Soul School – Lesson 15: Don’t Fear the Shake Up

Work for creative people, and for all sorts of people, looks different now. Don’t fear the shake up.

Do you hate the question, “What do you do for a living?”. Have you ever asked it of someone and then felt like it was the wrong question to ask as soon as you said it? I have a few suggestions and a really funny story about my own experience too.

Soul School comes out each WEDNESDAY!

In January (2016) I’m talking about the concepts of calling and meaningful work.

For more on how you can join in that worldwide endeavor for yourself, in your own way, visit the #synCREATE page.

 

Spark My Muse listeners tend to be over achievers. Feel like getting some extra credit points? SOUL SCHOOL has homework each week–just for kicks–and you can share your thoughts about the episode or “report your homework” at the Spark My Muse group page here and see what others are doing and saying.

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FRIDAY episodes are longer and feature guests.

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weekly secret missives

Soul School – Lesson 13 (The 3 Main Types of Meaningful Work)

Welcome to Soul School which comes out each WEDNESDAY!

Since it’s a new year I need some help to know who’s listening.

Will you spare 90 seconds…

and take this quick, anonymous survey?

Spark My Muse

In January (2016) I’ll concentrate some time on the podcast talking about the concepts of meaningful work, vocation, service, and related concepts during Soul School and with my guests.

For more on that visit the #synCREATE page.

What has meaningful work looked like for you?

Has your vocation shifted over time?

You can share your thoughts at the Spark My Muse community group page here and see what others are saying.
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Remember to Subscribe to the podcast to get the next episode!

FRIDAY episodes are longer and feature guests.

Thank you for listening to Spark My Muse.

Join up for the newsletter here. It comes out 2-3 times per month and has links and extras you’ll enjoy.

weekly secret missives

EPS 43: A New Way to Think About Meaningful Work – with Lori Neff

It’s a NEW YEAR!!

Can you help me know who’s listening?

Take this quick anonymous survey?

Spark My Muse


 

Lori Neff is my co-host today.LoriNeff

Check out her website here.

SHOWNOTES

A theme this month is all out vocation. There will be other things covered each week too, but we will be trying to think differently about vocation and asking what it means to do meaningful work at different seasons of life.

What does it mean to you?

For Lori and her journey she wonders about doing God’s will.

3:00

What do I believe vocation is?

Privileged statement, “Do what you love and love what you do vocationally.”

Asking am I squandering gifts?

Should I live out my gifts outside a paying job?

Barbara Brown Taylor’s

An Altar in the World

About finding your calling.

About rewarding work that doesn’t pay

11:00

About doing jobs you didn’t expect or ones that seem to not be right for us.

What to you find meaningful in work? A greater purpose? Improving lives and soul work and a cause.

 

The Sekh eye doctor.

Riding the waves of life and look for the next wave: A natural process of change.

Learning about trust and human tendencies and using my minutes well.

The wonder of Consciousness

22:00

Spiritual direction and vocation and peace.

asking:

What do I believe is true about God?

Being okay being uncomfortable.

24:00

“Pay attention to the things that bring us joy and life”

27:30

#synCREATE

January theme of vocation

The new year as a chance to look things over.

29:00

The on Purpose Person

34:00

The pomodoro method

THE APP

38:00

Tricks to make sure you rest.

kanbanflow.com

Best productivity and distraction hacks resource documents I found in one spot.

41:00

Working respectful to yourself and like a professional

Final Resources :

Parker Palmer

Let Your Life Speak


Thank you for listening to Spark My Muse. Join up for the newsletter.

It comes out 2-3 times per month and has links and extras you’ll enjoy.

weekly secret missives

Special End-of-Summer News and Updates Episode

Here’s a picture of me “at the office” as I write this post. I love creating episodes and posts for you, and it’s especially nice to do it outdoors…but I’m going to need a hoodie…more on that later.

hammock offic

 

This short Sunday episode contains news and info.

I’m debuting my new microphone for you to hear. Tell me if you can hear the difference!


A few Episodes are already in the queue, but after those air, you will hear a much richer and higher quality sound demonstrated in this short episode! Many thanks for your kind response to my need for financial support. I still need to buy more monthly space at the audio hosting site, but it is a landmark accomplishment to upgrade my mic and I had to share my joy, gratitude, (and the new and improved sound) with you!

 

newmic

 

In September, I will launch a Slack Community just for us!

Slack allows you to connect and collaborate much like Facebook but without all the ads and baloney.

