Co-Creating the Future
I am not sure anyone really knows how many different types of coffee choices we have—from Americano to espresso and latte—and how many are being imagined for our future consumption. If you are a coffee drinker, you might like it unsweetened but if not, the minute you add a sweetener, you will most likely stir the hot liquid.
And when you do, you can’t expect your coffee to taste the same once these different elements are combined. You create a new flavor; a new creation. Transformation is a natural part of this process.
When you are on a path to create something new in your life or business, you cannot focus on the old ingredients that led you to your present moment. You have an opportunity to embrace the mystery that the future path is now offering you.
The world is constantly changing, and you have a choice as to whether you go with the flow or stay where you are. Surprisingly, the unknown is far vaster than you could ever imagine, and certainly far greater than what you know.
Shifts and change are the final stage of a flow that was subtly evolving over time. Here are a few ways to think about shifts toward a healthy future, and please add your own:
#1—A Desire to Imagine and Create the Future as Co-Creators
When you believe there is only one way to achieve success, you will most likely be unwilling to see possibilities, especially when you are only focused on solving problems. But when you are ready to create a healthy future, so much is possible.
We can do things on our own but together, with healthy people in our lives, so much is possible. And where many of us are headed requires building trusted relationships that will lead to life in thriving communities.
It’s important to truly understand co-creation—whether it’s a personal situation or a business one. Co-creation happens in a marriage and in business situations when we are focused on a shared North Star; our true calling in life.
Co-creating means there are no other agendas. There is a clear sense of purpose and the focus is on the shift and what we are creating. This is where radical honesty comes in—and a willingness to question and not take anything personally—is key.
In authentic co-creations, there is healthy tension around what we are creating; conflict rarely arises as there are no sides to defend. And if there are difference of opinions, we get to discuss and play with them.
Connecting with healthy co-creators is foundational to imaging and creating a new reality together. This is why knowing who is healthy and toxic for our well-being is necessary to make meaningful choices for our future.
#2—It Takes Practice
Sometime you don’t really know if someone is healthy or toxic until you spend time together, especially facing situations that require honesty.
Things go smoothly until you hit a roadblock or take a wrong turn and it takes practice to understand whether people can work and create together. You have to give it a go and test the waters and see how people react when challenges arise. Maybe that’s why the honeymoon rarely lasts when reality sets in?
I experienced this recently with someone who saw herself as an expert and had no willingness to co-create. She was so stuck in her ways and got offended when anyone didn’t agree with her. She wanted to rely on what she knew and follow the influencers and the best practices to create more of the same. She lacked imagination and a desire to flow. And she was doing her best. But being on the defensive is not a way to co-create and it became clear that this was toxic for all of us.
When someone is stuck in this mindset, they are not ready to see any other reality. The source of their unwillingness often stems from a fear or a story from the past. While it has been honorable to fight and be right until this point in our own history, this is not a time to do someone else’s inner work and correct the injustices of their past.
It’s up to each of us to discover healthy ways that allow us to experiment and grow as we go. Our future is calling us to create healthy relationships that don’t require us to battle and practice allows us to make conscious choices about who we co-create with.
Having A Relationship with Our Future
Something always has to die to make room for what’s about to be born. Sometimes we have to lose our mind and allow ourselves to break open. There’s something about stripping away our old identity with all we’ve been carrying in our baggage, whether material items or beliefs.