3 ways to know if you are on the right track :: reflections on my first e-lab

I do not really know where to start.

This month has been an amazing personal journey for me. I have long harbored this idea of an e-lab for mamas to celebrate the mundane and embrace the wild creativity that comes with being a parent. The 30+ women who joined me were kind, open and so smart. They gave me so much hope for the future. There are some amazing kids on their way to change the world - just wait!

I wanted to share a few reflections from the month, in hopes that they might be useful to you and your project too.

Mainly, I think I have finally answered a question that I have asked myself many times over the years:

How do I know I am on the right track with something (a project/ideology/idea)?

I have decided the following:

1. If you quickly and easily enter flow while working on your project, that is the one! Don't stop - you found it! When you are in flow, time slows as you become completely absorbed in your work. You feel refreshed and energized when you are done. It is an optimal state to aim for when working/playing.

You know you are doing the right thing if it gives you energy. While working on this lab, I would often work until 2 or 3 in the morning, relishing a quiet house and time to think and write. Amazingly enough, I still woke up refreshed and excited to do more. The more I did, the more energy I got!

2. Ideas beget ideas. Constantly being stuck for ideas or inspiration (beyond a short term funk) is a sign that you might not be on the right track.

The more ideas I have, the more ideas I have. 

Does that make sense? 

It reminds me of the morning glory vine on my back porch. It struggled for a while, but as soon as it started blooming, it exploded. And each blossom turned to 5 seeds that fell into the soil below and then even more morning glories grew. 

It is exponential!

3. You stop caring what anyone else thinks. As soon as the fear of embarrassment has left the room with its friend perfectionism, you can focus on your work and not your perceived idea of how anyone else is judging you.

Being true to your vision, bolsters your confidence and makes the people who do not support you melt away to the sea of their own discontent. They become so inconsequential.

And lastly, the empowerment of purpose comes not from a successful project, but from simply embarking on the journey. 

Walking fully into your passion is where all your power is. It does not matter what happens after that, as long as you put yourself out there fully, you will reap the benefits and confidence. You will be changed.