For reasons I can’t fully explain (not even to myself), I have decided that it’s time for a little self-imposed online silence. I need to focus on a few other things right now, and I need to spend some time just being quiet and not caught up in the clutter that is the internet.

At this point, I don’t know how long it will be, but I know that I will miss all of you so I expect that I will be back sooner or later.

“To everything there is a season
And a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace.”
- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

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I’m in Toronto, just about ready to go to sleep. The final portion of this trip is the business-related stuff that was the original purpose of this trip.  (In a happy coincidence, the timing worked out that I could add the Cleveland piece onto the trip.)

I am feeling so full of wonderful experiences, delightful conversations, some serious “digging” and creating, and miles and miles of contemplating while staring out windows.  The bus was not as fun as the train, but it was still good to have some quiet decompression time after a very full day on Saturday at the workshop and then a lovely supper out and a deep and soulful conversation with Christine. (How I loved our conversation, Christine!)

Today, as I reflect on the ways my soul was awakened this weekend, it’s rather fitting that I am also honouring the ninth anniversary of the birth and death of my son Matthew.  I wasn’t home to do the traditional releasing of the balloons and ice cream celebration with the family, and since I was on a bus most of the day, I didn’t manage to find my own balloons, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t honour my son in my heart.

As many of you know, Matthew’s presence in my life has been a strong spiritual force that continues to this day despite the fact that he is not physically present.  Just like the day I birthed my still son and was changed by that experience, this weekend I felt like another kind of birth is in the process of changing me.

Sometimes births are really, really hard – especially those that hold hands with death – but for hope to emerge and for growth to happen, we have to be willing to go through with the labour pains. Damn those labour pains! (I’ll never forget the agony of that moment, when, after the doctor told me my son was dead in utero, the full force of the realization hit me that I would still have to live through the pain of labour. I don’t know when I’ve ever done anything more difficult.)

It’s late, my thoughts are not fully formed tonight, and I’m a little nervous of a big meeting I have to run tomorrow (with little preparation because I procrastinated horribly and am just not in the right space for day-job-related stuff), so I’m going to sign off.

Before I go though, I thought this was a rather fitting photo from Creative Dig of me after “birthing” a little clay face.  After I stepped back and looked at it, I realized that (not intentionally) the face I created was that of a little boy.  Only now do I realize that perhaps it was Matthew’s face being molded in my hands.

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hopeful schoolboy in Kenya

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We were sitting in the van in Dhaka waiting for a member of our group to return with bottled water. A woman stood beside the open door of the van boldly staring at me and my camera. She was beautiful. “Can I take your picture?” I asked, and then gestured with the camera pointed at her face. I think one of my companions may have translated my English into Bangla for her. When she didn’t protest, I snapped a picture. Turning the camera around, I pointed to her image in the display window.

She lifted her hand as if to say stop. I wondered if I’d made a mistake, but then I watched her carefully peel away the black shawl she was wearing over her head. Underneath was a vivid blue and gold sari. She arranged it lovingly around her face and then pointed to the camera again. I snapped another picture and showed her again. Her face showed her pleasure.

I’m not sure why she covers her beautiful sari with black. Perhaps she’s a widow? Perhaps it’s a religious requirement? Perhaps her husband doesn’t want her to be too flashy when she’s out on the street? Perhaps it helps her stay under the radar?

Whatever the case, I couldn’t be more pleased that underneath the dark she proudly (and perhaps rebelliously) wears a splash of colour! I feel so lucky that she honoured me by revealing it. 

What do you do to keep some colour in your life? How do you rebel against convention – even if the rebellion is hidden and secret?

Try it – if you have to wear a uniform or business suit to work, put your favourite sassy t-shirt underneath. If your religion requires a head-covering, wear bold earrings underneath. If you’re stuck in a boring job in a drab office, paint your walls at home with blazes of colour. When you’re with people you trust, peel off the black shawl and show off the real you.

Find a way to wear your best sari, even if you have to cover it with black. 

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Since I’ll be taking a long train ride this week, I thought I’d post this piece I wrote the last time I rode a train.

Do you ever have those moments when you know there is something powerful and awe-inspiring at work in the space where you are?  Something beyond yourself that makes you catch your breath with its beauty or power or inspiration?  Something that gives you a tingly feeling because you know you were blessed to be there at that moment? 

It’s not necessarily a big moment – sometimes it’s something very small and seemingly insignificant – but it’s usually a moment that changes you in some way.  Sometimes it’s just a song that fills you with inspiration and hope.  Sometimes it’s the glimpse of your child at play.  Sometimes it’s a deep inexplicable knowing that there is goodness or beauty in the world.

