Jodene is the co-founder of:
and founder of:
Published December 7th, 2011
With my dear friend Chris Avant Smith on his first show, rant and rave, on Radio Today! What an honour to be your first guest ... thank you!
With every interview I have, I realise that more and more milestones get created along the way. My first big achievement was that good old Day 500 and so the moments continue.
Today was one of those super exciting ones and there are times when I think I should start a journal of the most memorable days, but then I realise that it would take away from the specialness of just remembering.
I know I will just remember today for a very long time.
Radio stations, in my perception, happen to be located in big office blocks with tons of security. How refreshing to arrive at the tranquil garden shop on Jan Smuts and find 1485AM Radio Today tucked away in a gorgeous stone house.
Adverts manage to find there way in to the 30 minute plays, but the odd advert slips in. Not on Radio Today … wow, I had a whale of a time driving to the studio and listening to oldies like Phil Collins, Barry Manilow, a Christmas carol or two and … was that Cinema?
To be humbled and proud of someone else at the same time is a rare joy, and my point of Joy for my day today.
I’m so proud of my friend, Chris Avant Smith, for hosting his first radio show in years. He called it ‘rant and rave’ and his first guest was … wait for it … ME!
There’s the humble honour right there. The first guest on a brand new show! Even more exciting was that Chris has shared the ‘project me’ journey with me almost from day one. He has shared the struggles and the determination. He has shared the tears of joy and the tears of frustration and there we both sat, having our own milestone experiences.
Yes, yes, I’ve done radio before, but I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to know that the show was being recorded and I would walk away with my very first podcast. So many people tell me that they would love to hear one of my shows and I finally get the chance to share my radio experience with all my special peeps around the world.
So here it is: THE PODCAST
And in other news … damn, I want to do more podcasts … now what do my peeps want me to talk about?
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published November 30th, 2011
That’s all I’ve wanted to do all day!
It’s a whirlwind of a day and this is still yesterday’s blog. Later today I’m going to share the experience of the amazing #followsa #downdown2011 event, but right now I’m catching my breath … okay, that’a a lie! I’m catching up on Tweets, phone calls of thanks and requests for more #followsa events and … and … and
For the first time in ages, there hasn’t been that sinking feeling that happens after the build up to a event. That’s because nothing seems final or done and I feel as though my path is slowly being paved for me just by being in the moment of all that #FollowSA means to me and everyone else around me.
I have come to realise that my priority is to get the ‘what is #FollowSA?’ document out there at that recording every moment from this second on is vital for the history of this booming hashtag nad concept … yet right now … all I want to do is hug myself.
I want to stop in the moment and not revel in the excitement of the flowing Twitter timeline. I don’t want to even daydream about the events that are going to be logged into a public Google map from this moment on … I just want to stop!
In the midst of it all, I want to spend a moment with me and acknowledge that I set out to do something and I’m doing it. That I said to myself I would live my project me for the world to see and I’m doing that. That I knew there would be obstacle to overcome and I’m overcoming them.
I just want to take a moment to be proud of me and give back to me what I give to so many people when I am proud of them … a hug!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published November 24th, 2011
Google really can be a toss up between my best friend and my worst enemy. Either way, we spend a good amount of time together each day. I check my spelling, my facts and my doubts and a day never passes without Google and I hooking up. I have come a long way from heavily relying on the information that Google sends my way, except for spelling, that I always trust of my own guesswork.
However, today was one of those deep needed, I’m going to totally lean on Google, I must find the answers, days!
Why?
Because today Mercury goes retrograde and I’m determined not to have the same reaction or do the same things when our dear friend comes along.
For those of you who don’t know what Mercury Retrograde is … and you should if you’ve been following ‘project me’, because of my need to try to make friends with it each time it comes around … here’s how it goes.
This occurs 3 times a year, on average. This year it has 4 cycles just for extra measure.
So retrograde happens when it appears to be moving backwards through the solar system. It’s like travelling on the road watching another car beside you: when the other car slows down, or you speed up, it looks as though the other car is moving backwards. Planets are never actually retrograde or stationary, they just seem that way due to this cosmic shadow-play.
Either way, it messages with all the Mercury deals with … technology, communication and transport. I’m sure if you ask people who are aware of it, they all have a horror story about a delayed flight, a crashed computer or a lost document.
