When I started my exploration of cyberspace as a social media initiate, the intent was to navigate the dark alleyways so that I could warn my two pre-teens about the dangers lurking there -firsthand. As it turned out, I found this whole new world a place where I have connected with old friends and colleagues, and begotten an infinite number of new ones.
I have spoken with parents who have been concerned with their teenagers venturing into this space. Nothing beats personal experience to counsel from. I will invite every parent to voyage into this virtual world and find out the possible hazards (and there certainly are - just like there are in our physical world), and also experience the joys of connecting at a global level instantaeously.
If there is any tip that I will give any parent, it is to be yourself online as you would be face-to-face. For example, you would not say things that would put you in an undesirable light, nor would you show pictures of yourself in a compromising situation. Being polite in returning messages, acknowledging others, helping others when we can - it's no different whether that happened on social media or in our so-called 'concrete' reality.
Over the past 12 months, my key business accounts have come from my social media network referrals via relationships with seemingly no more than 6 degrees of separation. I have found it useful to communicate with everyone that connected with me. As a result of recommendations from people I trust, I have met many which I would otherwise have missed getting to know.
About 8 weeks ago, I spoke on the phone with a fellow Meta-Coach that I met online through my trusted Institute of Neuro-Semantics community. This phone call was to changed my life - and that of my family's. What began as a way of assisting a colleague to place a suitable person from my network onto their team, turned into a Call to Adventure for me, ala The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell.
When the Call happens, the initial reaction is one of Refusal. It is simply because it takes effort to change the status quo. But in order to be leading with intent to inspire, one has to make the difficult choices: I want to put a ding in the Universe. We have to think differently - and be thought of as one of 'the crazy ones'.
In this case, I was being offered an assignment of a lifetime in the Middle East - and that challenged a few beliefs: It's too much to ask 3 others (my husband and 2 kids) to drastically reinvent their stable lives for me... It's too difficult to relocate a whole (reluctant) household to a new country and culture... Isn't it the husband that takes the lead and the wife follow?...If it's not broke, don't change it: the kids are in great schools and I cannot be sure the schools over there will be as good or even better ... My business is in its peak here in Australia so why am I taking off to foreign lands?...
In this case, I was being offered an assignment of a lifetime in the Middle East - and that challenged a few beliefs: It's too much to ask 3 others (my husband and 2 kids) to drastically reinvent their stable lives for me... It's too difficult to relocate a whole (reluctant) household to a new country and culture... Isn't it the husband that takes the lead and the wife follow?...If it's not broke, don't change it: the kids are in great schools and I cannot be sure the schools over there will be as good or even better ... My business is in its peak here in Australia so why am I taking off to foreign lands?...
Doha by night
After 6 weeks of deliberation and conversations with my husband and children, and working with their current schools, and a community of colleagues and friends whom I trust and respect .... I decided to Accept the Call.
It is amazing what happens when you say 'Yes'. There seems to be a 'flow' where things seem more effortless than not. The spirit lifts and tasks do not seem heavy: My husband is excited to creatively tweak his situation with work to make this happen ... The children's current schools go beyond expectations to assist us with school applications and became a source of advice ... clients are business partners express innovation in their support and assistance to transition my role here ... family and friends counsel that this epistemologically stretch will grow our children beyond any experience they can get in their current education ... Despite long waiting lists, my children get accepted into the schools of our choice with relative ease!
This is the beginning of a whole new journey. I am concerned with the inevitable Supreme Ordeal up ahead... yet I trust that I will get enough Gifts and meet enough Guides along the way for me to face and conquer what lies before me!
I am looking forward to opening up my senses and welcoming the learnings from unexpected quarters along the way ...
...to be continued ...