vintage Roots Lifestyle (VRL) her venture and the Boutique she embodies.

Omens, I need a boot in the butt every once in a while to pay attention so that I can continue my lifework, and to value it so that I can share through collaboration. I gained insight into my Personal Legend this week, that of creating soulful connections that are meaningful. I’m on the lookout once again because when I get too focused on one thing I need to continue to look further and step back to see. It’s not that there’s more (that’s another topic in itself), there’s deeper.