This was an extraordinary workshop filled with laughter, wonder and a deep appreciation for all the beloved young adults who gathered together for an end-of-the-year exploration of how their values can be translated into a map by which they could navigate the question: What are you going to do with your life?

We began sitting in a circle with paper, three colors, a paintbrush and a willingness to listen.  Each student had just returned from a three-month internship, practicing living in the field of adulthood, and were full of stories that were longing to be poured out into the space.  As we sat in silence I asked them to drop into their hearts and to feel where, during their time traveling and working in the world these last few months, their hearts had woken up in response to what they were seeing and experiencing.  What was their wish for the world or themselves moving forward?  We wrote our wish or intention on the paper in front of us and then as each person shared we put a single mark on the page to witness their story and then passed it to the left. When the page came full circle it was marked with the witnessing and listening of each person and was visually very impactful.

Each piece was then torn into eight parts and became a ‘soul packet’ for them to work with the next day.  The next day they paired up and worked together doing the following process:

• On a piece of paper write down two of your most limiting and challenging beliefs about yourself.  i.e. I don’t belong, I’m worthless, I never finish anything so why bother even beginning (procrastination), I am unlovable etc.  Then, with your partner, come up with an affirming, forward moving statement of action that can be done instead of living into the limiting belief.  ‘I am worthless.’ could translate into: ‘I wholeheartedly participate in everything I do, greeting feedback and experiences with an open hand.’ Write these onto two of the cards.
• After naming the affirming, forward moving action plans, take another piece of paper and write down five of your most deeply felt values.  For example: creativity, love, beauty, generosity, and integrity. Once you have the five you are going to work with, write them on five of the cards and then put them in the order of importance.  The next part is a ‘forced choice’ exercise which asks you to put them in a true order – which value is truly most important.  For example, using the above list you would ask: Is creativity more important than love, more important than beauty etc. until you have an order that feels right. This is challenging and often quite surprising.  It is impossible to do simply thinking about it so each student stands and feels his/her way into the truth of the questions.  Once the order has been established it is time to combine the words to create a map, a life affirming action plan, your soul’s journey by which to navigate your life.
• Love, creativity, beauty, generosity and integrity: I dance through life with love at the center of everything – creativity flowing through me with every breath and gesture as I walk the beauty path with integrity, compassion and generosity.
• Honesty, trust, health, love:  Living in honesty, I trust my heart while in full and complete health, I live and fall into love.
• Gratitude, unconditional love, nature, learning, creativity:  I live in gratitude, and in this I find unconditional love. I am connected to nature, always learning, creating. (Ending with a picture of a heart)
• Alignment, creativity, integrity, compassion, love: Aligning my heart, body, mind and soul, I create my life with creative expression, being in right relationship to the world with integrity, filled with compassionate love.
• Wholeness, creativity, love, spirit, community: With my wholeness grounding, supporting and making me feel one. I am able to live my life expressed through my creative energy. I thrive in the love. I find within myself and other. Through my spiritual I find connection and reason for living in myself and the community around me.
• Embodiment, happiness, love, helping others, appreciation: By embodying and being surrounded by happiness and love, I am able to help others. Keep my friends and family in my heart and appreciate the entirety of the universe.

Ask me what I do?  Ask me what am I going to do with my one wild and precious life? I am going to dance through my live filled with love at the center of everything and let my creativity flow through me with every breath as I see beauty, live with integrity and bring my compassion and generosity to all!  I never have to not know again!