I’m not sure what to call those moments, nor how to accurately define them.  Words just don’t seem to suffice.  I heard someone describe them as moments in which you “experience the sacred”.  Others refer to them as “spirit-filled” moments.  Probably for each of us, a different definition holds some measure of truth.

I had one of those moments on the train last week.  As I gazed out the window at the passing scenery, I found myself mesmerized by the beauty of snow.  Snow painting the tips of evergreen trees.  Snow melting into droplets on the window.  Snow crushed by the tires of a car.  Fluffy white blankets of snow with just the hint of day-old footprints cutting through the middle.  Snowflakes falling gently from the sky and mingling with the millions already on the ground. 

Just then, a song started playing on my mp3 player.  These were the opening lyrics: “Look out your window on a winter’s morning, your breath is steam and there’s frost falling, and the sun casts a spell upon the road. A thing of beauty is not a thing to ignore.”  Wow.  What a moment!  This was not just some random snow-covered landscape.  This was a thing of beauty.  This was a gift from God for my hungry eyes. 

While I sat there in awe of the snow and the song and the presence of God, the train rounded the corner and the vista changed.  There spread in front of me was the great Lake Superior in all its cold blue wonder, capped by white icing on the edges of the waves, blending into the blue, green and grey of the sky.  The second verse of the song came on…“And the water does a dance upon the stones – I sit and listen, I will not ignore.” My eyes filled with tears at the pure wonder of it.  I think I was shaking a little, feeling the indisputable presence of the sacred.

It is impossible to accurately capture these moments in words or even in pictures.  Even the memory of it doesn’t do justice to the power of the moment.  I am so grateful, though, that I was there and that I was open to encountering God.

If you can this week, find some time to search for the sacred. You may want to go to some quiet place where you can hear the whispers above the din. Like a labyrinth.

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wandering in the Distillery District, Toronto

I would never have found the chocolate cashews if I hadn’t taken a break from a long day at a film studio to do a little wandering. It’s what I do whenever I travel (even boring old business travel) – I wander. In fact, if you follow me on Twitter, you’ll see that I call myself a “happy wanderer” in my profile.  I absolutely LOVE to wander. (I don’t just do it in travel destinations – I do it at home too whenever I have the time.)

I’ve found so many amazing things, just by wandering. I can point you to the most amazing organic Greek restaurant in Dallas with the most delightfully friendly owners (they created a unique meal for me that wasn’t on the menu, just because they liked me). I can show you where to find the best selection of affordable souvenirs that you don’t have to barter with crafty sellers for in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I could take you to a great second-hand store in Truro, Nova Scotia. I can help you find a lovely affordable hotel in Bangalore, India that’s close to the airport but doesn’t show up on any internet searches or travel agent lists.

Wandering fills my soul with delight. It also introduces me to so many new and amazing experiences. Some of those experiences – like the chocolate covered cashews – become new-found passions. Even when I return home, I look for ways of repeating and learning from the exposure.

As we begin this treasure hunt for our unique giftedness and calling, I suggest we all start by doing some wandering – of both the literal and figurative kind. You don’t have to travel to a new city to take part. You may not even need to leave the house.

You see, at its essence, wandering is all about letting our curiosity guide us. Remember how much fun it was as a child to collect interesting seashells or go on adventures down back alleys or through the bush with your friends? Let’s relive that experience and let the discovery of new things guide ourselves in the path that we should take. Let’s be kind to our in-born curiosity and find out what amazing things we discover when we trust it.

Here are some tips for our wandering adventures:

1. Find a neighbourhood in your town/city that intrigues you. Don’t just drive through it – walk or take your bike. Take time to notice the different kinds of trees, the peeling paint on the buildings – anything that catches your eye.

2. If there’s a shop that you pass by on your way to work or the grocery store that you’ve never been to, don’t just pass it by this time. Stop. Chat with the shop owner. Find the most interesting item on the shelves.

3. Try a new art form. Buy some paint, pick up your camera, start cutting images out of magazines. You don’t have to be good, you just have to TRY.

4. Ask curious questions to learn things from the people you meet. If you’re at a store and you’re intrigued by an item someone is buying, ask them what they’ll use it for. Ask your cab driver or bus driver what their favourite hobby is. Ask a friend what the hardest part of learning to dance was.

5. Keep a notebook with you and whenever a curious question pops into your head, write it down to research later. If you find an answer, jot it down.

6. Make a point of wandering down every street in your neighbourhood, even the little back alleys nobody goes down. Take a different route home every day.

7. When you’re watching TV or reading a book, pay attention to the kinds of careers or businesses people have – especially those that intrigue you. Do a Google search to find out more about them.

