Inspiration.

It can become easy to lose yourself in the world we live in. It’s also been easy, for me, to forget the actions and the experiences that are at my core and the very things that create inspiration in my life. How do I “lose” myself? Well…I spend my time shuffling, moving, picking up, dropping off, traveling in, traveling out, meeting, presenting, watching, planning, thinking, caring, questioning. That’s how. Where do you spend most of your time, these days? How do you remain connected to what inspires you at a core level?

I’m a proponent of growth, evolution, care, compassion, intrigue, romance, and intimacy. When looking back, these are common denominators of the experiences and actions in my life that have created such positive energy. This energy has led to activity and that activity has led to a successful career, fatherhood, friendships, and deep relationships. Any time I find myself in a funk – when I take the time to reflect and look in the mirror - I find that I’m steering away from what inspires me. When I work to reconnect with my growth, my evolution, the care I offer others, my levels of compassion, my intrigue about people, places, and things, the romance in my life and the intimacy I connect to – this is when my adventures on this planet feel most exhilarating.

 Regardless of how busy we might become, how many children we choose to have, how much money we plan to earn, how many places we want to see on this planet … if those actions aren’t rooted in what inspires you, I think you’ll find that they can start to feel hollow. Give yourself time to breath, give yourself time to reflect, give yourself time to remember the things that inspired you to be you. Do. Those. Things.

A good friend told me this last night, “it’s the collision of passion, love, and intrigue that makes this life on Earth so mesmerizing” ...

Thoughts?

If you enjoy these posts, please subscribe to The Paperclip Thinking Blog and don’t be shy to leave a comment, because I love discussions & dialogue. Want more discussion in your life - check out “The Venue” – a Zoom based discussion club that I facilitate every other Wednesday. To join the community, please email me (travis@paperclipthinking.com) and I’d be happy to welcome you into the world of discussion-clubbers.

The "why" and "how" behind The Venue

I haven’t posted on this blog since February 11, 2021 and here’s why - I’ve been focused, maybe pre-occupied is a better description, with sending books out into the world, attempting to expand my weekends to include branding my work into a Social Education Platform called the Divergent Thinking Academy for elementary, middle and high schools, and I’m still supporting my teams at TrueBlue with a job I love. Why do all of this? I’d love to say it was for the passion of the work, yet that would be a lie. I’ve been swept into the world of “have to” – you know… “I have to do this” or “I have to do that” because that’s what successful people do – they hustle. The problem is…all of the hustling and the pulling in different directions has created an interesting disconnect to something I hold near and dear to my heart - “having fun”. I love to write. I’m interested in supporting anyone who wants some guidance through life. And Paperclip Thinking and the pillars that make up this thinking continue to shape me in the coolest ways and remain a huge part of who I am and who I’m becoming. For five years I’ve been pre-occupied with “building a business” and my focus had been on growth and expansion. I thought this focus was the proper thing to do and I assumed that this multi-pronged focus would lead me down the path of recognition and money.

Reality check - some of this “business stuff” took the fun out of “why” I do what I do. When the fun & learning stops, I think it’s important to reflect and can be more important to pivot. I’m testing the hypothesis that if we remain focused on our “why” and we spend time supporting others, maybe the other stuff (growth, expansion, etc.) becomes a by-product for the future. I’m shifting my pre-occupation with “build and grow” to a more aligned value system of, “share and guide”. It’s a subtle shift, for me, yet the impact is huge on my well-being. I love a good discussion. I love vulnerable topics. I love the idea of people not feeling “alone” on this planet and I love sharing what I’ve learned on my life’s journey (so others might be able to experience their journey with some additional guidance and perspective and a few less fuck-ups). This is my focus and my “why”.

The “how” is connected to my ability to share and guide through a discussion club called “The Venue”. This discussion club meets every other Wednesday (you can DM me on Instagram, send me a note through FB Messenger, or you can email me to join The Venue’s community). These sessions are one hour long, cost you nothing, and include a mix of people from all corners of the country, ages 14+ are welcome and during our discussions I facilitate a couple of things: 1) I bring forward topics that all of us think about yet very few discuss on a regular basis; 2) our attendees share “ultimate life hacks” for career preparation, personal growth, and life transitions (i.e. learnings from moving from middle school to high school, deciding if college is or isn’t for you, selecting a major if you are in college, choosing a career that you will love and prosper doing, ways to remain balanced in our crazy world, how to build and leverage a network, methods for navigating anxiety and stress, how to change careers later in life…just to name a few of our recent topics); and 3) our community shares all of its knowledge and experiences in a safe environment. Some join to share and some join to listen…some do both. We use Zoom, so you can pop into a session from anywhere.

