There is a huge difference between a job and vocation. A job is what we hold to earn money to meet economic demands. A vocation (from Latin vocatus, calling) is what we are called to do with our life’s energy. It is a requisite part of our individuation to feel that we are productive, and not responding to one’s calling can damage the soul.
~ James Hollis
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How can individuals use movement and embodied practice to foster personal growth, connection, and creativity, especially in contexts of teaching, coaching, or personal exploration?
Hayley Chilvers joins Craig Constantine to dissect the essence of movement, and to unravel the intricate balance between self-expression and engaging with others.
Hayley and Craig talk about movement and podcasting, and the fine balance between personal authenticity and audience engagement. They explore challenges of remaining true to oneself while considering the audience’s experience. Hayley draws from her recent business development experience, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in establishing sustainable ventures.
[…] you can’t build something, I think, sustainably off something that isn’t authentic. I think it needs to be an extension of yourself, especially if it’s you that you’re essentially selling… [if it’s] your, sort of, craft or your skill. That’s something that I find really interesting: The balance between what actually is good practice and what actually is just uniquely you.
~ Hayley Chilvers from 21:30
The conversation navigates the complexities of podcasting for hosts and guests, contemplating how the recording environment shapes the natural flow of conversation. Throughout, they ponder the dichotomy between creating solely for oneself and tailoring content for an audience, with Hayley emphasizing the responsibility one holds when connecting with listeners or viewers.
Takeaways
Movement and Personal Growth: The essence of movement as a means of personal growth, highlighting concepts of freedom, growth, and connection within movement practices.
Entrepreneurial Authenticity: The importance of authenticity in entrepreneurial ventures, pointing out that sustainable business development hinges on aligning personal authenticity with the brand’s essence.
Authenticity in Podcasting: Balancing personal authenticity with engaging the audience was discussed, emphasizing the importance of being genuine while considering the listener’s experience.
Resources
@hayley_chilvers on Instagram.
https://www.hayleychilvers.com
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Reading time: About 5 minutes, 1100 words
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This issue is https://7forsunday.com/59
For years now I’ve been fascinated by groups of three.
These perspectives are not just useful literary devices. They are core practical perspectives that we adopt toward the world and our place in it. As we pursue our projects and pleasures, interact with others, and share public institutions and meanings, we are constantly shifting back and forth among these three practical perspectives, each bringing different elements of a situation to salience and highlighting different features of the world and our place in it as good or bad.
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Am I happy? Am I generous? Am I contributing to the world? The moral struggle we face is finding a way to honestly and accurately answer ‘Yes’ to all three of these questions at once, over the course of a life that presents us with many obstacles to doing so.
~ Irene McMullin from, The right right thing to do
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Just yesterday, in a conversation for a podcast, I was responding to a guest who asked my opinion… I don’t think I’ve ever expressed what I said so clearly, when I suggested balancing the first-person and second-person points of view. And here I am one day later staring at something I originally read months ago, crafting a blog post… and *POW* this quite philosophical essay is talking about balancing the three perspectives of the first-, second-, and third-person. But, sorry, now I’ve buried the lead.
Am I happy? Am I generous? Am I contributing to the world? This group of 3 questions is clearly yet another guiding principle straight from the How to Be a Human manual. (Which I feel compelled to point out I’m certain exists despite my never having received a copy upon arrival in this human form.)
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In the wrong environment, your creativity is compromised. At 30, I assumed my strengths would always be with me regardless of where I applied them. I was wrong. Truth is, your environment matters.
~ Scott Belsky
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How can integrating play into our personal and professional lives improve creativity, productivity, and well-being?
Discovering the connection between joy and resilience reshapes the way we approach work and life.
Play integrated in everything you do. So when you’re doing something at work, that you are so absorbed by— that you absolutely love about your work and you kind of lose track of time in that space. That’s the play I’m talking about.
~ Brandi Heather (13:55)
The conversation examines how play influences personal and professional development, emphasizing its role in creativity and joy. It explores how podcasting enabled one individual to discover and refine their voice, eventually translating this journey into a book. The discussion highlights the intersection of storytelling, science, and personal experience in effectively communicating complex ideas.
Further topics include societal misconceptions about play and how redefining it as a state of absorption and joy can benefit both individuals and organizations. The conversation also touches on the challenges of blending academic and experiential insights into accessible narratives while advocating for preserving playfulness in both childhood and adulthood.
Takeaways
Discovering one’s voice through podcasting — It serves as a stepping stone to larger creative endeavors like writing a book.
Play as a state of absorption — It transcends traditional definitions and integrates seamlessly into work and life.
Societal misconceptions of play — Play is often undervalued or misunderstood as frivolity rather than a powerful tool for creativity and connection.
The challenges of combining science and narrative — Effectively communicating technical information in a relatable format is key to engaging diverse audiences.
The role of intentionality in play — Being mindful of joyful moments can help foster resilience and motivation.
The diminishing spaces for childhood play — Early academic pressures risk eroding valuable opportunities for children to experience play’s benefits.
The influence of supportive communities — Collaboration and feedback from others enhance the creative process and provide accountability.
Resources
Return to Play — Brandi’s book exploring play’s role in resilience and creativity.
Daniel Pink — Author who responded to an interview request for insights on play and work.
Seth Godin — Renowned author and entrepreneur who contributed thoughts on play’s impact.
Finite and Infinite Games — James P. Carse’s book referenced for its discussion on play and motivation.