Life is a mixture or scary and exciting all at the same time and I can feel the need to slow down and focus on me for a while. It’s one of the toughest things in the world for me … to focus on me. And so I decided to Google the upside of Mercury Retrograde.
What’s ‘project me’ without looking for the positive and living with the consciousness and so I’ve decided to not be afraid of the usual stories of retrograde and I’m going to make my own … ones of positiveness, introspection and happy plans.
To do this Google took me to an interesting article that highlighted the upside of Mercury Retrograde and from the responses of just one Tweet, I think a whole lot of us need to embrace this time and turn it into positive potential before the year draws to a close and a new, fresh and limitless year begins …
“Here are nine ways to make Mercury Retrograde work for you. Note that many suggestions begin with the letters re. Think re for retrograde.
1. Re-connect.
This is the time to look up old friends and family. You’ve been meaning to call Aunt Martha, or get together with your old high school buddy. Do it! Now is the time to pick up the telephone. Chances are they will be receptive and you’ll be glad you did.
And you, yourself, may hear from long lost pals now.
2. Re-search.
While it is not the time to go forward with grand plans, this is a superb time to research facts and ideas you can use later.
3. Re-view.
Take that application or take your business plan and give it a second look. Chances are you will see things in a different light. And that can give you ideas to strengthen it. And that second look will ensure you have covered the bases.
4. Re-do.
If you were too hasty the first time, or you chose not to follow my advice, you may find yourself having to redo that report. But each time you redo, you refine.
5. Re-fresh.
Your brain and your body were not designed to function 24/7. Taking a little time to kick back and relax refreshes you and ultimately makes you far more productive than trying to plow straight through.
6. Re-solve.
Go back and clean up old relationships that ended badly. You can resolve many issues now – even bury the hatchet.
7. Back Burner items.
Now is the time to get to projects that have been pushed into the background.
8. Re-organize.
Mercury Retrograde is an excellent time to clean out old closets, old files, old agendas, throw out what is no longer useful to make room for the new.
9. Re-contact.
Are you in sales? Then, this is the perfect time to re-contact old leads.
If you must take on a new job or a new project during this time, know that it will change. A lot. So stay loose and flexible. Because your perspective will change also.
But if you had previously began a project, applied for that position, contacted that key lead, Mercury Retrograde will not affect you.
Use the Mercury retrograde time in a positive way, and you’ll be refreshed and renewed and ready to move forward when Mercury changes course.”
An extract from Ellen Zucker’s Ezinearticle on Mercury retrograde.
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published November 20th, 2011
Hanging with @emmanuelcastis @frankietwigs and @SimbaThe1
I have blogged every single day for nearly two years. I intend to blog until I at least reach day 1000. That’s sure to bring reward! I didn’t set out to blog for reward, but I did set out to blog for my own personal insight into my life and to show the world that living your purpose is very possible.
It is … all you have to do is know the difference between feeling purposeful and achieving goals. I’m not much of a goals person but I wake up ever day of my life fueled by purpose. That’s why this blog post is both one of the most rewarding and scary all at the same time.
I remember the day I stumbled across the word ‘social influencer, and ensured I secured the domain before the sun had set. I remember deciding that it was a new part of my journey that started as a blogger and was changing course, with the same purpose but different adventures. Someone with influence has a voice and once I realised that, I sat back and waited for my new purpose to be awakened.
Friday morning was it!
When I stood among a crowd of invited guests and was included in the ‘media and social influencers’, I can honestly say it was one of my greatest manifestations and achievements that have come out of 2011. And where was I? At the launch of the new version of that old, familiar game, ‘Trivial Pursuit‘.
Emmanuel Castis and I became friends because of the power of a Tweet and the purpose of a blog.
The invite said, “bring a guest” and who else but my friend and SA talent, Emmanuel Castis, to team up with and test the cranky old part of the brain that stores all that general knowledge.
Who remembers the old version? It amazing, I did a little exercise and searched who was playing Trivial Pursuit over the last few days, and I can’t believe the active Twitter stream. People from all around the world in every language and playing with everyone from mothers to nephews, is still loving the game that tests your general knowledge.
I was very happy to announce, in a Tweet, to the world, that my general knowledge sucks … but then I had my ‘project me’ moment.
