WHO I AM + WHAT I BELIEVE

1. YOUR SPARK IS YOUR ENERGY

It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it that people are touched by and remember-- yet in our society, there is so much emphasis on status and achievements. Many of us have come to believe that what we do = who we are. However we are human beings, pack mammals driven to connect. Your spark is your energetic mark, that you share with others in all you do and say. Your Spark is You, it’s what connects and draws others and what people are inspired by.

2. YOUR SPARK IS YOUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE

All of life is an exchange of energy and our energy is our currency. Our spark, is our reservoir of energy and our most precious natural resource. From the food we eat, to the kinds of conversations we have, to the information we consume, to the way we work, there are patterns and practices that either fuel our energy and state of well being, or that drain it. How we spend and manage our energy is how we live our life and that is 100% our choice. We must find ways to cultivate, fuel and protect our spark and that is a daily practice.

3. FEED YOURSELF, WITH WHAT FUELS YOUR SPARK

There are two energies that propel us to act: fear and desire. We’re either running away from something that scares us, or running towards something we desire. When we are in a state of fear it can cloud our ability to know what is real and feel as if our inner Spark grows dim. While we all experience the full spectrum of human emotions at different times, our identity and our destiny depends on the relationship and communication dynamics we cultivate and the kind of energy we choose to continually feed.

4. BECOME A FOUNTAIN, NOT A DRAIN

Many of us are attempting to live our lives on low reserves, or little spark charge. Sustaining our energy is an especially big challenge when we’re swinging between two unfulfilling options: selfishness and selflessness. When we choose selfishness we conserve our resources for ourselves, but often alienate others and feel a sense of disconnection; when we choose selflessness we sacrifice ourselves for others sake. We promote prioritizing charging our spark first, which enables us to sustain our energy supply and ultimately give more generously and steadily to others. We must focus on becoming an energy source and self-sustaining fountain, instead of an energy absorbing drain.

5. TUNE INTO YOUR BODY, IT’S AN INTELLIGENT INSTRUMENT

Science refers to the gut as the second brain and its intelligence is well-documented. While logic and analysis are the most trusted resources in western culture, many situations in life defy logic and call upon us to trust ourselves and tune into the intelligence of our intuition, and our heart, which offer access to a plethora of invaluable guidance.

6. CULTIVATE POWER OVER YOURSELF, NOT OTHERS

True power is not measured by dominance over others, but by influence and impact. While our natural response is often to focus on changing the people, things, or situations that we think are broken, bad, wrong, this is neither a sustainable, or a fruitful use of our energy.Instead of attempting to manipulate, control, or change others: focus on making the choices that are in our control and on having a tangible impact on ourselves and in our life now. We will only inspire change when we embody the change we envision and thus can attract the like-minded people to join us in furthering our cause.

7. EMBRACE BABY STEPS + ENJOY THE PROCESS

All meaningful, lasting change takes a slow, steady hand; progress is a result of process and a million baby steps. Waiting often causes us to feel impatient and eager and often we try to force false progress and rush the process. It’s important to accept and find peace with wherever you are in the process and focus on taking small, simple, steady steps forward.

8. JOIN A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

If you want to learn a sport, you join a team that you can practice with. When we want to develop ourselves, it takes practice and it is very hard to do it alone, we need the support of a like-minded community that shares our interests and values and is committed to sticking with it and working through the daily challenges. Often we read theoretical wisdom, which resonates as true intellectually, but where the rubber meets the road is not in what we think, it’s how we act. So much of what we do is habitual, we’re not even aware of it. When we come up face to face with personal challenges and have skin in the game, we need the support of a group of people who will challenge us to up our game and work through and get to the root of an issue and grow through our challenges.

9. BE A CHANGE MAKER

The world is full of loud people with strongly held opinions. The world does not need more noise, it needs calm, steady, change. The world needs more people who are willing to act in accordance with their beliefs, in small, steady ways. Words and actions together change you, your life and the paradigm. Look for ways to be the change you want to see in all areas of your life.

10. Uprade your mindset

When we're in stress mode our brain often makes unfair judgements. Being willing to be curious, to listen, to seek to understand people different from us, opens a gateway to change and understanding. In our times this is especially important, we must seek to understand one another, even if we don’t agree.