Please follow @paperclipthinking on Instagram and Facebook. These are two of the platforms where I share content most frequently and I’d be honored if you’d join us as we spread the message of this unique kind of “Paperclip Thinking” and how being divergent in thought can positively impact life.

Following each session of The Venue I’ll be sharing the takeaways from our group discussion on The Paperclip Thinking Blog. If you miss a session – don’t worry – you can subscribe to the blog and learn on your own time and at your own pace:  www.paperclipthinking.com/blog

I hope to hear from you soon and know that from here forward… I’ll be focused on, “changing the world…one discussion at a time”. I hope you’ll consider joining the discussion!

Contact: travis@paperclipthinking.com with any questions. Love y’all.

Why I choose to tell you these things...

It’s been six months since the launch of my first book, “Happiness is Over There” – and you can buy a signed copy at www.paperclipthinking.com or you can email me at travis@paperclipthinking.com to arrange book delivery. 

As I complete my 11th year of intense study, writing, workshops, reading, and coaching on the topics of self-improvement, introspection, vulnerability, dialogue, and mindfulness, I’ve had a handful of earth shaking epiphanies and the most recent one deals with vulnerability, over-sharing, and superiority.

The further I go into my own personal search for meaning I’ve recognized that I’ve had moments of total superiority – the belief that my opinions, my studies, my perspectives are RIGHT and everyone else (who isn’t in full support of me) is WRONG.  This debate of right vs. wrong does me no good (and it does no good for anyone around me). This belief led to frustration, arguments, and other negatives that I don’t want in my life, anymore.

I believe that I’m on this planet to have fun, enjoy the journey, meet new people, share and receive love, and to learn as much as I can from those around me.  In the event that some of my experiences could add value to someone else, I’ll share (when I’m asked). The when I’m asked portion of that last sentence is the new change, for me.

How will they know to ask?  They’ll see the way I’m living and grow curious.  See…If I’m not living peacefully then my stories and thoughts on these topics are just that – stories.  If I’m not listening for other perspectives, loving the people who are sharing them, and willing to support true dialogue – then I’m not in a place that is healthy, for me.

I want to be peacefully quiet, which has been a challenge for most of my life.  Making statements to prove my worth or to garner appreciation & attention only led me to isolation.  True joy occurs when I engage in the learning of others and this fuels my personal belief that peace and productivity are derivatives of vulnerability and sharing (crucial is being able to indirectly share through action: when your actions elicit the questions that spark the vulnerable dialogue).  As a good friend shares with me, often, “It’s so much more powerful to see a sermon than hear one.”

Cheers to all of you and your journeys, whatever they may hold.  A poem from me to you:

Why do I choose to tell you these things?

Something went dark years ago…

The belief in myself, it melted like snow.

What was left after the melt had begun…

An ego with depths like a majestic canyon.

I’ve explored those depths and realized this…

The journey I’m on is for me, my gift.

To squander this gift – its love and peace - because of words like right or wrong…

Is but ego’s attempt to live above ground.

You ask why I choose to tell you all of these things?

It’s to support YOU someday, when you too, choose your wings.

TFurlow

Action, Love, Vulnerability, Transparency, and Resilience

I wrote this as an invocation for the Dearborn Rotary Club.  Thanks for the inspiration Candy Hipple & Lynne Hughes  and for becoming partners in a journey to support shifting perspectives on how the world is viewed.

Action, Love, Vulnerability, Transparency, and Resilience.

Action is energy that powers growth, learning, and experiences- How many ways could we “BE” ACTIVE?

Love is the energy that binds each of us- How many ways could we “BE” LOVING?

Vulnerability is the courage to speak and act with humility about topics that you may feel only impact a few, when in fact, they impact the masses. – How many ways could we “BE” VULNERABLE?

Transparency is the willingness to open your life’s book and speak from the experiences you have had and how they make you feel, so others may benefit. – How many ways could we “BE” TRANSPARENT?

Resilience is the energy that supports ACTION when Love, Vulnerability, and Transparency all seem to fall on deaf ears. – How many ways could we “BE” RESILIENT?

School Shootings, Unemployment, Missing Children, Political Adversity, Economic Challenges… we have so many reasons to consider giving up on the world.  Today, I stand here with the intention of reminding everyone I can reach that beauty still exists: the friends we have around us; the students I encounter daily and their energy for life; the support we are blessed to offer the world; the 49 degrees in the month of February (in Michigan); and the ability for each of us to choose Action, Love, Vulnerability, Transparency, and Resilience, daily!