Fellas, its that time again, me actually writing a real post, not just microblogging on social media (like instagram – that link is invite to follow me there, get it?).
So, today I want to write about the lost generation. What lost generation you might say? You haven’t heard the news? There was a ship with a whole generation of young people and now they are all lost somewhere in the ocean, they sit on some island, waiting for a big ship of opportunities to come to the port that doesn’t exist to pick them up and then they’ll sail away all happy to the bright new future.
A few days ago I’ve read an article about the situation in our country and the author has labeled us as a lost generation as we live in this uncertain times and bla bla bla. He said: “And they know they are the lost generation”. And you know what, my nerves weren’t happy about this label. I don’t see myself as lost. I know what I want, what my soul aspires to, I’m doing my thing (click it, there’s music). But then again, maybe some people in our generation are lost. And then the inspiration for an inspiring post rose up in me. I wanna inspire you, if you are lost, to found yourself! Let’s make our generation the generation of people who found themselves! And each other! Why? Because we can!
And then my stomach was too full of delicious risoto I made myself for dinner (with the chanterelles I found in our wood few days ago) and I went to sleep a bit earlier than usual. And I would probably forget about it, if a blogging colleague hadn’t wrote a post named Lost generation (only in slovene, unfortunatelly), where he encourages young folks to move their asses, stop complaining and do the shit!
Yep, and that was exactly the point in my head. Yes, it’s true, it ain’t as easy for us since that crisis has begun, and if I was making jokes about it in 2008, a few years later I started crying because of it. But everytime I sooner or later realise this ain’t no time to sit around crying like a bunch of pussies. Yes, it’s true, the pain is usually awesome catalyst for the change and my tear drops often cleared my emotional body and made my mind useful again. But after you honor your pain, it’s time to take action, not just role in a self pity until Jesus comes and gives you a miracle or your birthday fairy blows a stardust over you and makes everyday of your life filled with joy. Not that I have anything against Jesus or fairies, anything can help you if you believe in it, but you have to take action. Help yourself and God will help you. (or Goddes, or Nature or Life or Universe or Force or whatewer you name it)
Two years ago (I read it a few days ago) there was an interview with german poet and writer Hans Magnus Enzensberger (1929) in special issue of slovenian magazine called Mladina (The Youth). And there is a Q&A I want to higlight:
We have crisis today. An economic crisis. Are you ever afraid of fascism raising again? Or are you looking forward to the old order falling apart?
First of all, I’m not even sure we have crisis. We, a bit older people, have survived many other things already and compared to them it’s the world in which we live now a real paradise, an so called crisis just a funny thing. We don’t have a money? Good, we have no money, nothing special about it. When we hadn’t had money, we organised black economy. Or we planted potato.
Well, isn’t that a great call to wake up? {more music}
Not that I want to mock people which are in unfortunate situations, I want inspire us all to do something about it, to follow our dreams, to contribute to community, to be the people of courage! As Brene Brown told us:
“Courage, the original definition of courage, when it first came
into the English language — it’s from the Latin word cor, meaning heart —
and the original definition was to tell the story of who you are with
your whole heart.”
Now, let me give you some tips on how to gain that courage and I’ll also share my personal examples.
1. Talk about your dreams
Not everyone will listen and some might listen but make fun of you. But you’ll also find a lot of people, who will see your potential to make your dream reality and they’ll encourage you when you’ll feel like a failure, they will keep believing and they will see you as brave for taking the road less traveled. That way you’ll also find the people who will want to make projects with you, who will share your efforts with others, who will talk behind your back only good things about you, who will buy your product or service and that way really help you grow your biz and living the life you were born to live!
So, let me talk about my dreams for a second. My big dream now is to start making hemp + organic cotton T-shirts with cool prints (and handpainted ones, of course) and also a whole clothing line. Well, that’s a dream of mine for quite some time now, I also want my tote bags to be made of hemp, because is hemp way more ecofriendly than cotton. My vision is, that through the time I’ll make clothes from hemp grown in Slovenia.
I don’t have rich parents, my mum is a magican who substain the household with her minimum wage and I know I’m not only one like that. And if you recognize yourself amongst us the only way for you is to share your fucking awesome dreams with the world and…
2. Ask for what you need!
You will hear no for the answer, but if you don’t ask you already said no to yourself. And you will be surprised how often you’ll hear yes! People love to help, they feel good when they do, and sometimes they will even make you a big favor and feel like you are making a favor to them. And when you are selling something good, people get value from it and they love to pay for it. And that’s good, it’s an energy exchange, so don’t feel bad when people give you money or other things you need, they do that because they like you and your stuff.