Being a guest at the launch of the game and the super smart organisers from Twiga Communications having put us media/social influencers up against the MENSA people (the smarty-pants), I felt the pangs of not feeling too smart start to hover over me. It was one of the most fun days I have had along my journey and I fell in love with the new concept of the game and soon forgot about how smart I was because we had a game to win and a charity to give the winning cheque to. Each team played for their charity, either Chubby Chums and NET HIV Orphanage. We were lucky enough to play with James from Chubby Chums and he was so sweet that the bet for each person nearly every time.
What do I mean bet?
And then you meet amazing, inspirational & passionate people like @MelindaSMACKED ... who won the Trivial Pursuit trophy for the media/social influencers team
Oh, that’s the awesome new twist to ‘Trivial Pursuit, Bet You Know It”. The cards are different, with a topic first chosen and THEN a category within that topic. Wow, just loved that! But the most exciting part is that you can now bet whether your fellow players are going to get the answer wrong or right. There is a limit to the amount you can bet and my esteem was grateful for that, because Emmanuel took great joy in betting the maximum, that I would get the answer WRONG! Such a pity we were both on the ‘influencers’ side for the charity playoff.
So, we each got a game as a gift and this girl was playing the game ASAP!
Quickly whipping together a small crowd of friends and watching Pat and Greggie start out being very put out that you can win chips and then eventually buy pies to gain victory, was just the way I wanted the game to start. I love my crowd of friends, there is something so ethical about us that we truly had a hard time buying pies. On the other hand, the game became a little like poker and everyone was clinging to their chips for no apparent reason.
I WON!!! And that’s my ‘project me’ moment! The game to hours, which was super fun, but I didn’t buy one pie and I seriously one. If you’ve been reading my blog lately, you know that I’ve been dealing with some childhood issues of not being smart or responsible enough and there is nothing like a good dose of Trivial Pursuit and the test of ones knowledge to give the ego a boost.
All of a sudden I’m so excited for the summer holidays. I’m not as nervous to meet Pat’s kids and take them on holiday and I’m not as concerned that I will find myself working most of the time, when my body really wants a rest. There’s no running out of number of times you can play this game, so if you’re trying to figure out what to fill that Christmas stocking with … I’d say Trivial Pursuit is the best bet!
A big thank you to Twiga Communications for a brilliant launch and for seeing the value in the social influencer, Hasbro for your genius in the concept of the new game and Prima Toys for the magical day and keeping us having fun, no matter how old we are.
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published November 13th, 2011
For more about Vanessa, see her website: http://soulwhisperer.co.za
In 1991 my grandmother passed away in my bed. My mom sat with her as she moved from one lifetime to the next and at that moment my life would never be the same again. After receiving a book on Jewish death and dying, my mom had the first urge to explore the mysteries of life and before long, we were sharing a very powerful journey.
As the spiritual part of my delved into every avenue of questioning and spirituality, my physical life took a back seat, where I’ve never quite managed to have the two worlds collide in harmony. My weight was always a trigger for me, but it’s only been since ‘project me’ and my conscious decision to journal my relationship with my body, that I’ve notice how the weight is only a catalyst to a far greater relationship I am destined to have with myself.
My journey took a dramatic but soul connecting turn when Rory Jean-Jacques partnered with ‘project me’. I’m still drinking his herbal remedy and the cravings aren’t there, but my body is still in turmoil and calling for me to pay attention to a few undiscovered areas of my life. Believe it or not, there seems to be a very arrogant part of me, who just can’t believe that I’m not ‘healed’. I look at the years of self discovery and spiritual work I have done. I look at my journey with Tantra, The Goddess and so many other amazing aspects of spirit, yet I still haven’t met ME.
The connections I have made on Twitter has taught me to take the suggestions of people to meet and so many of them have been life changing. It’s no surprise that the Universe (remembering we are the Universe) would send me the gift of a recommendation from Rory to meet Vanessa A’Wakan.
Vanessa is an internationally trained shamanic mentor and qualified Louise Hay Facilitator. She has been facilitating life-changing workshops in England, Scotland and various cities in South Africa for the past 25 years. Today, Vanessa travels to Hawaii once a year for intensive shamanic training and a retreat on the volcanoes with the Huna shamans. A healer, mentor, teacher and spontaneous channel, Vanessa believes that all beings have an inherent spark of magnificence. She has spent the past 25 years leading others to experience their aspects of self and it with humble blessings that I welcome Vanessa as a partner of my ‘project me’ journey.