At the Spark for Creatives community, we will be able to share, talk about the podcast topic of the week, connect, collaborate, communication, trade notes, and encourage each other in our communication and creative endeavors.

If you’re calling involves creating or communicating, welcome to your tribe!

(If you feel like reading political, religious, or societal rants, seeing posts from only about 12 people, being inundating with horrible news stories, seeing animated GIFs, playing Pet Saga, or looking at adverts from the places you just visited online, you will still have Facebook to turn to.)

• You must be subscribed to my email update list to get the application to join.

• You can join this community for free if you start as a charter member. In the future there will be a few special access areas, education options, and premium groups options that will be paid add-ons or features, too.

 

Subscribe to the mailing list for the chance to apply (and you also get the latest audio episode links delivered to you, 2-3 times per month.)

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It’s getting chilly. Time for a cozy hoodie (ends SEPT 7th! These are on sale to finance the show and ordering ends soon: SEPTEMBER 14th.

Click to see all the color and style options, including t-shirts if you like to layer! I hope you stay all snuggly warm as you listen to the shows I’m making for you!

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Special “Ask Sparky” Episode: Responses to 5 Burning Question


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(Already read it or feeling a bit more generous? Please use the donate button  (see left column) to contribute to the show. Help me make awesome things for your ears to hear each week. Much Love & Thank you! ~L)


Here, just the Father's beard could wipe out planet Earth
(Hey, God doesn’t have a body.)

Shownotes for the Special “Ask Sparky” Episode: Responses to 5 Burning Questions

MIN
1:30

1. It’s hard to pray to God as Father when you’ve had a bad dad. What should I do?

• How do we think about God? (usually like a human person or institution)

• God is Spirit not an old white man in the sky with a long beard.

What adjectives will help you connect with the Being typically called “God”

4:00

Hebrew word for God is a description too (yahweh “I am” a verb) that was not used. Adonai  was substituted and that simply means “Master/Lord” and is a term of respect.

4:30

It’s misguided to think that God can be contained or described well using a “Proper Noun”. God can’t be called a proper name/noun…like “Billy” (and that would make Jesus “Billy Jr.”).

Hebrew names are descriptive when referring to people (not how we use names to address people today).

5:00

YAHWEH (Hebrew word), means I AM (or “is”) and works like a verb denoting Presence an Love in Action. It defies typical proper names and descriptions.

5:50

2. On Forgiveness

“What should I do to forgive when I can’t forget?”

6:10

Forgiving is a continual process.

Thinking of forgiveness as transactional–a debt clearing mechanism. Be an accountant and don’t worry about your emotions being on the same page.

7:20

Remembering that you are not your thoughts.

8:00

What Justice is actually (Shalom). Making things right and reconciliation.

8:50

3. What to do about envying others (in this case writers in the field) and being jealous of their success.

9:15

Seeing the negative emotions as tools. Reframing them to use them to find our calling, gifts, and passions.

9:30

Not getting caught up in “should” and “oughts” and comparisons.

9:45

When you can say of your work, “Wow, I get to do this!” you can have enough gratitude to be comfortable with the success of others.

10:15

It’s common and normal to get feelings of jealousy. It’s only when the take over our hearts and mind do we need to reevaluate and recalibrate what we are doing and thinking.

11:00

Deciding that the options of other people and the opinions should have huge power is a choice we can change.

12:05

4. Getting over feeling guilt and shame that keeps resurfacing.

Daring Greatly Brene Brown (the difference between guilt and shame.

• Guilt is important so we can learn and correct and grow and become better people.

• Shame is a belief that something, un fixable, is wrong with you.

Shame whispers lies in your ears. Shame becomes a decision of who we are as person.

14:05

Being put to shame by parents and others.

14:50

A mistake isn’t part of who you are.

Redemption is always possible. You can start anew.

15:10

My caveat.

15:50

5. Church isn’t working for me anymore and I feel guilty leaving the church, but I don’t feel fed.

In the U.S. we often go to church as a consumers and look for what we can get out of it. Church can be piss poor.

17:00

Look for ways to give and minister and find connection in other ways.

18:00

For me, small groups were a starting point that lead me to seminary.

18:50

Bringing back the potluck and sharing life with people.

19:30

Sometimes we sense church isn’t “working” when meaningful connection is lacking.

20:30

“we” is better than “me”.


Thank you for listening and sharing the show with others. If you’ve gotten an enjoyment from Spark My Muse, come back every Wednesday for something new, or save your mental energy and subscribe!