8. For half an hour, let yourself wander on the internet. Following intriguing links. Let your curiosity be your guide.

When you make some fun discoveries this week, keep them in your journal, and then come back here and share them with the rest of us!

Note: Speaking of wandering – I’ll be doing lots of it this week – from Grand Forks to Chicago to Cleveland to Toronto. Starting by car, I’ll switch to a train, then a bus, then an airplane, with a few taxis thrown in between. I’ll be mostly off-line but don’t worry – I’ve lined up a few goodies for you while I’m away.

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I remember her words so clearly. “You’re an orange.  I don’t see many oranges in government jobs. Most of them don’t last.”

I was working for the federal government at the time, and yes, I was one of those orange misfits she was talking about.  A lightbulb went off at that moment (an orange lightbulb, I suppose). “No WONDER I never feel like I fit here. No WONDER I just feel so dissatisfied with the status quo when so many of my colleagues keep insisting that they are so lucky to have good-paying government jobs.”

I was in a “True Colors” workshop at the time, and the person who spoke was the workshop facilitator.  She probably had no idea what a breakthrough moment that short interchange would prove to be, and how much I’d still be thinking of it as I continue to forge my path nearly 15 years later.

True Colors is a personality assessment that’s similar to Myers Briggs.  It’s much simpler than MBTI, though, in that there are only 4 colours (instead of 16 types). (Okay, I have to interject here to say that my Canadian brain is having trouble jumping from “color” to “colour”, but I have to be true to their trademark and at the same time, true to my country’s choice of spelling.) I’ve done both tests numerous times and have used them in workshops, but I keep coming back to True Colors because it resonates more with me.  I think it resonates because it is simple yet elegant, it places a special focus on relationships, and you are never just one type but a rainbow of colours with one being the strongest and others supporting that strength. The truth is, I think my artistic brain appreciates colours more than letters. One other thing I’ve come to believe over time is that your strongest colour may shift in different times and spaces in your life. (Green has always been my strong secondary colour, and I think lately it has overtaken Orange.)

(You can find some True Colors tests online, but I’m reluctant to link to them because the freebies I found seem too simplistic and not entirely accurate. It’s better to take a workshop, if you really want to learn more. I’ll also be writing more about it here in the future.)

I was an Orange misfit in a Gold world

In True Colors, Orange represents vitality, energy, action, excitement, and creativity. Orange people tend to be spontaneous and energetic.  They need new things to stimulate them on a regular basis.  They’re rarely satisfied with the status quo.  Doesn’t it make sense why I didn’t fit well within a government bureaucracy? “Energy, excitement, and creativity” aren’t exactly descriptors one would equate with the government.

It took me a while to leave the government, but I eventually did. Now I’m in a position that is a much better fit for an orange personality, and I’m not stopping here.  In the coming months, I want to move even further into what fits me by stepping away from a 9-5 job and growing my consulting business.  If I dig deep enough in my memory bank, I think the catalyst for this change was probably birthed the day I took the workshop and thought “I want to BE that workshop facilitator, not just learn from her!”

Don’t rush the journey

My point here is this – none of this stuff happens overnight.  It’s been 15 years since that workshop and I’m still learning about some of the stuff that got introduced there. Uncovering and embracing our giftedness is a life-long journey.  Just like a treasure hunt, you get little clues along the journey that point you to the next discovery. Sometimes those clues appear in quick succession, and sometimes they take years to decipher. Like me, you might have a tendency to be impatient, but sometimes the best thing to do is wait for the timing to be right and learn as much as you can along the way.

Though I stayed in a government job longer than I probably should have, I managed to eek everything “orange” I could have out of the experience. I changed departments every three years, I experimented with new and exciting roles, I progressed up the corporate ladder from clerical roles to a director position, I traveled, I interacted with media from around the world, and I learned as much as I could from mentors and teachers and workshops and books.  When I left, I took with me a whole arsenal of tools that helped me move into the future – tools that I probably wouldn’t have if I hadn’t been patient for the next clue and made the best of the situation at hand. (As much as I can, I try to live without regret, but rather gain value from every experience – even the ones that don’t fit.)

Let’s go on a Treasure Hunt!

For me, that True Colors assessment was an important clue in my treasure hunt. It pointed me to other similar workshops and books, it awakened a passion for self-discovery, and eventually it lead me to a place where I began leading my own workshops (including some on True Colors).