This going to be a journey that I will blog about, but the initial meeting was a magical experience that started with something I am all too familiar with … numerology. Amazingly, I still don’t know Vanessa’s formula but her analysis was a story of my life. A perfect tale of the spiritual journey I have been on for so many years, the potential impact I know I can (and will have) on the world, but the constant chaos. The 5 … the number of chaos and they the light side that can be filled with balance and creativity. Hence my overwhelming excitement and anticipation as these sessions unfold with Vanessa.
She gave me an incredible daily exercise to do and I have been waiting to share it with you. Each day, she has asked me to find that one moment in my day where I am conscious of and feel the ‘joy’. A moment of joy can’t be too hard to find, but it’s made me aware of just how unconscious we truly are in a day. How very far from ‘present’ I can be at some times and how far from my purpose I stray in those moments when I’m not wondering ‘will this be my moment of joy?’
I can’t believe how much happiness, faith, courage and passion has filtered into my life in the short week that I have been more awake and conscious just by remembering to find my moment of joy.
My relationship with Pat has been so much more alive and real. My opportunities have opened up so many doors and I am far more clear on my purpose and my career direction. There have been countless moments of gratitude, happiness and faith, that I know I would have missed if I were not learning the technique of staying in the now.
The amazing thing is that I have done countless work that should have given me the gift I am learning through Vanessa, but what is our journey of ‘project me’ if we didn’t remember that timing, soul connection and faith in the process is vital for the tools to resonate and work with us.
On the other side of the coin, there is a part of me that I know every well but still need to understand the reason why, but I’m eating like crazy. I’m eating things that I know I shouldn’t even though there are no cravings. This is just bad choices and it’s always linked to my spiritual journey. So for now, I’m being kind to myself and watching my moments of joy, knowing that the one thing I do have is a great faith in myself and my willingness to see this journey though.
I wish you would join me in finding that one moment in your day that brings you the most joy. Journal it. Blog about it. Tweet it. Share it with someone … and live the life is your project me story.
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published October 24th, 2011Literally, it’s the hottest day in October in recorded history. If I’m exaggerating then it’s worth it because, damn, it’s hot!! It was sitting at around 36 degree (Celsius) today and all a girl want to do is get her bra off. Of course I left it lying on the bed so the estate agent had to call me to hide it before the potential buys spotted it, but there’s a lesson in that for me.
I’ve just come off a much longer than expected radio interview with Kieno Kammes on Talk Radio 702. It’s been on my vision board to be on that radio station and once again I’m reminded that I can set out and achieve anything I want to.
The truth is that just 20 minutes before I went on air I had a serious heart to heart with Greggie about the direction of my blog and what my dearest friend has seen slowly begin to happen.
He sees old patterns. He sees the pattern of making my life (and my blog) too much about other people. When I do that, I can’t blog properly because I’m too entwined in other people’s lives and I don’t want to break their trust by sharing their stories, but the truth is that my days have been consumed with other people’s issues.
It’s not for me to reveal their laundry for passers by, but it is for me to reveal mine because that is what I set out to do when ‘project me’ was born. It certainly turns up the heat a notch because I have to figure out a way to get back on ‘project me’ … and make my story about me! Live my life for me and consume myself with me first before I lose myself in anyone else.
Tonight I was reminded just how powerful my story is and just how much this blog has the potential to touch people’s lives. It was the wake up call I needed to remind myself about that purpose and not that goal.
Honestly, I am so detached from my own story at the moment that I wouldn’t know what to begin to tell you, so I’m going to go and tackle the heat, hoping it doesn’t keep me up all night. I’ll tackle the other kinds of heat in the morning … sizzle!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published September 16th, 2011
The Bobbi Brown team from Melrose Arch store, a kidnapped Ashwin Willemse and my super special friends ... pic taken by the one and only Pat Sloane
I’m the first to admit that this blog has been a bit blah of late but tonight I got a whole lot of smiling to do. I know my best friend is somewhere between Seattle and San Francisco at this very moment so I’m not even sure if he will be reading this. I don’t think he’s missed a blog in the 620-odd days unless he fakes it really well. Whether he reads it or not, the fact are the same … I miss my boy, but it’s been very empowering having to stand on my own two feet.
I’ve set my GPS to places near and far and I’ve found them all. I’ve discussed finances and make monitory decisions. I’ve requested invoices from the accountant and kept track of the bank account. All the big girl stuff that I just haven’t had to do for as long as Greggie and I have been business partners.
