Tag: purpose

Why our Native Culture is Key

Published on by Courtney Anne Wilson5 Comments

I recently returned from a 13-day retreat in Hawaii, on the island of Molokai. My intention was to immerse myself into the traditional Hawaiian culture and to see what happens….

In the lead up and during the retreat, I familiarised myself with the language, through learning chants and hymns that we would sing as part of protocol; I observed, listened and participated in ceremonies; I was transformed through storytelling expressed through elders sharing and the graceful practice of hula; I was moved by visiting ancient sacred sites; and I asked questions, quickly learning this was only at the appropriate time!

Words can’t explain what happened, it changed my whole worldview. Yet, here is what I can share about Hawaii and what I will take forward in my day-to-day life, both personally and professionally:

  1. Always believe in something larger than ourselves

This could be anything from a universal energy, the cosmos, the power of nature, a god, gods or goddesses, or simply the collective vision of your organisation, team or family.

Our ability to believe in something larger than ourselves can transform our world from “me” to “we” and move us into living a life of unity and gratitude ~ Mahalo Ke Akua

  1. Listen, Observe and Pray

We’ve heard it before “Seek first to understand. Then to be understood”, Stephen Covey. It’s true! I ‘re-cognised’ the true value of observation and listening, despite wanting to ask questions (which can be intrusive) and being the most talkative (which can be arrogant). I rediscovered my faith in knowing that the answers will be revealed, the great truths will be uncovered and the will and courage to speak will be received and given, at precisely the right time. ~ Pule

  1. Stay centred and laugh often

Our native culture reminds us about finding the balance between our intellect and intuition. It’s about having integrity. It’s about letting our conscious be our guide. Imagine how different our thoughts, words and behaviours would be if we operated from a place of knowing as opposed to telling. And when the going gets tough (go back to #2!) or if you simply need a smile, it’s amazing how our sense of humour can bring light and laughter back into our spirit, mind and body ~ Pono

  1. Be ready for anything

A Greek philosopher once said “The only constant in life is change”. I live and breathe change, now I have a word for it ~ Mākaukau

Most importantly, this adventure reminded me about Australia’s indigenous culture, my connection to our land and broader community, the need to apologise and forgive on behalf of ourselves and ancestors, and the insight to revere those who are brave enough to build a bridge between the old and the new.

Most surprisingly, this adventure reminded me that WE ALL have a native culture to rediscover, especially if we are to go forward, together.

A hui hou, Aloha

Mahalo nui Kumu Pa’a Lawrence Aki, Kyrian Van Vliet, Kumu Pa’a Kawika Foster, Jessica Foster, Anakala (Uncle) Pilipo Solatorio, Anake (Aunt) Diane Solatorio, Kumu Hula DJ Pelekai, Aunt Souki, Uncle Bobby Alcain, Aunt Julia Hoe, Uncle Herb Hoe, Uncle Harry Kuupio Aki, Haumana of Mana o Molokai Hawaii and Mana o Kahiko, Sue (pictured above) and all my fellow Molokai Hula Bliss and Huaka’i 2018 participants.

Courtney ‘Co-Creator’ Wilson

m: +61 (0)417 107 888| e: courtney.connect@outlook.com

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Living Social and Spiritual – Why are we here?

Published on by Courtney Anne WilsonLeave a comment

Last night I had the privilege of being in the presence of one of the world’s greatest teachers. An inspirational icon and example of what it takes to live a life on purpose. A woman who follows her passion and whose every move and decision is dictated by her heart’s desire to offer up her gift to the world and to be of service to others.

Oprah, such a power house of a woman who speaks to you in many ways and at every level, left me with one defining moment that resonated at my core and that lingers with me as I wake this morning. She said (something along the lines of) ‘There is no life without a spiritual life. And by spiritual I don’t mean religious. You can be spiritual without being religious and the reverse is also true, you can be religious without being spiritual. Spiritual, in this context, is the connection you have with the spirit within you – the core of who you are’.

A famous quote to follow up her point-“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

So I ask myself these two simple, yet loaded, questions.

  1. Do I live a spiritual life?
  2. What do I do that connects me to my spirit?

I started to explore.…

  • I meditate every day to center myself and to listen to my inner voice (if only for 5 mins)
  • I practice Ashtanga yoga, to connect my body, mind and spirit (even when I’m tired or resist)
  • I dance to feel and to harness the power of music and movement (and to literally stop thinking)
  • I walk along the beach to bathe in the abundance of the ocean (and sense the bigger picture)
  • I watch movies to discover meaning and the power of story (recognising my own story)
  • I check in with myself when I need to make a decision or respond (even after I may have reacted unintentionally)
  • I hug and sit by trees to connect and honour the wisdom of the land (knowing nature has it all worked out)
  • I connect with others and travel to experience diversity and appreciate other cultures/view points (validating the different aspects of my consciousness to avoid sitting in judgement too long)
  • I surround myself with people that are aligned in values and who ask more of me (despite my moments of resentment or reluctance)
  • I follow my passion through the work that I choose to do with and for others (even in the face of uncertainty)
  • I hold an intention to add value in everything I do (in spite of a world telling me to take all that I can get)

In exploring these relatively simple questions, I discover what I need, what it is that excites me, what brings me happiness – and we all want to be happy!

