vision

The Many Faces of Your Calling

August 1, 2016 By Cara Lumen

Our calling evolves over time. We can look back and see signs of it throughout out lives. It appears in the things we love to do most. It usually manifests as something we do so naturally that we almost don’t notice it. But it shows up in different manifestations throughout our entire life.

Sometimes the gifts of our calling are subtle

When I was in high school, I was chosen to be the Managing Editor of the school paper. Not the Literary Editor, but the organizer, the manager. In college, I was House Manager of my sorority – another organizing position. As a young mother, I organized the Picture Lady Program for our school, which ended up being taken over and expanded upon by the Nelson Gallery of Art in Kansas City.

All of those were signs that I was a good organizer – that it was a gift I was to use in my life. But one subtle part of that gift of organizing took a very long time for me to realize. It was that I was also a good organizer of ideas.

This showed up in the clarity of my writing. It was elicited as I identified the overview of their purpose for my coaching clients. And ultimately I figured out that I have a gift for explaining the complex in simple forms.

But it took a lot of years to put all that together.

Look beyond the what for the why

It’s easier to see your calling in retrospect. I have been involved with a lot of newsletters. There is something in me that gets excited about sharing ideas with others. It shows up in my writing and my teaching. I can’t explain the “why” I do it. It is just a very, very, very strong urge. A calling, you might say.

Your calling changes forms

A friend has worked in corporate leadership development. Now she is being called to move from the rigid confines of a big company into a coaching business to help people learn to lead from within. She is redefining her calling, examining the depth of what she knows and reshaping it to add what is calling to her, a spiritual component, that of leading by example. As she searches for her new place of service, she searches for the words to explain it. She’s looking for the people whose lives she can change. She’s still exploring.

She’s taking her huge background in leadership development and exploring the leading edge of a new form of leadership. She has no idea where it will take her, she simply knows she must do it. The call is strong and she’s certainly answering it.

Follow those inner urges

The urges that call me to write are so strong I have no choice. An idea appears and I leap to my computer and explore it. I am lucky. At 83 I get to stay in my own rhythm, follow my own urges, and do exactly what I feel called upon to do.

However busy you are, find a way to develop your own stye, your own rhythm, your own self-expression. Listen. Learn to interpret. Express yourself in a new way. Accept new opportunities. Look for new venues.

Most of all trust those urges. Look at what you do well in a new light. Learn to repurpose it or reapply it in a new way.

Your calling is at your core. It’s your soul speaking. Listen to your calling, discover its many forms and go where it leads you.

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:

Can We Think our Way to Success?
How Do You Nurture “Different”
Learn to Honor Your Inner Rhythm
The Power of Your Personal Path
Can You Control Your Own Destiny?
40 – Who Do yo Want to Serve?
32 – How to See Your Work As Art
27 – Why Have You Been Chosen
28 – How to Walk Beside Someone in Service

What Do You Save Space for in Your Life?

July 27, 2016 By Cara Lumen

I’ve been on two webinars today, heard lots of tempting ideas, and I have to stop and take stock. What do I actually want to save space for in my life?

What is most important to you?

I have to decide what’s most important to me right now and look closely at how much time and energy it’ll take to do what I want.

Whether you call it being in service or having impact or making a difference, we all want to do work that has value and that contributes to our world. We all want our work to have meaning – to us as we do it and to others as it contributes to their lives.

So what’s important to us? What do we make the most space for in our lives? It may be your job or your business, it may be volunteer work, it may be your family or friends. What brings you the most personal satisfaction?

Start there. Make more space for that.

How can you accomplish your goals in a more simple manner?

I’m a writer. I’m an explorer of esoteric ideas that I figure out how to apply to my life. Then I share what I discover with you. So the questions I face are: how much sharing to do, in what format, what is the most effective use of my time and gifts and what works best for you.

That’s a big one. When you have a lot of ideas, when you know a lot of opportunities to serve, how do you decide your priorities? How do you make time for what you truly want to do?

Look at what’s working now

It may be as simple as looking at what’s working now and doing more of that. What’s giving you the most results, affecting the most lives, and giving you the most rewards?

For me, it might be choosing to make the podcasts shorter, or writing posts in batches, or simply getting better at the technical aspect of making videos. A variety of decisions must be made with every new opportunity you consider. Choose with an eye to both efficiency and effectiveness.

Our space is sacred

If we view your life, our time, our thoughts and our actions as sacred, we’re going to carefully choose what we put into our available space. We’re going to choose only the things that both nourish us and are the biggest gifts to others. What’s it in for us? What’s in it for them? Find a balance.

I begin by considering what’s in it for me because if I’m not happy, if I’m not fulfilled, I won’t do a good job of reaching others. Align your awareness with your passion and make choices that nurture and nourish you.

What do you save space for in your life? Consider your choices. Make every moment count.

