HOME

I am back home!
It's great to come back to Europe after 3 years and I feel at home right away. After years of discovering foreign places, it is relaxing and enjoyable to stay in an familiar environment. A lot has changed, but it still feels all the same. It makes us happy to be together with our friends and families. 
And it feels like I am in front of a blank canvas. A new beginning. I can choose how I want to spend my days, what to do, what to eat, who to meet.....total freedom. 

Knowing that I will have the freedom to design the life I want to have, during the last weeks I was asking myself the questions that pop into my mind: what do I love? What do I stand for? 

The answers are not always obvious. But I found a way to connect to my inner self and to get an answer to these questions. It has to do with your own manifesto. If you have never written a manifesto (like me) you might wonder what a manifesto really is: According to Merriam-Webster dictionary a manifesto is a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of a person or group. In business it is also referred to as a 'Mission Statement'. It says what you stand for, the rules you want to follow and what  you believe in. Artists and creatives use it like a manual for staying focused and authentic. Here is an example that I like from Kelly Rae Roberts:

It's a joyfull life manifesto by Kelly Rae Roberts

​Sounds good, right? 
But how do you get your own manifesto? How do you know where your 'home' is - for yourself but also for your work or business? Having a manifesto sounds great, but it doesn't just appear like this.... so I was questioning if I would really need it and I didn't know how to start. 

Then, after reading an interesting blog from Rhapsody design about writing my own statement, I was inspired and ready to give it a first try. 

​Nothing is permanently - don't wait for perfect timing.

So I started to write my manifesto with a mindmap. I wrote down my first ideas, wrote about it in my journal, meditated, thought about it and talked to friends. It all helped me to find our my core values and what I believe in. It took me a couple of days to tweak it and it is still in progress, but it's worth sharing my first attempt.

This helped me during the process:

• who am I ? (I found The Enneagram of Personality an interesting resource for self-awareness)
• why do I care so much about the things I do? (The cool community of Live your legend say "nothing big happens without the right reasons" and support intentional work/life)
• what are my core values? (you can check websites helping to name the specific value you are looking for)

​So now it's time to do the next step: May I proudly present my first manifesto!
​

I believe in falling in love with our lives. We are responsible for our own happiness.

I believe in doing what we love and doing it as often as possible. Following our passion is not optional, it is what makes us complete. 

I believe in doing what we are afraid of, accepting the fear and doing it anyway.

I believe that life gives us challenges, over and over again, until we grow. We learn best by making mistakes. So let's be imperfect.

I believe that art can remind us of the wonders of the world. Let's cherish them.

I believe that we can surround ourselves with goodness in order to deal peacefully with problems. Love is the answer.

I believe it's best to focus on what is possible and on what is already good.

I believe that we are born to celebrate life, nature, beauty and love. 

I hope I can motivate you to start thinking about your own statement. And to write it down! I liked it a lot and I will do my best to let it be my manual for staying focused.

Leave a comment, I'm curious what you think about my statement, if you have any tips, if you have ever tried to write your own manifesto and your experience with it. 

Big hug, 
Lisa