You’d think that living in a small rural town ( in the County with the lowest population density in Ireland) might be a little … isolated?
Surely I’d meet more people living in a city … people who could support my social enterprises?
Well wonderful (and deeply attractive) reader … you’d be wrong.
Living in Ballinamore makes me deeply happy … it has become the core of my sense of peace and contentment … and having that core … allows me to make leaps of imagination and risk I might not take if I lived somewhere else.
Small is good.
I am surrounded by the best neighbours and friends a woman could ask for … people who look out for me (and I them) … people who (rarely) bat an eyelid as I talk about Life Dreaming and SKIL2 … they take delight in what I do … even if they aren’t quite sure what it is!
And … Ballinamore has broadband.
It enables me to write this blog … email my brother Marc in Singapore as we develop Life Dreaming and SKIL2 … email family, friends and clients … research and learn online … connect on social networks …
It connects me to people I would never have met.
Here’s an example of the serendipity and synchronicity that happens for me.
A woman left a comment on this blog yesterday.
Kim had read about Life Dreaming on Marcs blog and downloaded the workbook. She wanted to thank me for giving it away free (just click on the Life Dreaming button at the top of the blog for your free copy).
I read every comment people leave … and if the person has a blog or site … I go visit … it’s just neighbourly.
I visited Kims site and was fascinated by what she did … knowledge management lecturer and consultant … a Masters in Chaos and Complexity Science … an interest in empowerment of individuals and communities …
A kindred spirit.
I emailed her and introduced myself.
I told her about SKIL2 and asked her if she would be my SKIL2 KM/ Chaos/Complexity mentor … because what I’m trying to create in SKIL2 is an online learning space that captures and shares the complex and chaotic elements of workplace learning.
Yeh … there’s a teeny tiny challenge … my learning curve is vertical folks.
She replied this morning that she’s love to be a SKIL2 Mentor … very cool.
I now have SKIL2 Mentors in … design (Marc) … learning technology … computer coding … social media … KM/chaos & complexity … Joomla … global mentors that I found by wandering online and visiting heaps of sites and blogs … and then asking people to help …
My motto … you don’t ask … you don’t get (and my other one is … moderation in excess … and excess in moderation)
Kim has a lot of great plans and she wants to use my Life Dreaming Workbook to focus and refine them … and every time someone says that the workbook is useful … I feel delighted and humbled.
So … from reading Marcs blog … to leaving a comment on my blog … to me emailing Kim … to her replying … a connection of mutual benefit has been made.
I love how that happens.
I also love how many wonderful … complex … creative … and value driven … people there are in the world.
OK … the economy stinks … and … there are literally millions of people who have hope and confidence and the guts … to create the lives they want to lead.
A life and a community that is not driven by doom and gloom.
A life and community that has a belief and hope in its capacity … and audacity … to create amazing enterprises … to look out for their neighbours … to value the kindness and courage and sheer bloody persistence that’s in people.
A life and community where people are prepared to try new (old) ways of living … barter … cooperatives … community gardens … skill sharing … recycling
That’s not just my dream … it’s a reality… it’s so very doable.
So … I get to live in a great town … and … meet people around the world online who encourage and support me … as I hope I do for them.
Doesn’t get much better than that folks.
One more cool thing … Sharon (Cannaboe Confectionary) ... emailed me yesterday to say that some of my readers had gone to her site and ordered chocolates to be delivered … to other countries.
Some lucky people will soon be eating the chocolates … and all because they were online … read my blog … and linked to Sharon’s site.
Now … Sharon has a quality and value offering … and … she has a site that lets the world know about it … and she links to other sites and blogs.
That can only help create new customers.
By the way … if you’re an enterprising Ballinamore business and want me to link your site to this blog … leave me a note.
And … no … I don’t charge anyone to promote their businesses … that way I can write about who I want … and … I believe very strongly in our small Ballinamore businesses.
Did I tell you that Coco had me out of bed at 7am … on a Sunday … that’s why I’m writing at 8.30am!
Back to bed for a read and a cuppa.
Slan
Liz
Hey Liz!!
I am so very glad we’ve made the connection & look forward to many exciting conversations. You forgot to mention that YOU will be my mentor as I move along the path of sustainable living.
And wow, look at those chocolates of Sharon’s – YUM!
Kim
HI Kim
Co mentoring works for me … sharing skills and experiences … and supporting each others dreams.
Yeh … Sharons chocs are divine .. delicious … delirious …
Think I may have to go buy some myself.
Slan
Liz
More amazement…just love what you’re doing, have done with such heart & love…. how did we let you slip away….feel excited about the possibility of catching up sometime, somewhere in this amazing world of ours….Jude
PS to add to previous.. yes, know what you mean about living in a small community. Even tho all the girls live in Perth, Mike & I are hanging on to our fine Bridgetown life for as long as we can…. 60 this year Liz, (will you come to my birthday party?) Bridgetown is a delightful SW community & not stinking hot like Northam! (sorry to remind you!) Jude XXXX