Hi Folks! hope you're having a splendid week and that your Wednesday is filled with wonder!
Here is this week’s best stuff hot off the presses.
Numero Uno: This week's wonder’ings
I think a lot of people walk around not really knowing what they are doing with their lives. Or maybe I am totally wrong… each person can really only answer that question for themselves. Obviously this gets into some pretty deep stuff but whatever your existential stance I think the following is a helpful tool to navigate these waters.
I was talking to a friend recently who was saying that anytime you answer a question or solve a problem on an individual level you have also in fact done this on a more universal level (basically for all the people who have that same problem or question) It doesn’t scale perfectly because everyone is different but you get the point if you can do something once you can do it a million times… The neat thing is there are a lot of ideas out there that have stood this test very well, they have scaled up so to speak and past the test of time and vast numbers of varied individuals, these concepts have been weathered into timeless principles, truths, strategies or frameworks which can be tried and trusted.
What does this have to do with not knowing what to do with your life?
Well, the way I see it, it has a whole lot to do with it, you see if you have ever asked this question or are asking it right now the answer has already been found by many people before you. Sure everyone's answer is a bit different but the ways they have found it are often the same.
Have You Ever Heard Of IKIGAI?? It's more than just a weird-sounding word, this is a Japanese concept which essentially means "reason for being". It's about finding the crossroads of your abilities, interests, and the world's needs. IKIGAI is one of these types of frameworks that I referenced above, it is a helpful way of finding answers and as result, people continue to use it and they continue to find it helpful, the diagram is pretty self-explanatory so I'll just leave it right along with one other quote for your consideration.
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” - Frederick Buechner
Numero Dos: My Weekly Creativity Tip/Challenge.
I am currently doing a reading fast which includes audiobooks and podcasts and any video other than a feature film. It’s way harder than I thought and it opens up a lot of space to see what goes on in one’s mind on a day-to-day or even minute-to-minute basis. I found this Excercise in The Artist’s Way (which I highly recommend) basically the idea is if you are always consuming other people’s stuff you will never think up or tinker with or create your own stuff… I’m halfway through the week and I will say it’s creating a lot more “space”, and I have been trying to use that space to work on my own ideas…give it a try, more on this next week.
Numero Tres: A side hustle idea you can start today.
Ok, this is one that I have actually done and in a pinch, it can be a great way to make some extra cash if you are totally stuck. You probably have everything you need already at home and if not you can buy it at a dollar store for a few bucks. When I was in teachers college (which for me was basically side hustle school because that's what I focused on) I did not want to get a part-time job so I tried all kinds of side hustles, some worked and some didn’t. One of the ones that did was detailing cars.
I threw up an ad on Facebook Marketplace and before too long the messages rolled in! Do not underestimate Facebook Marketplace! You might hate the old Metaverse but beggars sometimes can’t be choosers and the amount of people searching on there is crazy! So give this a try, especially if you live in a city. So through your ad with a baseline price for an interior vacuum and wipe down, you can obviously offer exterior cleaning as well… I made 50-120 bucks depending on the service and sometimes I had a couple of customers a week… I bought a used shop vac for 40 bucks and bought some sponges and a pail from the dollar store… So there you have it. And don’t kid yourself this can be scaled up to a full-time business pretty quickly if you need or want to.
Oh and here is a bonus tip: you can rent the upholstery cleaners from Metro (in Canada) for like 30 bucks a day, and you can charge a lot more for seat steam cleaning so line up like 5 for one day, boom you're rich.
Numero Quatro: Person or Thing That Inspired Me This Week
Thing or person that is inspiring me right now
It was a few months back that I read this essay but it has really stayed with me. I have been diving into their music again and I was reminded of this piece written by Winston Marshall the Banjo player from Mumford and Sons after the fallout which all started with a small Tweet about a book he enjoyed and ended with him deciding to leave what might be called of the biggest breakout bands of the last few decades. It’s a pretty powerful story. You Can Read Winston’s essay titled, “Why I’m Leaving Mumford & Sons” right here
Numero Cinco: Song I am loving right now
On that note The song I am loving right now is from the same band and linked up below, it's the title track from their last album and it gives me the chills every time. Enjoy.
Well folks that's all for this week's edition of the society for a wonder’ing mind. Where nothing is off-topic and we chase beauty, purpose, and profit wandering and wondering the whole time.
I love hearing from you guys, so if you have any thoughts let me know! Love it? Hate it? Can’t be bothered with it… let me know what you would like to hear more or less of and I’ll do my best!
Shout out to longtime Subscriber Chris Ryland, Chris is a long time friend, cowboy, Ferrier, and up and coming musician drop him a follow on IG @white_crow_outlaws
Your’s in the great adventure,
Ben