Authentic: true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character
— Merriam Webster Dictionary
Last month, close to 3,000 people descended upon Portland, Oregon to participate in the fifth annual World Domination Summit (WDS) – a tongue-in-cheek way of describing a gathering of a group of adventure-seekers craving remarkable lives in a conventional world. While there were many kinds of seekers, there was one thread that especially linked this year’s group: the strong desire to support each other in our quests to live remarkable lives. In other words, this was a group of people who want to design lives that are meaningful — and authentic.
Ready to kick off #WDS2015
Authenticity has become a bit of a cliché in a time when life coaches are the next big career choice. But, whatever relationship you may have with that concept or with life coaches, the bottom line is that we all need to find – and be – our real deals. While we may have careers that don’t suit our true spirits, maybe we have hobbies that do. It’s when we have neither work nor play that reflects our personalities that we start to wilt, losing the spark that lived within each of us as children.
While the topics the speakers presented varied, many of them touched upon this idea of authentic self as a grounding force to moving forward whether it be personally or professionally:
“To become a location rebel, you have to be willing to be a little selfish.”
— Sean Ogle
What if the life we want to design isn’t mainstream? What if people don’t support our dream situations? That’s when we have to be selfish to create lifestyles that reflect our authentic selves even if it doesn’t jive with the masses.
“Why do you want to be known?” — Jonathan Fields
“Why do you want to be known?”
— Jonathan Fields
In an age where we’re obsessed with celebrity status and Facebook likes, we need to have a quiet time to reflect on this question. In that place we’re able to get in touch with what drives us and the “why” behind what we want to create.
“You can’t monetize joy.”
— Jon Acuff
It’s easy to get caught in the trappings of making money. But, what if we instead focused on making joy? How can we live comfortably and joyfully? Perhaps saying, “yes” to joy is worth bypassing a project where it may be sacrificed.
“Self confidence grows when you keep a promise to yourself.”
— Asha Dornfest
New friends support each other in world domination.
Sometimes – OK, correction … most times, it’s easier to keep promises to other people that to ourselves. After all, we can always forgive ourselves. But, what do we want to have achieved by the time we reach our older years? How do we want to have lived? And what legacy do we want to leave? If we continue breaking our own promises, we may look back on our lives with regrets.
“Be who you were created to be and you’ll set the world on fire.”
— Vani Hari
Amanda Yuill, a wise new friend I met at WDS 2015 taught me that passion plus skills plus confidence equals an explosion. If there’s no fire burning within us to do what we’re doing, we certainly won’t be able to create sparks in the world.
“Will you take off the mask?”
— Lewis Howes
With more and more communication happening via social media, masks are common. But what happens when we take them off? When I turned 40, I experimented with this concept and found the love of my life on an online dating website. How might your life be changed without the mask?
“What’s that thing that you discovered when you were less than 10 years old?”
— Lissa Rankin
When I was in the second grade, I had the leading role in the Spanish version of Little Red Riding Hood at my school. Today I love traveling in Spanish speaking countries and improvisational theater is the driving concept behind The Adventure Project. What we do when we’re children may seem like only fun and games when in fact it’s that, and, a clue to what will light us up into the future.
Loosening the %*&@ up before #WDS2015 launches!
“Find your adventure!”
— Amy Angelilli
Ok, so I wasn’t a WDS speaker. I did, however, lead a meet-up where I used a combination of improvisational theater techniques and laughter yoga to loosen attendees up as they began their WDS journeys. When we take time to be mindful of our intentions, to play and connect with others, we’re often able to open the path to discovering our own – authentic — life’s adventure.
Upcoming Events:
PLAYSHOP: Laughter Yoga
Enjoy a mind-body combination of laughter exercises, deep breathing and relaxation techniques to enhance your health — and happiness.
Monday, August 31st, 8 – 9 p.m.
Voodoo Comedy Playhouse (Denver, CO)
SHOW: 3 Blind Dates
Denver’s only unscripted romantic comedy, and, YOU get to choose the couples!
Saturday, September 12th, 7 p.m.
Voodoo Comedy Playhouse (Denver, CO)
& September 12th – 27th at the Boulder International Fringe Festival (Boulder, CO)
PLAYSHOP: Recess for Adults: Laugh and Play with Mindfulness
Calm your mind and boost your energy with a play break designed just for adults.
Saturday, September 19th, 9 a.m. – noon
Creative Life Center (Boulder, CO)
