Living arrangements

Yesterday I went to inspect some other places to live. I am happy where I live at the moment, and don't think I want to move, but I did want to see what else was out there, particularly for less rent than I am now paying.

What it got me thinking about was, what I am looking for in a place to live anyway? What would be the thing that would get me to move house?

Here are a few things that bubbled up:

• being close to my kids school
• being close to where I am going to do most of my work
• a place with a backyard or very nearby park for the kids
• a place that has a great vibe for working from home
• a place that is close by other people who are aligned with my values and thinking
• being close to my broader family

To summarise, it seems that the key factors are being in and around the community I identify with, and being in a beautiful space, both natural and built.

The place I am in right now has some of those elements. I think the community element could be improved, the cost could be less, and it could be closer to nature. For the time being though, I think it is enough.

Fixing that which looks happy and content

My sons go to a private school. Mostly because of the journey I have been on this year, I am starting to think that it may not be a school that is aligned with my values, and the values I want my kids brought up with.

The school is actually a great environment. They seem to be loved. They seem to be cared for. And they are definitely happy. At the moment.

My concern is that as they progress through the ranks of this school they will become more influenced by the values of achievement and competition rather than curiosity and self exploration and expression.

I want my kids to have the best opportunity of being pushed and taught. Most of all though I want them to have the ability to listen to themselves, to ponder what they hear, and then to have the courage to live out their truth and bring their light to the world.

I am not sure this will happen at their current school, and I think I have found a school nearby where they will be able to develop these skills. They have had so much change in their life recently though that I wonder, is it going to be good for them or harm them, to introduce more change and move schools? I am yet to know the answer.

Opposition bringing clarity to values

There is a conversation I know I need to have today, and I am not looking forward to having it. I am trying to get a product made, and I want the product to be excellent. But I feel stuck because I seem to have only found one person who can make it for me, and I don't like how they plan to make it.

I went to an event this week about businesses and culture, and one of the points made was that of the three wheels on the tricycle that move a business, one of those wheels has to be the lead wheel. They suggested the wheels were Operations, Customer, and Product. You need to be proficient at all three, but you also need to choose one to lead with.

Something I have realised through this exercise of problem solving how to make this product and start this business, is that I am making a business that leads with 'Product'. I want the product to be delightful, for each part of it to be thought through and mindfully designed, and that is something I am very unwilling to compromise on.

So it seems that through the discomfort of problem solving my way through getting this product made, I have come to understand one of my core values. For that I am grateful.