It’s so easy to get caught up in the social side of life, where we want to fit in with the latest trends and fashion and where its hassle free to follow the crowd and simply do what everyone else is doing or thinks we should be doing.

But what last night’s defining moment made me realise is that in order to live a meaningful and happy life it is simply dependent on being you – the spirit of you – the best version of you. The level of happiness you experience is directly related to the connection you have with your spirit within and the choices you make every day to honour your spirit. It is our ability to bring together and be Social and Spiritual – a new way of living.

So my question to you is this…

What do you do every day that connects you to your spirit, your passion, your personal calling?

As you ponder this question, I leave you with a few of my favourite quotes from Oprah Winfrey…

“Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.”

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”

‘Turn up the volume of your life!’ – Living Social and Spiritual

Oprah Biscuits

Courtney ‘Co-Creator’ Wilson

m: +61 (0)417 107 888| e: courtney.connect@outlook.com

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Do we practice Creative Collaboration?

Published on by Courtney Anne WilsonLeave a comment

After an amazing 3 week holiday in Brazil, February not only brought a time of reflection and relaxation but also surprising connections and opportunities abroad. And to top it all off, February concluded with the 2nd CC Event, where we continued to build relationship with one another while exploring The Circle of Collaboration©…. a tool to guide active team building through clarifying and aligning values and visions.

I will share more about my Brazilian connections and collaboration opportunities in my next post, so stay tuned.  Right now, I wanted to share the highlights of the February CC Event…

As we all continued to take networking to the next level, we opened our minds to what is possible and created trust amongst the group by discussing current issues and exploring ways to overcome them. It was very evident through the conversations that what we all valued authentic relationships at home and in the workplace – not only with others but also with ourselves. It simply reinforced that absolutely, without a doubt, building relationship and creating trust is the first step in establishing effective team work and reducing competition.

This finding fit in perfectly with the knowledge sharing of the morning. As we consider coming together to collaborate and co-create on projects, I encouraged a change in the way we think about and perceive Collaboration; to align with Creative Collaboration as opposed to the familiar ‘Corporate’ Collaboration so many of us are used to working within.

When we creatively collaborate we need to move from:

  • A hierarchy based approach that is directive in nature to a role based approach that fosters cooperation;
  • A profit driven venture that places higher importance on profit over people to a purpose driven venture that nurtures its people and honours their true value (which ultimately serves the bottom line because the truth is it’s the people who build the business and the profit);
  • An egocentric consumer focus that stays true to the old saying ‘What’s In It For Me’ (WIIFM) to an altruistic contribution focus aligning with a the new and improved saying, that I like to call, ‘What Can I Contribute’ (WCIC). In doing so, we overcome scarcity and add value through sharing knowledge.

Creative Collaboration is rewarding for everyone and the way forward for all workplaces, businesses and projects, alike. Furthermore, visualise Creative Collaboration as a way to becoming interdependent, like a collective community where each member has an important role to play in the whole, and we address and reduce the fear of losing autonomy and/or becoming co-dependent. Follow these 7 essential ingredients and achieve success through creative collaboration:

Ultimately we each need to make the COMMITMENT to ourselves, our role and the team; to creativity, diversity and sharing knowledge; and to contributing towards the collective vision!

This is what it will take for us to come together and purposefully #ActOnPassionsandVisions.

So the next time you find yourself teaming up with others, ask yourself do we practice Creative Collaboration? Consider these concepts and watch your team flourish!

The next CC Event will be held on Friday March 27th – I hope to see you there!!!!! Details coming soon…

You can also connect with the CC Community via the CC Page and/or CC Group on Facebook to contribute, share knowledge and participate in upcoming events.

Courtney ‘Co-Creator’ Wilson

m: +61 (0)417 107 888| e: courtney.connect@outlook.com

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It all started with a Bang!

Published on by Courtney Anne WilsonLeave a comment

Wow! What a month…. I performed for the first time at the Sydney Latin Festival with a team of amazing Zouk dancers AND launched my business, Cultivate Connections, with the first ever CC Event. Talk about start the New Year off with a bang! 2015 is definitely the year for no holding back!!

