The SHFT Happens Manifesto: A vision for the Future
My quest in life is simple - I intend to live the most fulfilling life. And I want to live that life now.?What does a "fulfilling life" even mean? For me, it boils down to three distinct values:
Freedom
I live where I want. I create how I like. It’s a joy to be who I truly am.
I experience the greatest sense of freedom when I can express my authentic self without conditions or limitations. Considering that we are all multifaceted beings— body, mind, emotions, energy, creativity, work, and more—true freedom for me intertwines with all these aspects. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "I wish to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life." This fits with my aspiration to live with authenticity, making choices that resonate with my deepest values.?
Unconditionality
I am in a state of effortless inspiration. The resources to bring my visions to life are abundant. The fruits of my labor (read outputs) do more than mirror my values; they echo them across the world, perpetuating their essence.
Whether through the pages of a book, the voice of a podcast, or the utility of a product, my deepest wish is for every soul touched by my work to experience the essence of my values on their own skin. May every condition standing in the way of this way of being in the world melt away. Let abundance cascade, not just as tangible assets but as a state of being, drawing in limitless opportunities.
Love
I feel loved and loving. I see and feel seen. I feel connected.?
Love brings together a diverse and colorful tapestry of relationships in my life. Rumi wrote, "Lovers don't finally meet somewhere. They're in each other all along." This timeless quote captures the essence of how I see love—a force that unites us not by chance but by destiny, helping us thrive together on a solid foundation of shared dreams and vision for the future.
Freedom, Unconditionality, and Love: the pillars of a fulfilling life
In light of these values, a “fulfilling life” for me is a life intertwined with Freedom, Unconditionality, and Love.?
This, in its simplest (materialist) form, looks something like a tranquil beach setting, with the sand massaging my feet, sun kissing my skin, wind caressing my hair, a laptop gently balanced on my lap, and a refreshing, alcohol-free pi?a colada sitting within arm's reach. Here in the oasis, my mind can go wild in the flow of things. You get the drill. It's the new "American Dream."
Surrounding me are kindred spirits—individuals who share my vision, a community bonded by the desire for a deeper connection to life and each other.?
The work I do, the creations I bring into this world, are extensions of these core values. Each product, be it a book that opens minds, a podcast that touches hearts, or a tangible product that brings ease and joy, carries a spark of Freedom, a whisper of Unconditionality, and a heartbeat of Love. My intention is that these creations become conduits for others to experience and embrace these values, enriching their lives with a sense of freedom, boundless potential, and profound connection.
Throughout most of my life, these core values served as guiding principles helping me navigate decisions. If life were a beach and each wave represented a new opportunity - my philosophy? Ride the wave that promises the most fulfillment.?This made things simple. Not always easy, but simple. All I had to do was listen, and respond without overcomplicating, overthinking or giving in to fear or doubts.
SHFT Happens
In 2024 however, something shifted. Over the past two years, life blessed me with a loving husband and a beautiful child (at the age of 43). As I stood at a familiar crossroads, preparing to catch the next wave, I found the old dynamics of my decision-making crumbling. Marriage and parenthood introduced complexities I hadn't navigated before. New (unfamiliar) variables needed to be taken into account. My decisions now involve considering the well-being and values of not one, but three human beings. My challenge has shifted from solely aligning with my own values to integrating those of my partner and attempting to anticipate the best future for our child.
I may love the beach, but my husband is a forest person. I may thrive on a nomadic lifestyle, but my husband finds fulfillment in a traditional career setting. While I cherish the idea of living quietly on an idyllic island, is such a setting best suited to prepare my daughter for a future dominated by AI and globalization??
Which one should I prioritize? The “SELF”, the “OTHER” (my husband), or the “FUTURE” (our baby)? How do I make that compromise? And must I compromise at all? Should I convince, demand, or expect the “other” and the “future” to follow? Would it be fair to them? How can I simplify this quest? My horizontal mind looked for horizontal answers. The lack of answers felt like dis-ease. Pain in my spine. The all too familiar knot between my shoulders.??
Soon, my thoughts reached out to other fathers and mothers. I imagined how they too must be navigating their own version of this complexity.
My mind then wandered even further...to all the leaders, those tasked with making decisions not just for themselves and their immediate circle but for entire organizations, thousands of people marked by their choice. Now, and in the years to come! When you think this way it can become overwhelming.?
Solving complexity by adding more complexity.?
Somewhere on my personal-development path I came across the Tibetan Buddhist practice of tonglen. I practice it when I feel overwhelmed. Tonglen is a form of meditation that is aimed at cultivating compassion and empathy. When you are feeling suffering, you visualize others who might experience the same. You imagine taking in their suffering, all the collective pain with the in-breath, and with the out-breath, sending out happiness, relief, or whatever positive outcome you desire for them.
I did just that. I visualized breathing in the burden of all the world leaders and sending out effortlessness with my outbreath to them. I visualized breathing in confusion and breathing out clarity. In - restriction, out - unconditionality. In - limitation, out - freedom. In - fear, out - love. Once again, I was living and (literally) breathing my values.
As “I” became “we”, dis-ease turned into ease, illness turned into wellness.?
“You can’t solve complexity by trying to simplify things. You must add more complexity,” Mark Vernooij.
Togelen was the way I added more complexity to solve complexity in this example. More about this, in the upcoming SHFT Happens Podcast. Subscribe on Spotify to get notified when it goes live.
All's well that ends better
“All's well that ends better,” Tolkien’s words reached out to me all the way from The Lord of the Rings, and just like that - a formula emerged. A framework for my future.
My new model for life, breathe in....has to include and transcend the 'Self', include and transcend the 'Other', and include and transcend the 'Future.'
And what do you know? This new model for life also happens to include and transcend my personal quest. It's a model for leadership...breathe out.
It sounds big! And complex. I know. But it’s simple in its complexity. And it’s still unfolding.
I would normally wait until the concept is in full bloom before I unravel it. But I wouldn’t be true to my values if I did. For, am I truly "free" if I wait for “perfection” before sharing my process with you? Am I truly "unconditional" if I impose conditions on what's acceptable (or perfect) and what's not? And am I truly "loving" if I do all the work behind the scenes without inviting you to join? ?
Welcome to the SHFT Happens Newsletter
Some of you have already been part of this journey for a couple of weeks now, so it may feel strange that I introduce it - and myself, only now.??
Here we delve into the future through the lens that I share with you above. It’s not only about my personal views and beliefs, it includes (and transcends) the views of those that are in a similar pursuit.?
Does it resonate with you? Consider joining me.?
Welcome! It’s so nice that you are here.?