Recently I was walking though Hamburg awashed in political posters and billboards for their upcoming elections. All of them pretty normal: the visionary, the steadfast, the game changer.
Then I stumbled over this poster...
A portrait of female politician from the conservative party. She is starring out of a golden guided frame hanging on a white sterile tiled wall. A black - orange froufrou dog sitting on a plastic chair gazes at her.
It leaves me speechless.
Four years of working with what was on hand, which was never very much (though it was oddly all consuming). Running after this opportunity or trying to pursue that possibility; which seemed a smart thing to do under such circumstances, but often enough didn't pan out. Running in circles. Hitting walls. Jumping over obstacles. Taking leaps of faith. Keeping my nose to the ground. Putting in the hours.
More than all of this, what counted were the kind and generous people on the way. Those that mentored. Those who quietly lead by example. The nay-sayers, who questioned my ideas and helped me test my resolve. The cheerleaders who bolstered me in those times of desperation. The ones who blindly believed in my abilities. Those whose lives touched me. Those who listened to my fears and aspirations. What a rowdy tribe.
Now, four years into my self-employment I have this amazing feeling of being the navigator of my own journey. To celebrate this, I am on the road visiting family and friends and doing business in between. Sweet! Who would have thought...