The launch of CC Events was terrifying and amazing all at the same time. It was a long time coming and a journey like no other. I was so grateful people aligned with my passion and vision and showed up, not to mention provided so much positive feedback, more than I could have hoped for. The morning brought Leaders, Influencers and Visionaries, from an array of backgrounds, together in one room. It was an opportunity for us to meet, connect, share knowledge and build relationship.

The context was Teamwork centred on the Circle of Collaboration. It is my dream that together we embrace, define, develop and innovate around the Circle of Collaboration – co-creating a brighter future for ourselves and those to come. 20 years ago Health and Well-Being was merely a concept, now it’s a way of life. Imagine a world where we know to be true and are living and doing business aligned with all the petals of the Circle of Collaboration….

Thought provoking and controversial conversations arose around the following petals of the circle: Causes and Community, Social and Spiritual (now Social and Sustainability), Professional and Personal and Profit and People (now Public & Policy). The word Spiritual in particular was at first, by some, difficult to relate to but then once any preconceived ideas about religion was set aside, the true meaning of the word emerged and people could relate to their eternal spirit within. It was a joy to witness, to participate in and to contribute towards. The energy of the room certainly took on its name ‘Thinking Space’ – it couldn’t have been more aligned if I tried! I really look forward to seeing where the events, connections and conversations lead the community as the year continues….

What do the petals of the Circle of Collaboration mean to you?

The next event will be held on Friday morning 27th February and I’m calling out to all Leaders, Influencers, Visionaries or Collaborators who want to connect, team up and help grow a new humanity. The conversations with continue and further connections will be made as we explore the Circle of Collaboration and the benefits of Creative Collaboration and Synergy.

Register and book your seat now via Eventbrite and contribute towards a brighter future https://cultivateconnetions.eventbrite.com.au

I hope to see you there!

Courtney ‘C0-Creator’ Wilson

m: +61 (0)417 107 888| e: courtney.connect@outlook.com

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What Holds us BACK to ACT?

Published on by Courtney Anne Wilson4 Comments

December and the promise of a New Year brings with it a time of reflection. Reflection of what we have achieved in the year gone by (or perhaps postponed or held back on) as well as the resolutions that we make to ourselves for the year ahead… a year full of possibilities and opportunities…

It’s the best time of year to set clear intentions, to reignite a Passion or Vision for the future and to Dream …Dream BIG so that we can make the world awesome!

One thing I chose to do differently this year, just to push myself forward and to make sure that I no longer postpone or put things off, was to honestly ask myself…..

‘What Holds Me back to Act?’

When I reflect, I recognise one valuable distinction I have learnt from a system/typology that I now work with, in that I am driven by a lot of why, a little of what, but absolutely no how. What this means is that when I focus on ‘why’ I want to do something, I have clarity. But when I actually want go and do that something, sometimes I just don’t know how to do it! I can become confused, frustrated and potentially give up! I realise that I actually need to team up with those that know how….

So that is what I have done. I have teamed up with 3 inspirational women on purpose, who have aligned values and vision, so that together we can co-create quality solutions for the future. We share a vision to empower and create influential women of the world and, through Creative Collaboration, we have developed a Cohesive Leadership for Change program designed specifically for women. Launching in March 2015, the program creates the vital challenge and joyful experience of discovering ones purpose and stepping into ones individual and collective values and visions.

By teaming up in this way, I have also been inspired and motivated to finally act and launch my new business ‘Cultivate Connections’ on Friday 30th January 2015.

When I discovered what was holding me back and experienced firsthand what happens when I team up with those that complement my strengths and weaknesses, I thought perhaps I might not be the only one; that others might also benefit from teaming up too and that’s why I created Cultivate Connections – it connects people, services and businesses to ensure we have everything we need to ‘turn our Passions and Visions into Actions’… the What, the Why and the How and even the Where and the When…

So as the New Year approaches, ask yourself…

  • Do you have a Passion you want to enthusiastically pursue with others?
  • Do you have a Vision you want to share?
  • Do you have a Dream you want to make into a Reality?

If so, consider a collaborative venture and team up with those that have aligned values and vision. I can certainly declare that TEAMWORK really does make the DREAMWORK!

It is quite incredible. It’s not to say it’s without its challenges but it brings new meaning to relationships, to passions and visions, to ideas and dreams and to what is possible for our future.

Make a New Year resolution now to come along to a CC Event and watch this space, as booking details is coming soon….Taking networking to the next level, CC Events provides an opportunity to consciously Cultivate Connections and experience Creative Collaboration. For further details check out CC Events.

So as 2014 comes to a close, connect with your PASSION, VISION or DREAM and let’s get you collaborating with the right people in 2015…

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Courtney ‘Co-Creator’ Wilson

m: +61 (0)417 107 888| e: courtney.connect@outlook.com

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