It’s becoming quite the trend to take back the ownership of our lives. We don’t want to be controlled by bad or old habits or a job situation that doesn’t suit us anymore. We don’t want to feel trapped by expectations that don’t align with our own dreams and passions.
The concept of being responsible for your own life, your own happiness, your own fortune is nothing new, but to live it with a high level of consciousness every day is new for most of us.
The concept of “Designing Your Life” is becoming a thing. When we first published the book, Design Your Life, three years ago, we had to explain: it’s not an interior design manual. Today most people get the idea what it means to be designing your life, they are intrigued by it and feel empowered. We are both happy and humbled by the concept taking hold and more motivated than ever to democratize the process and making it accessible to as many as possible.
We have grown our concept beyond the book and added workshops, an online course, retreats, a blog featuring everyday Life Designers, personal mentoring and Design Circles – all within reach of the everyday people.
In this weeks notes we are celebrating our 3-year anniversary of Design Your Life, talking about giving back and want you to meet some of the most hardworking life designers, who prove our philosophy that everyone can take personal responsibility and assemble their best life.
A QUOTE THAT STUCK
“The good life is built with good relationships.”
Says George Vaillant, Harvard psychiatrist, in this article about one of the longest studies on the key to happiness.
https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/want-a-life-of-fulfillment-a-75-year-harvard-study-says-to-prioritize-this-one-t.html?cid=sf01002&sr_share=facebook
BOOK ON THE NIGHT STAND
Design Your Life
By Pernille Spiers-Lopez (Beyond Words publishing)
“ Don’t spend your whole life searching for the right job- make it the most job to design the right life”- Pernille Spiers-Lopez
We are recommending our own book because it’s been 3 years since Design Your Life was published in US and 5 years since it first came out in the original Danish version with the quirky title (Hvis dit Liv var et køkken – If your life was a kitchen).
After having spoken to lots of readers and life designers over the years, we know that Pernille’s down to earth, no nonsense approach and method to take control over your own life works and has inspired many.
Based on her personal story and amazing career as an international business leader, the book challenges you to take leadership in all aspects of life, to own the change you want to be in the world while navigating the everyday infrastructure of the modern-day life. It provides tools and the proper insight that can help you achieve your dreams, know yourself and what you want, and get in touch with your personal values.
Designing your life is not a selfish solo show, but being happy, energized and grounded is a foundation for doing good. When we as individuals are in a good place, we can be more for others and contribute to the world around us.
Check the publishing house Beyond Word’s blog post about the book:
http://www.beyondword.com/blog/design-your-life-not-just-your-kitchen
Click here to buy the book
http://www.beyondword.com/blog/design-your-life-not-just-your-kitchen
For every book purchased, $1 will be donated to Save the Children.
A Life designer who really inspired us
Whilst we truly believe everyone can design their best life, we are not just talking about privileged people, who can afford to quit their job and travel around the world to live in harmony with their values. We are NOT saying that we all have equal opportunities or can control what life throws at us. But we can choose how we respond.
In her capacity as mentor and board member of Save the Children and the Homeboy Industries (a truly awesome program that helps former incarcerated gang members and convicted felons free of their past and find a new way to contribute to society), Pernille continues to be amazed to meet people who despite desperate situations and adversity take ownership of designing their best life.
This is why this week’s inspiring life designer is not just one, but all the ones we have met so far. Check out the life designer stories on our blog.
There is Calvin Newell, who broke free of his upbringing in a very low income neighborhood outside of Philadelphia and used his basketball talents to launch his career forward after he reached his dream of becoming a professional basketball player.
Amy Rouas, Head of Industry Sales at Google and a woman, who didn’t quit her job or move to another country, but simply reconnected with a more confident and adventurous side of herself and got a new position in her company.
Amy is a great example of how consciously working with tools like journaling and finding your core values can make big changes in the way your view your life and yourself.
Daniel Freedman, New York Times bestselling author, former Forbes columnist, is another. He took the jump, started his own company and left behind the steady income. Check out his and his partner’s multi-person online video fitness platform BurnAlong (www.burnalong.com).
There is also 36 year old Megan Robinson, who went back to school and became a nurse and inspired her whole family go through a lifestyle change.
“My decision to go back to school and reinvent myself was not based directly on bettering my family’s life. But I knew that if I could change my path and make myself happier professionally, that life would then get better for my family. “
Read their stories and more on our blog Notes on a Life Designer LINK
https://goodlifedesigned.mykajabi.com/blog?page=2
Please share the inspiration and this newsletter, so we can inspire more people to be part of this community.
The GLD team aka passionate life designers 🙂