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

Balance and the Flow of Living
Lose Your Attachment to the Outcome
The Prime Real Estate of Time and Space
The Power of the Label You Choose
Hold the Space for Things To Change
41 – How to Make Decisions When Your Let Your Life Unfold
31-How to Cultivate The Power of Simplicity

How to Allow Your Vision to Unfold

August 4, 2015 By Cara Lumen

I may be short-changing myself. I want to allow my life to unfold, but how do I craft a vision that’s big enough and still just allows circumstance to show up when they will?

I was doing a self-awareness exercise, and it moved me into actual numbers, for instance how many people I would like to see in the Deeper Song Community – any by when. Up until now, I have only been focusing how I am in service, how I am reaching people, how I am affecting their lives. It was never about numbers. That raised the question how does the idea of holding a vision fit in with the concept of allowing your life to unfold?

A vision doesn’t have to contain numbers, but size often enters into your idea of what you want to achieve or attract. Choosing numbers could either limit my possibilities by being too low, or spur me into action by suggesting I do more to help it happen. I just want to be certain I am thinking big enough, exploring enough possibilities, and following up on the most impactful ideas.

Am I thinking big enough?

It’s not the size of the vision, it’s the purpose. If I keep doing the most thoughtful work I can, diligently sharing it with others, the right people will find my work. The perfect people, not ”x” number of people. If my goal is to be a contributing factor in helping people create positive change in their lives, then changing one life is a success. Changing more lives would be a gift. Am I doing all I can to reach as many people as possible? That may take some planning. I want to fulfill my potential.

Am I exploring enough possibilities?

If I think too small, I won’t go exploring. I may not learn new skills, or try new ideas – unless I hold a vision of touching more lives. When I did a reality check, I wrote down some numbers – how many posts, podcasts and videos I could and would share in the course of a year. Those offerings will serve as change agents, but I’d also like to structure a learning environment around a specific objective. At my core, I know that every word I write or speak has the potential to change a life. As do yours. What do I vision about? How do I let life simply unfold? How do I know what action to take – or can I?

Am I following up on the most impactful ideas?

We all want to be effective. We all want to make a difference. We all need to feel relevant. I know that when I stay true to myself and my passion I make my most aligned choices However, my mind often pops in and wonders how I should be doing things differently or what else I should be doing to touch more lives.

Mind map your path

When I get confused between a vision and allowing life to unfold, I sit down with pencil and paper on a clipboard, close my eyes and relax into my inner wisdom. When an idea pops up, it gets recorded, wherever my intuition tells me to place it on the page. Using this simple technique, I was able to relax contentedly into the idea that in the next ten years, from age 83 to 93, my major purpose is to harvest my crop. That’s it. That’s my vision. I take whatever this mix is called Cara Lumen and share what she figures out. I know that what I share will give a nudge, an insight, or a revelation to many others on their own journey and possibly help them through a particular moment in their life. Their awareness, in turn, will ricochet further out into the world.

That’s a very, very, very big vision – to keep figuring out life based on the experience and wisdom I have accumulated over the years and share it in a way that change lives. It will all happen when I take one moment at a time. When I explore one idea at a time. When I share one thoughtful post, or one inspiring podcast, or one enlightening video and someone, somewhere responds.

Define a core purpose for this stage of your journey.

My purpose is to inspire others to share their gifts with the world.

Trust how you respond to what shows up. Do the work. Put it out there. And move forward. One step at a time. One moment at a time. One small insight at a time.

Your perfect vision is already unfolding.

To Sing a Deeper Song consider:

07- How to Find and Express Your Distinctive Voice (podcast, 20 minutes)

10– What Will Change Because Of What You Are About To Do? (podcast, 20 minutes)

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Forcing

Unfolding an the Wu Wei of Not-Obstructing

Unfolding and the Wu Wei of Not-Interfering

Return to the Simplilcity of The Uncarved Block

The Mudra That Made a Difference

The Next “Now.

The Spaces In Our Lives

Wander Beyond All Paths

Find Your Deeper Song Archetype

June 18, 2015 By Cara Lumen

Too often, we see ourselves as we think others see us. We can’t recognize our own value or potential. Choosing your own personal identifying archetype can send you in a powerful new direction.

Archetype as a model

This is not about the archetype’s as Jung described them, this is a about your personal model, the type of person you see yourself, the way you want to give to others. I call this your Deeper Song Model because encouraging it, developing it, being it, wail help you sing a deeper song – whatever that means to you. To find your Deeper Song Model you may need to look at it from two directions, what seems to have been there all along and what you would like to become.

What have you been all your life?

Make a running list of all the ways you think you have been seen in your life. Prankster, studious, geek, kind, thoughtful, generous. Get more subtle even than those. My list included independent, different, on the edge of the group, creative, curious, un-observant, odd, smart, and opinionated
Now add to the list those things you wish you were, or like to think your are. Those things you may not be certain your are expressing but would like to. That’s showing up for me as people give me feedback on what I am organically doing. I like some of what they say, I only hope it’s true.
Look at your work. Add descriptive words from how you are perceived at work – by your co-workers, your clients, your bosses, your business associates. Write down the acknowledgements you receive. Ask a few friends to describe you.
Look at your relationships. Add words to your list that describe how you interact with others old and young, male and female – all the people you encounter in your life. How you are seen will depend on what that person needs in their life at the moment. Consider that as you add those words to your list.
Review your list and circle the words that resonate with you, either because you think they are true or you want them to be true.
Copy those positive words to another list.

