…
The OuiShare fest is a 4 days international event gathering actors of the Collaborative Economy ecosystem. They share knowledge and skills, connect, get inspired, live new experiences, transform inspiration into action. And contribute to building tomorrow’s world.
…
It takes place at Le Cabaret Sauvage, which is a magic setting in La Villette, in the East side of Paris. There is a big circus tent and a peniche, a garden with tents, tables and chairs…
…
It was my second time.
…
Last year, in May, I participated for the first time. I was still working in my company. I was preparing my project. It was the time I call « the journey before the journey ».
…
I took days off to participate.
…
I spent the 2 days experimenting the OuiShare Fest feeling fascinated and a bit lonely, curious of everything and everyone, eyes and ears wide open, a bit shy – even if I did not show it, of course 😉
…
…
As I had identified at the time that my life purpose was to be a « potential activator », I was glad to notice that a significant part of the program was dedicated to self-care and personal development. There were mindfulness practices that helped experience the importance of being grounded and develop inner peace and clarity. There were workshops about inner transformation and self-discovery, creating meaning in one’s life. There were a lot of activities (games, body work) that were about stepping into the unknown, stretching one’s comfort zone and getting to know oneself better. I even participated to a speaking circle about… Love (and I loved it).
…
Last year I felt both impressed and fascinated.
…
I felt very attracted by this world. I was in love with this ecosystem of entrepreneurs, change makers.
…
…
People who want to use their talent, time and energy to have a positive impact on the world. People who have decided to step out of the « victim/complaining » position, who choose and dare to act to build the world they want to live in. People who embrace their fears of the unknown to start creating and sharing the narrative(s) of this new paradigm era we have entered in. People who are free – and embrace the risks and responsibility that goes along with freedom. People who have taken ownership of their life and who create their destiny. They are people who trust. Who choose to act from a place of love instead of fear.
…
I felt very attracted by this way of being in the world.
…
I thought they were so COOL ! And inspiring.
…
And in the same time I felt like an outsider.
…
I listened to the talks, went to workshops, met people. I took a few pictures and bought books.
…
…
The way I felt made me understand that this was a clear direction for the life I wanted to create for myself. « It makes me dream, it shows me the way. »
…
I was walking on my path, at my own pace.
…
I went back to work.
…
And then 3 months later, in August, I started my exploration journey. I lived/travelled in Asia for 7 months.
…
And last month, in April, I started my coaching training in San Francisco. And now I am back in Paris.
…
…It is a chaotic time.
…
It is an integration time.
…
After months of traveling, expansion in yang energy (a conqueror, « going outside » energy), endless curiosity, total openess to the world, never-ending flexibility, as I come back to Paris I feel like I want to hibernate.
…
…
I feel that it is a time for decantation.
…
And this is not easy as the world around me influences me. I come back from months mainly spent in a state of « being » to a world of « doing ».
…
I need to do nothing, give me space and time to integrate.
…
I need to let each experience, each encounter, each discovery, each learning drop-in calmly, quietly and deeply.
…
And it seems that it is very hard for me to do this.
…
First, there is the inner-critic resistance.
…
« Come on, Julia. You need… REST ?! What ?! After 8 months on a sabbatical journey ? Hmm, have you noticed : people WORK here. Please. »
…
And then, I do not know well how to do nothing.
…
Exploration and learning and connecting are so natural to me. And then all my environment is a very active one.
…
This is how I end up so naturally participating to the OuiShare Fest 2016 !
…
(The contrary of hibernating, right ?)
…
And the most interesting part of the Fest this year for me was actually : observing how different I was compared to last year.
…
I felt SO different.
…
I wanted to be centered and grounded.
…
…
I wanted to be fully present. I wanted to be connected to my body. I wanted to spend time with my friends (because this time I had friends !) and strengthen the link with people I know and love. I did not want to meet too many new people. I wanted quality over quantity in the choice of conferences and workshops and encounters. I wanted time alone.
…
I wanted genuine freedom : feel free to be myself, be authentic and do what I want to do whatever the context and people around.
…
I wanted connection but not too much. I wanted inspiration but not too much. I wanted experiences but not too many.
…
I feel that something inside me is already very full.
…
I just wanted the « RIGHT » connections and inspiration and experiences.
…
I also wanted real « froglessness » : being totally satisfied and fully engaged with what I would choose to do at each moment, with no fear of missing out something happening elsewhere with other people – this is a challenge at the OuiShare Fest where there are, at any time, at least 4 exciting events happening in the same time and around 2.000 interesting people.
…
…
And indeed, I experienced a new way of being in the world, of being me.