In the coming months, I want to start a new series on this blog that I’ll be calling “The Treasure Hunt – Discovering and Sharing your Giftedness”.  In this series, I’ll be offering tips, exercises, and advice about how you can learn more about who you are, what you’re passionate about, how you are gifted, and what you have to offer the world.  I hope that you’ll join me in the hunt. Now and then, I’ll throw in some special surprises, gifts, and interviews with amazing people, so come back often to ensure you’re part of the fun!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the Treasure Hunt, please let me know in the comments. One of the things I’m considering is a community space where we can enjoy the hunt together and learn from each other’s hunting tips.  Let me know if you think that would be helpful to you.

Welcome to the Treasure Hunt! Let’s have fun hunting together!

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A priest in Lalibela (sacred site in Ethiopia), where art mingles with faith

Someone whose opinion means alot to me has challenged me a little (in a gentle, supportive way) , suggesting that perhaps in the initial writing of the contents of this site, I did not sufficiently acknowledge the place of God/Creator/Higher Power as the giver of all gifts. My first response to this person was “But I want this site to be a comfortable place where people of all faith perspectives (or lack of them) can feel comfortable exploring and sharing and engaging with each other. We are all uniquely gifted, whether we have faith or not. And besides… I’m a little jaded – and perhaps a little wounded – by some of the judgement and narrow-mindedness I’ve seen in some people who write about and/or talk about their versions of God, and I don’t want to be that person.” (The other thing is – just as my personal blog is called “fumbling for words”, I have on occasion referred to myself as “fumbling for faith”, so I don’t want to appear to be an expert on a topic that still puzzles me.)

After considering it for awhile, though, and engaging in a healthy back and forth with this person, I realized there was some wisdom in what was being said. Helpful critique is, after all, an important part of the creativity and “giving away” process.

So I went to the library one lunch hour to sort out my thoughts, and decided that I needed to explore how faith has impacted the shaping of this site. Because I want to be authentic here, in the end, I decided to “put myself out there” a little more.

This, then, is what I believe:

- I believe that there is a creator God who shaped us in his/her image to be creators and dreamers and seekers and lovers.  (Incidentally, I don’ t think this God can be narrowly defined by our understanding of gender – hence the his/her. I don’t know of a better way of saying it.)

- I believe that God is fundamentally a God of love and that in all we create and in all the ways we serve each other and make sacrifices for each other, love is to be at the centre. (And as an aside here… seriously? Can we quit all the arguing about who should be entitled to live in loving relationships and just get busy doing some radical, world-shaking loving already?)

- I believe that our creator God is also a God of beauty and justice (which are all part of love), and that we are called to seek, create, foster, and imagine a world where beauty and justice are evident everywhere. (Personally, I think God gets a little giddy when we honour our calling and beauty and justice emerge.)

- I believe that God is a little like a mountain – we may stand on different sides of that mountain and have quite different perspectives and beliefs, but that doesn’t change the mountain nor does it mean that one view is more right than the other. (I can’t take ownership for that analogy – when I lived in the mountains, a wise friend shared it with me and it has stuck with me since.)

- I believe that our creator God longs for us to live in greater harmony with all of creation and that to assume we have some kind of inherent right to destroy/pillage/abuse that creation just because we’re the “image-bearers” is just plain wrong.

- I believe that when we treat each other with love and respect and we honour and protect creation, we reflect the beauty of God into the world.

On this site, I am not asking you to believe in the God of my understanding, nor will I ever try to convince you that God exists, but I want to acknowledge that within my personal belief system, I am creative and gifted because I have been molded by a creative, giving God. I won’t apologize for that, but at the same time, I won’t reject your contribution to this site if your faith takes a different shape (unless your submission is somehow trying to convince us of the shape of your god).

Blessings to all of you fellow seekers on your journey.  Thank you for joining me in mine.

(For a little more about the “God of my understanding”, click here for a poem I wrote on the subject some time ago.)

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1. The winner of the painting that I gave away in the welcome post is… drumroll please… Danielle! (A former work colleague of mine!) Danielle, let me know where to send it.

2. If you’re interested in hearing the radio interview I did on Saturday, you can now find it on the Multimedia page. It was a lot of fun to do and reminded me why I’ve been in media relations for so many years. But the best part is? Unlike all those times I had to talk about infectious viruses, agricultural policies, or veterans’ benefits (when I worked in government), this time I got to talk about something I’m truly passionate about!  I look forward to more speaking opportunities in the future.  (I’m passionate about the stuff I currently talk about in my day job too, but I’m not always as knowledgeable as I should be.)

3. THANK YOU so much to those people who have already sent me stories and gifts and to those who have promised to do so.  And for those who are trying to work up the nerve to send something, PLEASE DO!  I value everything I get and, if you’re nervous, trust me, I’m a gentle editor.