Look for your model, your archetype

We’re looking for clues and we’re making some choices. Look at the list. Circle the words that call to you. See if your Deeper Song Model begins to appear. Write down some of the descriptive words that come to you.

At one point, I was the vision Distiller because I realized one of my talents was helping recognize and organize the over-arching direction of my coaching clients. As I moved into Content Development Coaching, I became the Idea Optimizer. These were words that described how I saw myself in service. They were my archetypes, my model, my major definer of how I was in service.

When I moved into my Deeper Song work, I began using words like seeker explorer, guide, and spiritual philosopher to describe what I did and how I helped others. Any of those would make good Deeper Song Models for me. “Explorer” shouted out. That’s what I want to be. That’s how I see myself in my own quiet way. That’s how I want to FEEL! I am an explorer.

Define the qualities of your Deeper Song Model

What are the qualities of an explorer: curious, independent, brave, looks for connections, fits small discoveries into a bigger picture, sees the overview, leader, demanding, persistent, intrepid, seeker, guide, guardian of those who follow. Do you see how I now have a list of qualities to encourage and inspire me? That’s what a Deeper Song Model can do for you. I can express any of those qualities at any time. I can look at one of the qualities and decide I want to develop it more. I resonate to “guardian of those who follow.” When I choose that, look how that will impact the choices I make next. What does that look like? How can I express that? What does a guardian of those who follow do?

I can also look at some of the pitfalls being an explorer might have. Restless, superficial inquiry, discover and move on rather than settle, not fitting in, individualist, start up projects but not complete them. The Deeper Song Model is multifaceted. Allow it to contribute to your awareness,.

Begin to model your Deeper Song Archetype

Seeing myself as an explorer sends me off the beaten path. It suggests that I guide others who want to come in this same direction. It urges me to set up a base camp in which we are all safe. An explorer may choose a certain clientele. A wagon train master drew to him strong, stalwart, determined people. A scientific explorer worked with thoughtful, introspective people. Do you see how your choice of an archetype also leads you to other choices. I help people sing a deeper song. Not everyone is going to want to go in this direction. Be certain where you are leading with your Deeper Song Model. Make certain it honors what you want to learn next as well as the people you hope to help. .

Look at your personal model from both its strengths and weaknesses. Don’t start with Jung’s archetypes. Start with your understanding of you. What you feel. What you desire. What you want to experience. Find your personal Deeper Song Model from your natural voice. Then use it to guide your next steps.

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:

04–How to Redefine Yourself and the 30 Year Plan (podcast, 20 minutes)

10– What Will Change Because Of What You Are About To Do? (podcast, 20 minutes)

12- How To Nurture Yourself if You are a Rock (podcast, 20 minutes)

Your Work as You

My Three Words for 2015

How Are You Harvesting Your Crop?

Use Power Words To Change Your Life

Do You Know How You Create Impact

Are You Reading the Signs?

Why I Love Being a Freak

Nothing Is Required But the Next Step

March 29, 2014 By Cara Lumen

In my spiritual reading today, I read “nothing is required but the next step” and it brought my world up close around me. It means I don’t have to worry about the future, make long-range plans, or even stay frozen in inactivity. I just need to take one step. One baby step. One giant step. One sideways step. Even one backward step. Just so I move. If nothing is required but the next step, my “now” holds infinite and exciting possibilities.

Take one step of exploration

When we are at a crossroads or even a place of indecision in our life, we need to go exploring. We need to take a few steps deeper into the path that interests us to see if that is the direction we would like to take. If I want to change career paths, I need to explore the other options that interest me. If I want to change my relationship, I can explore what I might change within me that would enhance and alter my current relationships and even draw to me those who are more aligned with my own vibration. If I want to change my health, I need to explore the paths that interest me. Don’t worry over options you have not been given. That path is no longer open. Focus on what is available to you. Go exploring. Immerse yourself in the feeling you find and let them guide you.

Take one step and see what happens

Try a day when you only say positive things and see what happens. Try a day when you do only what your own heart asks of you. Try a moment of silence before you speak. Make a list of possibilities and circle the ones that inspire the most emotion in you, the most passion in you. Examine yourself for fears that are holding you back. Take a step and see what changes. Whenever you act, something happens. Moreover, whatever that something is, it holds new possibilities, new inspiration, and new choices.

Step outside your comfort zone

“Do not follow where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail,” advises Emerson. Where can you go that is your unique direction? How can you express yourself in ways that nurture you, motivate you and inspire you to action? It’s not going to be a path someone has already taken because you are unique, you are different, you are the only “you” there is. You must find your own path – one step at a time.

Leave your old path behind

Leave your past behind. Leave your old self behind. Create a new version of yourself based on how you feel right now, what you need right now, what you believe right now, what you are willing to do right now. This moment begins a new journey. Begin by taking one step at a time.