I have a friend who measures his power by how many direct-reports he has beneath him in his workplace org chart.
I worry that he hasn’t really felt peace or passion in a long time, although the direct reports have kept increasing.
I have a friend who used to say, by way of an insult, “that person doesn’t know his own geography.” And it made me uncomfortable because I thought I could be accused of that, because it’s not a given that we will find our place, our people, our peace and our passions, and thus, be oriented in the world and at ease in our skin.
Easy to see when it’s going wrong. Harder to get right.
On his instagram, Montreal based writer and social worker Jake Ernst says these four ps can be the path.
I also think this little diagram is a beautiful way to help navigate big decisions…
and they’re an invitation, more importantly, to ask, when am I at peace? what do i feel passionate about right now? who am i jiving with right now? where can i be of most use? how can i cultivate these more? what might I dial down? where do these things overlap?
and all of these things can help us answer, what wants to happen through me, in the world? What can my contribution be?
I love this approach, of finding your way, by getting to know yourself, rather than by following someone else’s path or advice or insistence… because maybe, then, you’ll always be operating with a sense of your own agency… and that, it seems, feeds back into a virtuous cycle, of feeling more peaceful, passionate, connected, right-sized and at home…
The Wellness Almanac 