Anyone who knows me understands I’m a big dreamer. Perhaps, they know me as someone who only dreams large. But anyone driven by a dream knows, it isn’t easy. Fortunately for me, my purpose never gives up. Even as that voice in my head assures me, nothing will ever come from my grand ideas, I keep imagining and reimagining new ways to serve them.
The thing about your purpose, it's all about who you are. It isn’t something you need to risk or question. Before I recognized this simple truth, I spent a lot of years imagining I could make a difference. I devised great, complicated plans that I figured I needed, in order to be someone who got big, complicated things done. And I was stopped in the experience of never quite having enough—time, resources, money, partners . . .
It was only when I put aside all my plans and strategies, and embraced my purpose even in the experience of feeling unprepared, uncertain and terrified—that my intentions began to create themselves. Of course, I’m still making my grandiose schemes, only now I have a community of creatives, creators and evolutionaries forming around them.
Recently I started a digital media agency called 9R455R0075. #9R is based on the premise that anything and everything is possible within the space of community. We create projects based on cooperation and a winxwinxwin code intended to remove obstacles and create more impact for every participant. Our projects are progressive, forward-thinking and always include an element engineered to impact the greater good.
It isn’t easy stepping blindly into a thing. I have every excuse in the book not to do it. I am a single mom and grand-mom. Struggling writer and fledgling entrepreneur. I have no backing. No resources. No stable income. And I’ve already failed at this so many times! At the moment, I don’t even have a working shower.
Every day, I wonder if I will make it, or if my house of cards will finally tumble in. The thing is, it never does. And the more I allow that the next thing will simply come, the easier it does come. And the more I serve others in faith that what I require will arise, the more it rises. Simply put, the more I give, the more I receive.
There is a line of people forming on my doorstep. All hard working, talented and deserving, with some great need, dream or purpose of their own. So far, simply saying, yes, I will, and letting the hows and whens work themselves out, has been surprisingly smooth. Let me be clear, I’m still facing all the same obstacles and fears and circumstances that have always stood in my way. I’m just not letting them stop me.
I believe if we operate from this mindset, inside a vast connected online network of like minds, that each and every one of us can have everything we need to create any future we imagine. All that is required is the willingness to be a contribution to others—and the willingness to be contributed to by others.
The reason is community. There is always someone willing to stand up for you, if you have the bravery to be authentic and vulnerable. And we all need saving sometimes. I know I am not the only one. I’m going to keep on dreaming that I can make the world a better place. It’s who I am.
If it’s who you are, I invite you to dream with me.
THE NEW SPRING + AFRICA HUMANITARIAN
#1W--Create a like-minded community to help launch author Maryann Martinsen
#2W--Create a permanent fund to support Africa Humanitarian projects
#3W--Create a huge impact on the people, families and communities supported by Africa Humanitarian.
#9R first official project is a collaboration between my sister, Maryann Martinsen, author extraordinaire and Ben Mayianda, life coach, mentor and founder of Africa Humanitarian. With the help of his family and local and international community, Ben leads numerous projects serving the people in their community. Ben
is a determined and busy man. Up at 3am every morning and never to bed before 10pm, no task is too big or too small. Basic shelter. Clean water, Access to medicine and food. Training and education. Women's health and sanitary requirements. Rehabilitation. If there is a need, he sets out to meet it.
Visit the Africa Humanitarian Facebook page for a peek at their amazing work:
Because of his tireless and amazing efforts to create solutions within his community my sister and I have taken on creating a fund to support ALL of his good works.
Its rainy season! Help keep this family warm & dry
Our first project involves a homeless family in urgent need. We have set-up a temporary GoFundMe account to raise the funds necessary to build them a new home. Ben has been busy preparing and has raised a labor force committed to constructing the Iron sheet home in just four days, at a cost of just $1500. Any additional funds raised will go toward basic staples for the family such as mattresses and bedding—or donated toward another deserving project.
How you can help!
1) Please share this fundraiser invite with all of your communities.
2) Donate, if you can.
Understand, this family is sleeping outside on a patch of grass when they don't have the hospitality of a neighbor to keep them safe from the elements. The sooner we can have the funds raised, the sooner the home construction can begin.
Maryann and I are amazingly grateful for anything you can contribute. Ben has his team on stand-by. Together we can get this done! Even a few dollars will bring us one step closer to our goal, and one night less that this family has to sleep outside exposed and cold.