One thing that helps a lot when asking. Usually, when we want to ask, we feel lesser, like the person who could help us is above us. And then we are afraid of them. But the truth is, no one is more and no one is less, we are all part of life. Yes, there are people who have more successful stories to share than you, but remember, they have many failures as well, and they are totally human. They feel like they are not good enough when they have bad days as well, they cry too and they have to go pee and they shit and they fart too (unless they don’t eat enough of fiber) and they make funny faces when having sex as well. Oh, the trick, I almost forgot, when you feel like you are bellow someone, imagine a balance swing swinging, you on the one side an the other person on the other side. Check who is above, swing it and imagine it stop in the middle, both sides are equal, because no soul is worth more than others. Now you can ask from your heart.
My turn. I ask you to buy my dope ecofriendly accessories. You already know you want a piece or two, but to convince your mind that is a good decision, I’m gonna tell you, that you will love them, you will use them for a long time, you will feel special in them and you will feel good, because you know you support the new world economy with it in which can people do what they love and live well from it. Yep, it’s not a concept for everyone yet, it is for ancient souls in modern body with a futuristic mindset who get things a bit earlier and feel what is right.
3. Share your success
Some will say you are a bragging cunt and that you are more fortunate than others and that it’s not fair for you do have what you want. They are envious, because they don’t dare following their dream, because they might fail. You have guts! Others will feel you are doing your thing and they will be happy for you and they will enjoy your success as their own, because they know that the more people doing the work they love, the happier whole world.
My successes? The people who I adore for what they are adores me for who I am. I was on national TV. I make people happy with my work. I inspire people. I make people feel better about themselves, because I see their potential and encourage them to make changes. I have eyes that see the beauty of the world and the heart that feels its joys and sorrows. I sell my work to places I’ve never been, but I want to see them.
4. Share your failure.
Some will be happy when you fail. Let them enjoy, because you’ll rise again. Others will be even more inspired to follow their dreams, because they will acknowledge everyone fails and that failure doesn’t mean there’s no chance to fly again. Failure makes you human. And the new economy is about being real, human to human, heath to heart, soul to soul.
My failures? I had my share of art markets where I hadn’t sell a thing. I didn’t pay my dues to my country for few months now and that’s why I don’t have health insurrance and I also have tons of old bills to pay. I’m proof you can’t make it with doing what you love to some. When I was at my latest art market, I covered my expenses the first day and was sure I’ll actually earn some money the next day, but then I didn’t sell a thing the whole fucking day. I cried the whole way home and was seriously trying to figure out the best way to pay my dues and quit everything. Well, breakfast in the bed made by my boyfriend and he telling me that he sees me as successful because I keep on going no matter what, changed my mind. And then I had a successful week full of great feedbacks and way more orders than ordinary.
5. Go out!
Go out in the nature with your dog to fill your batteries. When is your energy low and you can’t decide between a nap and a walk, choose walk. And if you are still sleepy take a nap. Well, what I meant to tell here is go out to the events where you can meet new people. Go to concerts, go to stand-ups, go to exhibitions, go to networking events, go for a coffee. Do that alone, so that you have a chance to actually meet new people. And if you don’t, don’t worry, it’s a quality time for yourself and your self awareness.
When we talk about success or almost anything in life, we always come to people, to relationships. People are the most important ingredient of your success. Build meaningful relationships, ask questions, be compassionate, be supportive, be honest, be vulnerable. People love the attention and they love to talk about themselves, even introverts, when they feel relaxed enough around you. It happens with some people, that you see them for the first time and you have a crazy deep honest talk, but usually it takes some time before you start to talk to people you find interesting. You might see each other at the same coffee house every week and then you starts to say hi on the street and then you are both at the same party and you talk for two hours straight about changes you’ll make in the system.
My experience. I am kind of a mix of introvert and extrovert. I love meeting new people, I love to talk and listen to them, but I used to get diarrhea before going alone to the public. Now I enjoy it (going alone to the public, not diarrhea). Well, for the most of the time, sometimes I still feel like I am not good enough and that everyone could see that. Then I try to remember myself that almost everyone does feel this way sometimes and some as often as me and some even all the time (you know those people who can’t talk without alcohol?). Oh, and I use balance swing technique. And I met many people I found interesting at first glance and they find me interesting as well.
Now, I admit it, it’s not always easy doing your thang, I sometimes wish I would be one of those unemployed people with a social support, because they can pay more bills than I do… But guess what, been there done that. My life is way more interesting and fun and meanigful now. And I might not have enough money yet, but it’s getting better. And I have already made a strong foundation on which I can build. I don’t feel lost. And I do what I love and what I believe in.
And that’s the whole point, people who do what they love are happier and imagine how that influence people around them and the whole world with it! Happy people don’t start wars.
I would like to dedicate this post to mum of my friend whom became a friend of mine. A really special woman without whom would my life probably have taken a very different way. She was the first grown up person with whom I could really dream out loud and she was dreaming with me. She passed away when the majority of this post was written. I will forever remain grateful that I could share the space and time with her and all the great life advice she gave me.
With Love,
