How Did I Get Here?

How Did I End Up in Europe…

Attending The Next Web Conference…

And Why??

I’m writing this post from a hotel room in Amsterdam, after having attended The Next Web Europe Conference.   These are questions or thoughts that keep running through my head.  As I walked through the airport, hopped on a train, checked into the hotel, roamed the streets of a foreign city, they kept returning.  They are like small rapids in a fast moving stream, places where my thoughts continue to be interrupted by questions that I cannot, I should say could not answer.  Until now.

McKeating Solutions is a very newly formed adventure.  It is the culmination of six years of searching for myself, my happiness and my sandbox.  Ever since graduating from college, I’ve been trying to find my place, my drive, and my success.  I could probably take that back even further to the very beginning of college.  I transferred twice, attending three different schools and changing my major probably close to seven times.  I’m a creative soul, a thoughtful person – literally, I am full of thoughts.  I feel pulled in multiple directions and have been restless trying to force myself into one of these predefined roles or positions in order to find happiness and success.

While pursuing jobs and careers in different agencies and businesses, I’ve continuously worked on the side to create projects, to carve out my little corner of the web.  I started with a yoga blog and review website, then started reviewing books online, starting a charitable project to help local animal shelters, a travel and lifestyle blog and just when it seemed that all of these efforts were in vain, and the energy had all been wasted, I realized or manifested my dream. Let me explain:

I had been trying to keep these different website running in case one made an impact, but also was working to network on Twitter and reach out to companies, and startups, providing advice and ideas in hopes that through networking, I might find my place.  At the same time, through my yoga practice and studies of gurus, motivational speakers and reading a lot of books on self exploration, renouncing the ego and other lessons, I have been getting to know myself.  I’ve been getting to know who I am at the most basic level.  I had been so afraid to know this person before.  I was so afraid because who I am was not what was cool, or normal according to the society around me.

It was almost like the moment I learned and accepted the person that I truly am, I connected with my next client.  At this time, I had two clients that I was guiding and helping with their marketing, but this one was the big one.  This was the one that allowed me to pack up everything else and start my new adventure.

Through networking, I came into contact with Elia Morling, the founder and CEO of Idea Hunt.  I learned about how his platform was a home for thoughtful people like me, a place where I could connect with and help companies that were seeking answers and guidance.  I tried it and loved it so much that when they put out the call, I became an ambassador.  We were trying to work through some of my ideas but I didn’t have the time or the energy to make them happen.  Then the offer came.  I accepted and became a part of the Idea Hunt team, leaving my day job.  Idea Hunt is based in Sweden and I’m in The States.  So to make everything easier, I started my own LLC and Idea Hunt would become my Client.

Did you get that – I officially started my own business! I was doing it.  I found my passion and my drive, and a project that I could really sink my teeth into and make a difference.  As I sit here in Amsterdam, I have realized that I’ve learned a few important lessons as this transformation took place:

1. Never begrudge or regret an experience – even a negative experience can be a learning experience depending on your attitude.  Be open to everything and pay attention because these lessons will be whispered by the universe.  You have to be ready to listen and grab hold of these lessons.  They echo through your life, and can be learned well after an experience has passed.  As I sit in stillness, and quiet my mind, many realizations have occurred – some almost knocking me over.
2. Stop.  Stop trying to be someone else, do something that doesn’t serve you, or doing what other people tell you to do.  Stop judging yourself.  Stop telling yourself that you can’t.  Stop doubting.  This isn’t easy.  When we start these negative actions, they form a pattern which is difficult to break.  But the more you pay attention and catch yourself doing these things, you can break the habit.  You can Stop.  Which sets up the next lesson.
3. Get to know, accept and love who you are.  In doing so, I realized what my strengths were – and those strengths are exactly what got me to this moment, to this place and this opportunity.  Getting to know myself took bravery, it took work and it took time.  I’m reminded of the line from Shrek where he says, “Ogres are like onions, Onions have layers…” We burry who we are under layer after layer of false truths and myths.  In order to get to know who we are, we have to reverse this process, become like an archeologist and uncover the truth.  Like an archeologist though, you must be open to whatever you might unearth.
4. Believe in yourself.  Even if no one else does, you have to believe in yourself.  Those who don’t believe in you, don’t really know you.  Maybe this is because you have not yet gotten to know yourself or let your true self shine.  They cannot know the real you if it’s been buried for so long.  If you don’t have confidence in yourself, how will anyone else?  Build upon the last step and work to love yourself.  It’s going to take time.  And just like the discovery, getting to know yourself will take work.  If you believe in yourself, therein lies the real treasure.
5. Start.  Start working on your happiness.  Start a yoga and meditation practice.  Start learning.  Start reading.  Start seeking out those who can help you build your dream, those mentors who can see the spark and guide you through building that fire.  Start telling yourself that you have this in the bag.  Start writing or researching or whatever is the work that will make your dream happen.  Start today.  Start right now.