Welcome to our first Purpose Post, March 2021
Welcome to the first Purpose Post, and Welcome to a whole new astrological year!
It’s synchronous that today is the day I’ve sat down to finally put metaphorical pen to paper to write this.
It’s the first day in Aries. Aries is the start of each astrological year, also the Spring Equinox the official first day of spring, or autumn depending if you are in the northern or southern hemisphere of our planet! I hope wherever you are in the world things are feel like they are moving forward.
There is lots of turbulence at the moment, but spring always give me at least a feeling of coming out of hibernation and into the dawn of a new chapter. Even though in Singapore the weather doesn’t change and there aren’t really noticeable seasons, its hot and hotter, wet and wetter!
It’s great that we have three chances each year to start our own New Year.
January our calendar year, Chinese New Year - the first new moon of a calendar year and then again 20th March - Aries new moon starts our astrological new year.
Aries brings in our instinct, desire, impulse - direct action. Hopefully you are feeling the energy of forward movement - you might feel hurried or impatient to get moving. Just notice where and how you can direct this energy.
Each month, the Purpose Post will bring to you a mix of all things purpose related. My purpose is to help you infuse your lives and organisations with more humanity, purpose, meaning and impact.
This month it is a bit of a long post as I thought I’d share a little bit more than normal about me, my hopes and intentions for The Purpose Collective and then that will help you decide if you would like to keep receiving the purpose post and share with others or not.
I’ve been reflecting over the past few weeks that I’ve been working for nearly 23 years - that seems to me to be a huge amount of time that has passed! Of this 23 years, nearly 10 years have been living and working in Singapore and across Asia for global clients.
I’ve also now been a mama for coming close to 11 years (my eldest son will be in 11 in June) my youngest son will be 8 in exactly 30 days and counting down with huge excitement to his birthday.
In this 11 years I have become mother of two, moved countries, re-established my career in Asia, gone through a divorce, established a new relationship, navigated many family dynamics and emotions that go along side all of that.
I’ve had to put everything I teach and consult on around change into practice. My ‘knowing’ has had to be translated into my ‘being’ to surf all these waves.
There have been incredible highs and incredible lows but all of this, alongside my own healing and trying to make sense of my life and work, has led me to this beautiful place of creating The Purpose Collective.
The threads that bind my journey and story together are change, transformation, family, women, finding meaning in existence. I hope through all of that I have been able to, and will continue to be part of helping create organisations where purpose led change comes to life.
I see my role as helping employees, both contribute to the purpose of their own organisation at the same time being able to explore and fulfil their own sense of purpose.
My highest hope for The Purpose Collective, is to create a space (online and in real life) of learning, growth, truth and stories which bring purpose to the lives of the many and not the few.
Where people on their journeys to make meaning of their life and work get to come together to support themselves, each other and those they lead.
I hope you join me on this journey as I explore with you stories of personal and organisational clients, my own learning, your learning and together we create this collective purpose-led support network.
march inspiration
1. International Women’s Day
reflections:
We have come so far and yet we still have so far to go. My favourite call to action this month was the Melinda Gates & Brene Brown - Moment of Lift podcast: Check it out here.
I also wrote an article on this year’s theme of Choose to Challenge, inspired by LeanIn.org and I shared some great resources here.
I’m putting all of this purposeful energy into practice as I work with two global clients on Women’s development programmes at the moment.
I’m loving listening to and supporting mid-level career women to believe in themselves and write their own version of their lives and careers.
2. Working through your own Story
REFLECTIONS:
I take my inspiration from everywhere! One TV series that really inspires me and helps me see how family dynamics play out is This is Us - I know its a favourite of many but if you haven’t seen it - please do check it out.
I just finished Season 4 this month and loved this quote in the final episode about joy and tragedy.
My family of origin is complicated. My family I’ve created is also complex. All of this makes me who I am and likely who I will become, it’s part of my story. It can’t be erased, must embrace it all.
If you are working through your own story & journey - here is a new and great book out by @holisticpsychologist - follow Dr Nicole Lepara on Insta & check out her new book.
I have a few spaces for 1:1 coaching coming up and we will be launching a group journey too so please do get in touch if you are interested in either of these to reflect on your own story.
3. Your own sense of Purpose
Reflections:
I had a great time reflecting on my own sense of purpose and values with Lisa & Malcolm Doig from Corporate Evolution. The Transforming Self programme is a great programme if you want some space to connect with who you are and why you do what you do.
One of my favourite takeaways was inspired by Lisa as she shared the difference between change and transformation.
Change is like water to ice freezing. It’s a change of state, it can be unfrozen and turned back to water; it’s not ultimately permanent.
Transformation can’t be undone, it takes longer, it’s usually more painful and there is no going back to where you were before.
(Think caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly - there is no going back to caterpillar!)
New in the
Purpose Library
New in the Purpose Library is my conversation with name neighbours The Purpose Collective on ‘How Values Fuel Purpose’
It was a joy to join them and share my thoughts with their purpose community - check out the video and resources.
You might also like to join all their future events - I will be there! Thank you Chris, Sarah and Alberto for welcoming me into your collective - shared purpose builds collaboration.
4. Thinking Systemically
REFLECTIONS:
I had a brilliant time deepening my passion for systemic change work with Caroline Ward - please, check out her upcoming change programmes.
It also reminded me to dust off Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline, a classic but so modern and relevant in our times right now. We are the cause of many of the effects we are experiencing...
This is a great piece on the topic: You see the Effect, but what is the Cause?
Everything is connected to everything and all parts of any system (be it an organisational one or a family one) must be acknowledged for change to take place.
I’m really practicing curiosity with all my clients at the moment, nudging them to see how all the pieces of their systems connect.
Words for March
surrender
Wow, how beautiful, so much work in giving some things over to higher power! Listen to Brené Brown & Dr Sarah Lewis’ convo.
gratitude
There for the Grace of God go I. There are so many small and big things to be grateful for at the moment - every person, every opening, every blessing.
vision
Holding the creative tension of vision and current reality, this is my work in progress right now for myself and my clients.
Thank You
Much gratitude to @thepurposecollective founding tribe members Christina, Samantha, and Freddie for supporting me in these first few weeks! I’m here for virtual coffees, chats, learning and sharing so please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of service to you or your organisation.
Please do share this with anyone who might benefit and sign up here if you’d like to receive this each month
Much love, Carla x