Ryan Fahey Consulting — Book coaching service that supported the creative process of writing.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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How does podcasting serve as a medium for creativity, self-expression, and transformation, and what challenges and insights arise from engaging in this art form?
Podcasting emerges as both a blank canvas and a stage for personal transformation.
It’s the tricky thing about podcasting, is that it’s got a really, super-low barrier to entry, but a super-high barrier to continuation.
~ Jey Jeyendran (7:23)
The discussion begins with an exploration of podcasting as a creative and transformative medium. It highlights the realization that podcasting is more than a simple extension of oneself; it involves curating and presenting a version of oneself that aligns with the needs of the audience. This performative aspect is juxtaposed with the authenticity often touted as essential in podcasting.
Another key topic is the unique challenges inherent in podcasting. While the barrier to entry is low, maintaining momentum and overcoming “pod fade” proves significantly harder. The conversation underscores the importance of feedback, both as a measure of growth and as a motivational tool. However, podcasting often lacks sufficient avenues for such feedback, which can leave creators feeling unmoored.
Jey and Craig also touch on the joy and playfulness that can be rediscovered in podcasting. Through low-stakes exercises like creating short recordings, participants can reconnect with the essence of creative expression without the pressure of perfection. This emphasis on enjoying the process rather than fixating solely on the end product is framed as critical for sustaining passion and avoiding burnout.
Takeaways
Podcasting as a blank slate — A medium requiring creators to blend performance and authenticity effectively.
The challenge of continuation — The difficulty of maintaining podcasting momentum despite its low entry barrier.
Importance of feedback — The role of meaningful feedback in driving improvement and combating doubt.
Embracing playfulness — Rediscovering joy through low-pressure creative exercises.
The transformative aspect — Becoming the version of oneself that fits the podcasting persona.
The focus on process — Loving aspects of the creation process to sustain long-term engagement.
Resources
Radiolab — A podcast known for creating immersive soundscapes.
This American Life — A podcast blending narrative storytelling and unique perspectives.
Derek Sivers — Mentioned for his insight on performance and persona in creative work.
Stephen Pressfield — Referenced for his concept of the “shadow career” and creative pursuits.
Grant Cardone’s Podcast — A source of energy and motivation, particularly for overcoming inertia.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Concentrate every minute … on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can—if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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Sometimes, definitely more often than I like to admit, I need to have my attitude adjusted. Like, a giant kick in the ass, adjustment.
Someone once explained to me their self-esteem box idea. Which is, by the way, a frickin’ brilliant idea. Ever since then the idea has rattled around the back of my head. Finally, this idea gelled into something I can use. It goes like this:
Sometimes I find experiences that eject me from Grumpy Land. They are rare, but they are glaringly obvious to me when it happens. POW! Well, that adjusted my attitude. The first part of my idea is to capture those into posts here on the ‘ol blog. (It’s easy to jot a simple note and write a blog post later as I do that a lot already.) This is classic “capture” in action.
The second part is that I’ve created an Attitude adjustments tag, and I’ll be tagging those posts as such. It’s easy for me to get to that tag. (I find it trivially easy to type, off the top of my head, the full URLs to specific tags.)
…and the magic part is a little plugin I found which will bounce me to a random post for a given tag. Depending when you are reading this, there might be 1 or 100 items in that tag, so this may or may not be random and interesting: Random attitude adjustment, please.
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It is increasingly clear that neither of these assumptions is correct. Despite the claims of epidemiologists, our best efforts have never been able to reduce the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases for the world as a whole for any significant period of time. In fact, the latest week seems to be the highest week so far.
~ Gail Tverberg from, Reaching the End of Early Stimulus – What’s Ahead?
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It’s not meant as a doom-and-gloom quote. The article goes on to talk about how our economies really work and what’s really going on.
I’ve a tag for Tverberg for a reason. You should read everything she’s ever written—which would be hard because you’d have to also wade through the amazing, museum-piece that is The Oil Drum. I use that site as a litmus test for anyone who ever mentions “energy”—”Have you heard of The Oil Drum site?” If they have, then I’m really listening.
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(Part 35 of 37 in series, Study inspired by Pakour & Art du Déplacement by V. Thibault)
Chapter 23 is one of the longest in the book… it’s all of 2 pages, overflowing to begin a third. In it, Thibault presents the stages of learning and mastery of parkour/ADD via a metaphor about learning a new language.
Meanwhile, the local parkour community where I train, not nearly as often as I should, continues to grow and change. Long story omitted. These days, I find myself dropping in for an adults, beginners class once a week. A class, as it were, of the A-B-C’s, basic grammar and some short, simple words.
I’m old enough, and wise enough, to know that I can empty my tea cup, go to just about anything and find something useful to take away. And so I find myself faced with one of those kindergarten pencils and those sheets of paper with the widely spaced lines—they don’t want you to miss getting in between the lines and start crying. It’s the perfect opportunity to review so many lessons. To tinker with nuance, to fiddle with symmetry, to doodle without consequence.
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But what if we blocked all of our exits, and stopped ourselves from numbing out or escaping being present to our feelings and the moment in front of us?
~ Leo Babauta from, Refraining From Letting Ourselves Numb Out
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What if indeed!
Much of my personal changes arise from observing my habitual behavior and then putting up some sort of road block (or at least adding some friction) to derail me when I head for the habitual behavior.
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Yes please!
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