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Welcome! I’m so glad that you stopped by to visit my brand new website!

I want to think of this space as a warm community of like-minded people, a safe place to spread your wings and experiment with your gifts, and a boost of encouragement and energy whenever you need it.

This site is a labour of love for me. (Yes, I’m from Canada, so I spell labour with a “u”!)  Even though the idea emerged only a couple of months ago, I’ve been dreaming about some of the ideas behind this site for a long time. It’s interesting how these things emerge. You can read more about the journey to this site here.

About eight years ago, I designed and facilitated an eight week workshop on creativity. Together with the eight amazing women who participated, I went on an incredible journey of discovery – trying out new forms of creativity, acknowledging my unique giftedness, and giving myself permission to create and call myself an artist. Looking back, I realized that it was in those eight weeks of sessions that I felt most alive and empowered. I was doing what I loved most in the world – creating, teaching, energizing and encouraging other people, helping people discover their gifts, and improving the world just a little bit through the unfolding of our collective giftedness.

Ever since then, I have longed to relive that experience. Though I haven’t had a lot of time for it (I’m still employed in a full time job) I managed to carve out the time to teach other workshops (on leadership, self-discovery, teamwork, Six Thinking Hats, True Colours, etc.) and every time I’ve done so, I’ve learned something new about myself and about gifts and creativity. In my day job, where I lead a team focused on encouraging the stewardship of money, time, and giftedness in pursuit of justice for those who are hungry, I’ve also spent a lot of time thinking about how important it is for each of us to give what we have to make the world a more just and beautiful place.

Sometime after the creativity workshop was complete, I worked my way through a book called “The Path”. In the end, I wrote my personal mission statement. “My mission is to inspire excellence in people, to facilitate growth and the discovery of giftedness, and to serve as a catalyst for positive change.”

A few months ago, I was reading a book called “The Gift” by Thomas Hyde (?). One morning, as I was thinking about what the book taught about the importance of gift-giving in building effective flourishing societies, I had an epiphany. Clear as day, I saw a vision of what I needed to create and give to the world. I didn’t have all the details, but I still marvel at the clarity and completeness of that vision (that arrived on an ordinary Monday morning while I was sitting at my desk at work). I knew that it would be called “What are you giving away?” and I knew that it would be a space where I would invite people to share their gifts and tell their stories and where I would share what I have learned about giftedness, leadership, justice and creativity. I knew that it would also be a launching point for more exciting things like workshops, retreats, “giveaway” parties, workbooks, , and other resources.

I would be so thrilled if you would consider joining me in this adventure. There a few ways that you can do that:
1. Join my email list (coming soon). I’ll send out periodic newsletters and updates about what’s happening at the site and what’s coming up for workshops, retreats, etc.
2. Follow me on Twitter. I’ve found that Twitter offers a unique space for creating warm creative communities. (I found my web designer there and she’s been a real treat to work with.) Whenever something new happens here, or there’s something exciting to share, I’ll tweet about it.
3. Share a gift. If you have something to share or you want to try out a new emerging gift, like a piece of art, a special skill or a passion for a cause, consider sharing it here. You can either give it to someone who comments, or ask for advice on how to share it with the world. You can find out how to submit your gift here.
4. Share your story. Everyone has a story to tell and I believe that we all benefit from sharing stories. Consider sharing a story about how your giftedness emerged, how a special mentor encouraged you to use your gift, or how your gift changed your life or the life of the person/people you shared it with. Find out how to submit here.
5. Bookmark this page, sign up for the RSS feed, and come back often! New things will be appearing a few times a week!
6. Grab a badge on the side and post it on your blog or website. Or simply invite people to visit and post a link.

Live abundantly, by Heather Plett

Now – in the spirit of what this site is all about – I’m giving something away.  I only started painting in January when I took a watercolour class.  I fell in love, and though I haven’t gotten very confident in my ability yet, I enjoy it and I’m better than I imagined I would be at it.  Plus it makes me happy and that’s what it’s all about, right?  So… I’m giving away a painting I made especially for this launch.  It’s called “Live Abundantly” and it’s 8″ X 10″ on watercolour paper. To win, simply leave a comment, and I’ll pick a winner by Monday, August 10.

Thanks again for stopping by! I’m so excited about the possibilities emerging here. I’m so excited about the beautiful people I’ve already met while I’ve been dreaming this up. (A big shout out to Leah Creates who put shape to my dream by working her web design magic on this space!) I’ve already got some stories lined up from some amazing people and I look forward to receiving more.

Blessings to you as you give space to your unique giftedness and you learn to share it with the world.

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