…
At the moment, the archetype that inspires and guides me is Nature.
…
I am reading « The Warrior Goddess training » by Heatherash Amara – she worked with Don Miguel Ruiz who wrote the Four Agreements, based on Toltec wisdom. And I started this week a meditation program by Deepak Choprah and Oprah Winfrey.
…
So, I am inspired and guided by the archetype of Nature. Let me tell you more about it, about what I learned and how it transforms me.
…
As Deepak Choprah and Heatherash Amara put it :
…
Nature intelligence functions with effortless ease.
…
Here is what they share :
…
In Nature, Life unfolds with effortless ease.
…
Nature is spontaneous creation.
…
« A rose does not struggle to blossom. It simply unfolds, with beauty and grace. »
…
« Birds fly. They don’t make effort to fly, they just fly. »
…
As human beings, we are part of the Universe and Nature, and the same laws are at play.
…
Let’s think about our body. We do not have to worry about our heart so that it beats, or our lungs so that they breathe.
…
In the same way, it should be effortless to manifest our desires and dreams in the dense matter. It is the way Life/ the Universe works. Through the creative power of our human thought, we are able to tap into the infinite potential of the Universe intelligence.
…
However, most of us, our whole life, have been taught the opposite.
…
« No pain, no gain ». We have learnt to be rational and listen to our mind/ego – which experiences fear and insecurity. « The mind believes we have to do everything by ourselves, and that we have to struggle for power, approval and safety. »
…
And so we control. We set expectations. We plan. We manipulate.
…
(Are we even sure that the objectives we set will truly bring us fulfillment ?). We live in a perceived world of scarcity and most of the time we act from a place of fear – even if we are not aware of it.
…
As I was travelling in Asia for months, little by little, I did let go of conditionings, limiting beliefs (about myself, others, the world), fears. I started accepting stepping in the unknown : not planning anymore, but living in the present moment. I learnt to surrender. To go with the flow. (I am still learning.)
…
And then, THEN, Life becomes interesting ! Life brought me what I needed, Life brought me extraordinary surprises. More that I could have dreamt of. The most striking example of this is how I found the perfect coaching training program for me when I was in Singapore. I share this story here.
…
I understood that all I needed to do is to be mindfully connected to myself and let my heart (VS my mind/ego) guide me, set intentions, let go of expectations and control, nurture a mindset of joy and gratitude.
…
And let things come to me.
…
So on Wednesday morning, when I listened to Deepak Choprah explaining how Nature creates abundance effortlessly, I felt totally aligned, both excited and peaceful.
…
« Yes ! That’s it. I got it. During this OuiShare Fest, my plan is to go with the flow.
…
I will let life happen through me.
…
I will be totally present, and let things come to me. I will see how life unfolds for me. »
…
…
Just like the rose.
…
(I guess I was the only one at the OuiShare Fest with a plan to just behave like a rose 🙂 !)
…
And this is what I did. I was detached. I was totally here but with no specific expectations. Not trying to do or get anything. Observing. Consciously deciding to get involved or not.
…
I spent time with my good friends. I experienced listening to them in a different way. Listening to understand and not to answer. « The space between the logs is what allows the fire to burn » – a quote from one of my teacher in my coaching training.
…
I connected to few people and for most of them, there was something amazing we had in common (like spending 3 months in the Philippines, being part of a coaching program…), or we shared useful information (a contact, a book reference, a recommendation of a dance studio…).
…
I felt free to leave workshops or conversations if I felt it was not the right place for me. I allowed myself to say no, sometimes.
…
…
…
Big steps on my path towards genuine freedom and authenticity.
…
I participated to a contact-improvisation dance workshop and danced with strangers. Holding space for the other, connecting with the hands to the center of the other, dancing back against back… Which was really new for me. I was stepping out of my comfort zone, I was feeling a little shy and impressed. And in the same time it felt great. I experienced new ways about how I can be in the world, outside of my classic patterns and habits. Inhabiting my body differently, connecting to others differently. Learning to care less about what people think about me.
…
I also met my first French coaching client (I already started working with a client in San Francisco). I was talking to someone and he was here, and we started talking, and he told me he was interested to be coached by me. We settled an appointment and saw each other later to share more and see if we wanted to work together. And as he was talking to me, it seemed so obvious to me why it was right for us to work together.
…
At the OuiShare Fest, I experienced the power of « not wanting » and letting things and people come to me.
…
It feels counter-intuitive at first – I needed months of unlearning the old unconscious programming – but when I am able to do it it is magic.
…
It was like being the rose.
…
Unfolding with effortless ease. One of my new archetypes.
…
(And I will share later about the intellectual things I learnt.)
…