Something is beginning to shift and a part of me knows that there’s a new blossoming of a much bolder and determined person. I started to feel it a few days ago, but had a surge of confidence and self respect when I was surrounded by the most amazing group of women because of one incredible woman.
I fell in love with the story of Bobbi Brown and her journey of creating such a world renowned product before I had ever had the joy of putting a lipstick to my lips or a foundation to my cheek.
It was my first Bobbi Brown experience on Wednesday night and I can’t believe how I felt when I looked around the Melrose Arch store and saw the women who surround me. I got to bring 9 of my closest and it was so easy to choose them. Most of these super ladies have met me through Twitter … actually, besides Hustler Girl who reconnected with me on Facebook, we are all Twit friends. Well, Khanyi is more of an extension of Twitter because I was invited to an event that she was at, but we were Twit friends before the night was through. Liesl, Liza, Michele and Lindsey are all definitely Twits and Carol is another great extension of my social media life.
It was such a joy to see everyone having fun, switching off from our worlds for a moment and getting lost in the girlie world of makeup. It was an even greater joy knowing that my journey of blogging and dedication to my career brought us all together.
And … amidst the crowd of friends and talented Bobbi Brown Makeup artists was the other boy. The very special boy … Mr Unexpected. It’s just as awesome to see that my photographer, who is now my man is so loved and cherished by my friends. So much so that he was asked to gate crash the rest of the girl’s night out that extended to dinner just before our Kleenex girl’s night out.
It’s always bound to happen with this crowd and no one was letting SA’s dishy rugby player, Ashwin Willemse walk past the store without being dragged in for the final pic of our Bobbi Brown experience.
I’m also grinning from ear to ear because my new friend and an inspiration for every person who has a dream, Tazz Nginda finally got his cute ass onto Twitter. Don’t worry, Mr Unexpected knows all about my admiration of this sexy actor, model and role model.
For a meeting that was supposed to be quick few minutes to do a few adjustments to Tazz’s social media presence, we ended up talking for hours. It’s definitely one of the reasons I snapped my attitude back into shape. Listening to the story a boy who had a dream and is living it despite all the odds … that’s project me. Just like I share my story with others and hope it inspires people to do one little thing that could get them that little bit closer to their dreams … I need that too.
Between Bobbi Brown, Tazz Nginda, a loving best friend, a treasure boyfriend and the most rocking friends a girl could ask for and a kleenex girl’s night out … I’m BACK!
As always … a big thank you to Instant Grass and The Venus Networks for making my Bobbi Brown Experience a reality!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published September 6th, 2011
I just had to share this gorgeous pic of Hustler Girl and her Ponkie, Greggie and my mom! As always, Mr Unexpected is behind the lens capturing all these beautiful moments
It’s out Tuesday night gathering and the last one before Greggie leaves for an entire month. I’m therefore very grateful that my mom is having a little work crisis at work and are running very late on, as Mr Unexpected calls it, talking about our feelings.
That’s basically what it is in a nutshell. Every Tuesday night for I can’t remember how long, mom, Greggie and myself get together and chat about our week. We speak about what we are dealing with, how we are handling it … basically, it’s a ‘project me’ debrief for me once a week.
A very big part of getting ‘project me’ is having that person who sees you and loves you unconditionally enough to tell you their perception of what they see.
I haven’t been in a relationship in yonks and I’ve never lived with anyone before. I’m demanding and totally ultra sensitive and I wouldn’t see myself unless I had my mom and Greggie pointing some of these things out to me.
The same goes for the successes and the places where I don’t praise myself enough. I work myself into a crazy space and still don’t think I’ve done enough and it’s the greatest help to hear someone tell me that I can give myself permission to slow down.
Everything is about feelings with me and nothing is about feelings with Mr Unexpected and I’m in the process of learning to give him his space and not have to talk about EVERYTHING because then when I really need to talk he’s gonna run a mile. It’s the cry wolf of feelings I guess.
We also talk work, money and purpose and I’m excited to talk about #FollowSA and the great success it was. I’m excited to talk about truly living my purpose and all the opportunities. Oh wait, I also have to talk about the few insecurities that pop in every single day. It usually goes something like this: “WTF!!” and then it passes.
Other times it lingers and I need these reminders from incredible people to put my ego back in place. I know I have said it often enough, but I’m going to say it again … I’m filled with gratitude. I shower myself with praise and self wowing and that’s what gives me the permission to hear the crazy voices of the mind, not ever fearing that they will trip me up and hold me back.
