seven steps in the age of opportunity

We read constantly about ten steps to happiness, twelve steps to discovering the life you want, so many steps to a healthier you. My favourite by far is The Four Agreements, four steps towards a more holistic and less judgemental way of being: Do your best; Use impeccable language, Don't assume anything and Don't take anything personally. These four agreements-created by Miguel Ruiz- are a wonderful guide towards deep living and a more conscious awakening. 

Each day a small group of artists create morning mandalas and post them on Facebook to share with other like minded artists...a simple yet profound awakening to the day. Yesterday I created a collaged mandala with a dear friend in mind. I find that much learning can come from focusing on a friend you care about, and allowing the images to present themselves. Invariably the collage is not only relevant to your friend, but extremely relevant to yourself. 

This collage has seven steps: seven because I cut out a heading from a magazine that said "Seven Shifts in the Age of Opportunity". These seven steps emerged from my "unknown", that place where we don't know what we know,  guided by different images that I found.

At the centre is a beautifully carved wise owl. And around the wise owl are seven steps. Steps towards what? I think they are steps towards accepting ourselves as someone who is a worthy contributor to the world, someone who makes a difference every day. That someone is you.

Step 1: Finish what you are doing

Step 2: Get the word out: either publish, draw,  post, talk, perform your work

Step 3: Produce joy as you move through your day, both at work and at home: joy is infectious

Step 4: Allow yourself time to sit in the mud, the difficult moments that you really just want to escape from...stay there until it doesn't hurt anymore then move on, enriched and alive to others

Step 5: Provide opportunities for others including friends to achieve their potential and in doing so you surprisingly achieve your own

Step 6: Be loud

Step 7: Be bold

I will meditate on these seven steps: do we need seven or will three do? Perhaps it can be reduced to Embrace Joy, Commit to Action, Be Bold...each person can reduce these seven steps to one, two or three ideas. Today I will concentrate on joy and boldness. I think boldness is particularly relevant to women because we are, at every corner, told to 'settle down' or 'not too loud'...let's blast that now. Its time to love our boldness and the boldness of others.