One of my favourite contemporary writers is Pico Iyer. He writes and speaks on a number of eclectic subjects. Last Fall, a friend of mine forwarded a link to a TED Talk that he had delivered, entitled Where Is Home?  

Ever the master story teller, his talk is engaging and inspirational.

We’re living in such trying, uncertain times. Diversity and change are the coinage of our era. Everyday the world gets a little smaller, and meaner. Listening and watching the media to which we seem to become ever more addicted, the choice offered up is increasingly stark: Either we are all going to hell in a hand basket, or we are on the cusp of a bright, brave new world.

Ever the optimist, in spite of the growing evidence to the contrary, I am inclined to the latter view. Holding on to a hopeful, inclusive picture of the world is challenging but so are the opportunities if you are willing to be open and continually learn.

In an increasingly diverse, constantly changing world, in 18 minutes Pico posits the idea that home is not where you came from, it is where you stand.

Have you outgrown your current situation? Need to refresh your purpose? Let’s explore … email me at drew@drewsimmie.com Follow me on Twitter.

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The old adage, try and try again, is as valid now as it ever was.

It doesn’t matter whether you are starting a business, changing direction, kicking a bad habit, nurturing a new relationship,  or building a dream… whatever the venture, there are times when your old fears will try to crowd in and hold you back.

They start nattering at you, picking away, trying to throw you off course…

“I can’t do this…”

“My job isn’t that bad…”

“I really don’t need this…”

 You can add your own “favourites” to the list.

It’s never too late, nor too early, for that matter. Nothing that is worthwhile ever comes easy. (Sorry about that… it is just another of life’s rules!)

Have you outgrown your current situation? Need to refresh your purpose? Let’s explore … email me at drew@drewsimmie.com Follow me on Twitter.

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Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. Rumi.

It is not unreasonable to ask how the musings of an obscure 13th. Century Persian mystic and poet could possibly have any bearing on our super-active, hard-scrabble 21st. century world.

What he was purported to have said, though, was just as relevant then as it is now. It’s not that money isn’t important. Of course it is, but when you are working only for the money, the days can be long and soul destroying.

Stress is endemic. The pressure is great. Increasingly, many are hungering for work that provides both money and personal fulfillment, searching for a way off the treadmill, but are having difficulty finding a good match.

That’s where Rumi comes in. Put another way, what he said was this: Secretly many know what their work is – but the answer is buried so deep in their hearts that only when they are willing to listen will they find it and the shift will only happen with a conscious, concerted effort. Conscious is the operative word.

It is not for everybody, but if you have been thinking about how to make the transition from working only to pay the bills to working at something you love, there is much to consider. The thing is, only you can make the decision. If you are still reading this, here are three things to mull over:

1. Life is finite. Really. There is no encore.
2. You don’t have to believe the stories that other people and society have told you about whom you are and what you are supposed to be doing. They can end up entrapping you. You can write your own.
3. To even consider the first two points takes an inordinate amount of courage – and belief in yourself.

Taking control of your life is challenging but if you do decide to bet on yourself and listen to your heart, you will never look back.

Have you outgrown your current situation? Need to refresh your purpose? Let’s explore … email me at drew@drewsimmie.com Follow me on Twitter.

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When you are willing and eager the gods join in. Aeschylus.

One of the common misconceptions about change, I have found, is that many who wish to, think it should happen all at once, in a some sort of cosmic flash.

It doesn’t. For most, change happens slowly, one step at a time, and never without doubts and, occasionally, sheer terror. It is a journey, a long journey of exploration, observation and inner contemplation.

One step forward, two steps back. However great your doubts and fears, though, your courage will prevail and overcome the obstacles.

Change occurs as the result of a multitude of actions you take as you learn and experience and, step by step, alter your course as you grow into the person you were meant to be, offering your unique gift to the world.

Have you outgrown your current situation? Need to refresh your purpose? Let’s explore … email me at drew@drewsimmie.com Follow me on Twitter.

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When every day seems the same it is because we have stopped noticing the good things that appear in our lives. Paulo Coelho.

As much as you plan you don’t know what tomorrow holds. Each day serves up its good and bad.

When it’s the latter, count your blessings and remember that life expands and you continue to grow when you refuse to dwell only on the negative – and instead see the empowering meaning in every circumstance or encounter.

It’s not the destination, it’s the journey…

Have you outgrown your current situation? Need to refresh your purpose? Let’s explore … email me at drew@drewsimmie.com Follow me on Twitter.

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