On the days when the voices hang around a little too long, I always get given the greatest gift in the form of a comment, a hug, a Tweet … or a thank you hamper from the Darryl Erasmus and the Crowne Plaza Johannesburg team. The unexpected is the greatest gift of all. Here I am so overwhelmingly grateful for the belief that this hotel has in me to give so generously of their space for me to play out my dreams, and they are thanking me … wow!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published August 27th, 2011
It’s been a busy week. It’s going to be a busy week again. Then it’s going to be one week until my best friend and business partner leaves for the USA. Then it’s going to be four weeks of doing something different every day just because he’s not here.
All that busyness made me think that I might just need a day of total nothingness.
One of my greatest ‘project me’ lessons is to learn that you might always be letting someone down when you put yourself first. It took a while to realise that it would have to be their perception of feeling let down and we never remember that perception is a choice. I know there were things people wanted me to do today, but I needed a ‘me day’.
It’s not that I haven’t been completely honest. It’s more that I haven’t quite figured out how to adjust to talking about my personal life when I’m in the midst of it and Mr Unexpected reads the blog every day. By far, this is the hardest challenge when it’s come to blogging. Well, the relationship feels like the hardest challenge, to be honest. I know he’ll read this in a few hours and a part of him will agree too. My mom described a relationship perfectly today (or at least ours seeing as though we are polar opposites). Mom said we are like trying to balance bipolar to find that happy place. I do want the happy place, but it seems that every issue I have ever had since I was 5 years old has surfaced in these two and a bit months.
Then there’s the conversation Greggie and I had last night that left me, well, lets just say it was another reason not to sleep. Oh, I haven’t mentioned that I’m not sleeping so well and you would only know that if you saw the odd Tweets at crazy hours.
I come from a past business partnership where I kept making one change after the other to try and make it work and I am finally settling into the fact that there is nothing I need to change. I’m on track. I’m getting it right. There’s a country song that I listen to often and it says: “Yeah, If you’re going through hell, keep on moving, face that fire, walk right through it. You might get out before the devil even knows you’re there.”
Then Greggie told me that we are both not getting something right or we would be in a better financial position or things would be happening differently.
No self help book can ever solve the quandary of you mind. I don’t believe there is a formula that can ever replace that ‘knowing’, which only you know and only you can learn to listen to. I knew. I just knew that I was finally getting everything right. I was being brave enough, bold enough, sassy and sexy, happy, honest … or wasn’t I?
Maybe today was more about trying to catch up on lost hours of sleep. Or it was about hiding away from the world. Either way, I kissed Mr Unexpected good-bye after telling him how every proud I am of him for all he is achieving. He’s created a brand for himself in under a week and his determination oozes. It also consumes … and usually happens as I’m trying to show him how proud I am and he’s telling me how it’s not good enough. So I shut the door, climbed into bed and went to my happy place … Twitter!
After making some awesome connections for #FollowSA and chatting to new and old peeps, I realised that I was in that perfect place of knowing. Sadly, as I thought about it all the doubt came rushing back.
What to do when that happens … me, I cook! Suffice to say the Mr Unexpected is getting a totally OTT dinner tonight.
I have a bond with Mother Nature. I have her tattooed on my back. I know she’s causing more waves (literally) and I wanted to see what’s going on in the world. When I turn on the radio, I’ll get adverts. When I turn on the news … adverts! How the …
I can’t do adverts but I can do the next best thing … CNN interviews.
Michael Wu? I’ve never heard of Michael Wu. Okay, maybe everyone else has considering he’s the CEO of Maxim, the largest food and beverage corporation and restaurant chain in Hong Kong. The program is called The Boss and he’s it.
I don’t believe in coincidence and every moment of my life I am reminded why not. Some stand out more than others, like this one. I literally got 10 minutes of the 1 hour program. The last 10 minutes. I don’t know what I missed, but I know what I didn’t.
I have read more self help books than anyone could imagine and then one day I stopped. Sometimes I worry that people are going to ask me what I think of this one’s book or that one’s formula … because if anyone is talking about it now, chances are, I haven’t read it.
Instead, I listen. A lot of times I listen to the most profound points that people have gotten out of those book. Other times, men like Michael Wu say one sentence that is more powerful than anything else I could imagine.
