That’s me at Donna Maria’s #IndieBusinessBrunch this
weekend. It was revolutionary!
Totally organic, it was scheduled to be a 2-hour chat &
brunch and it turned into an epic 6-hour feast of over 100 years of collective
business & entrepreneurial legacy!
Sometimes I do not usually attend ‘networking’ type
gatherings because I ‘feel’ I would have little to contribute. But brunch?
Of course!
There’s difficulty of embracing a time span to reflect on
what gains are being realized when there is so much on the to-do list. Nevertheless, this collection of seasoned
go-getters initiated an outpouring of some things I’ve come to know for sure.
About career paths.
And entrepreneurship. About
thriving.
Flowers ain’t always bloomin’
I look for analogies in things, particularly in farming
& agriculture.
One of the things I love about our name, Dirty Beauty, is
that what is seemingly opposite is actually the same sometimes.
Dirt, or soil, is the catalyst for the beautiful flowers
we behold, the delicious healthy foods we eat, the nutrient dense padding for
landscapes we enjoy.
The Potter’s hands get dirty molding epic works of clay,
the Artist’s smock, the Chef’s apron, the Farmer’s coveralls, the Beautician’s
gloves, the Builder’s construction site.
They all get dirty en route to beautiful work.
As Entrepreneurs, as purpose-seekers, as change-agents,
it’s easy to be affected by the range of climate we can experience on a daily,
weekly and seasonal basis. Seeking
beautiful results but getting dirty.
My experience-sharing at our super-Brunch is really about
the reality of Beauty.
Beauty is stage-dependent.
We often refer to a baby as beautiful, a toddler as cute,
a teen as pretty, twenty-something as gorgeous, that forty-ish is glamorous,
that 90’s+ is stunning.
All of these stages ‘look’ very different. But the beauty is about the magic that is
happening at the steps in the cycle.
Like a flower.
SEED
As a seed, the flower is invisible to above ground
life. Just one step forward from an
idea. It’s a plan. It’s small.
It’s dependent on the surrounding soil to help stabilize it and feed its
growth. The network of earthworms are
providing aeration.
The sun is providing
warmth and the rain, water. It’s dark
and lonely-feeling but not alone. There’s
beauty in this stage 1. A purity.
The flower must remain resolute. And embrace the elements pounding on its
existence knowing it’s necessary for its thriving.
BUDDING
This is plan-in-action time! Pushing through the ground upward! Finally seeing some results for its diligence
and tenacity! Being seen above ground
and seeing above ground. Progress!
This stage has beauty too! Green condensed leaves contrasting against
the richness of the earth-colored soil!
STEMS
More growth. Stems
provide structure to the flower. And
stability. And a system for continued
nourishment to the impending bloom!
There’s still sun & rain & a vital connection to the earth
here.
Still under the environment of the
elements, yet able to stand firm and grow.
A tall proud upright posture, success is near and certain!
BLOOMING
This is the stage that we speak of when we think of a
flower. It’s majestic.
By this stage, the flower knows it’s unique
and shows its uniqueness proudly. It’s
unapologetic. It’s loud, quietly. Its form is perfect authentically.
It doesn’t mind being commonly connected to
the network of the earth and its others.
It thrives on this network!
It
knows that sun and rain and wind makes it stronger and more vibrant! It loves routine too and knows patterns of
activity are part of the process to greatness!
It sees other forms and stands with them!
MULTIPLICATION
Here’s the beauty we speak of. The perfume, the color. It now partners with the wind to carry its
scent to bees for pollination. To share
with the world what it has learned about its journey ‘til now.
Its colors are bold at every hue. Vibrant to be seen. Proud of its withstanding while still being
rained upon.
Still enduring the scorch
of the sun. It holds the rainwater and
showcases sunlight on its petals. Giving
respect to the process elements responsible for its being and holding them in
high esteem. It attracts what it needs
by being authentic and bold and big and saying ‘I’M HERE!’
It makes itself visible and creates a field
of others over a span of many seasons.
An infinite number. An abundance
of beauty that gives the earth song!
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