This is as close to what he said: I believed in my formula and I stuck to it. I just kept going when everyone told me to do something differently and that I was getting something wrong, I just kept going.
I could tell that he hasn’t had a day of thinking he was getting something wrong. He spoke of having to change strategic strategy, but that had nothing to do with him or his vision. He believes in himself and his vision … even when he’s going through hell.
Michael Wu put everything in perspective for me and made me realise that my greatest lesson in life might just be to feel unshakable!
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
Published August 25th, 2011It’s impossible to explain the different modes that I have found myself being able to blog in because I haven’t created the chance for me to hide how I feel by avoiding telling my story every day. That’s what most people seem to do when they blog … they seem to find the right mood or right time or right space to be in. Mostly, when I am in a space like I am today, I shove myself into a corner where I run out of time and have to blog.
I think we do that with a lot of situations in our lives. We leave it alone until we are forced to have to deal with it. I’ve done it with one situation I find myself in and I’m try hard not to do it in another. Either way, ‘project me’ is all about living within that integrity and living my truth, so sweeping things under the carpet isn’t something I do. I might procrastinate and leave it until it’s eaten away at most of my day, but I eventually deal with it.
Maybe that’s why my back is so sore again? Maybe if I put things down or picked things up … if I dealt with things as they happened, it might feel a little less like the world is on my shoulders.
So, last year I went away with some friends and this complete amateur took a gorgeous picture on some fancy camera. My friend, who is the professional photographer, was shattered that I had taken such a perfect shot and after photoshopping it to death (I hate anything being tampered with like that) he seemed to forget that I had taken that pic. Sometimes I feel as though I need to call witnesses, because there were. It got so bad that he even gave the pic to myself and another friend as our Christmas gift … yes, it’s that gorgeous a shot. We’ve lost touch and in an indirect way, it might have had something to do with that pic. As luck would have it … on the only day I play around on Google+, he’s posted my pack, tattooed with his logo across it and he’s claimed it. Here’s the crappy teacher part … I couldn’t bring myself to do anything about it except froth at the mouth and vent to everyone around me. Do we freeze and forget that it’s our right to claim what is ours? Is it because I’m still not settled with confrontation? Didn’t I really care? Is it because I’m not a photographer but I would freak out and call lawyers if it were a piece of my writing?
I don’t know … but I do know that I left it for ages. I left it until I sat with Greggie and he helped me see reason and then I sent an email immediately. I didn’t reread it. I didn’t spell check it. I kinda did what I’m doing here … I knew it had to be done so I threw it out there with as little thought and as much courage as possible.
Step one … he apologised and has given me credit for the pic.
Enters a wise Twitter friend who has clearly learned the power of standing in his truth. Well, didn’t he make me see that it wasn’t good enough to get credit for that pic, but that pic was not to be used by this photographer at all. I’m kinda like a cute little kitten and my Twit friend is more like a Rottweiler, so I can’t bring myself to go the extent that he suggested I should, but I’m in a state again. I spent the whole day trying to pluck up the courage to send yet another email that says I want the picture removed from everywhere.
I might have backed myself into a corner and had to blog about it, but I’m not done pondering a few unresolved issues on why I can’t just claim what is mine without batting an eyelid.
It’s amazing that it’s all happening as I watch the #FollowSA movement happen on Twitter and I see it grow into a greater awareness and more exciting event. I watch the Tweets that remind me that I started it when people say “Jodene …” and all I want is for every South African to claim it and make it theirs. It’s moments like tonight, when I sit and have coffee with a friend I have only Tweeted with and go to meet for the first time, that I thrive on my dreams. That’s living what I teach … that meeting of a stranger and knowing that our potential as friends or future collaborator, is endless.
And then there’s the part that I teach, but have no idea how to live myself just yet. Where’s the book that says how to live as a couple and how to know if a relationship is working or not? Where are the teachings that show if I’m being a brat or if I know what I want and deserve it? It’s tough … should it be so though? I’ve taught about love before, but now I know that it can’t be taught. It can only be experienced and you have to be your own teacher.
So tonight I’m heading out with Mr Unexpected and we are going to have a quiet meal and do the thing that I teach … and I know I teach well. We are going to go and communicate. We are going to speak our perception of our truth and we are going to attempt to put ourselves first in the true spirit of being our own ‘project me’.
With courage, consciousness & a sense of humour
