A couple of weeks ago when I landed on the topic for my March blog I had a very different idea of what I wanted to highlight and the key messages I was going to share.
That was two weeks ago. In quiet moments, I found myself in a state of complete disbelief.
Can our world really change that dramatically in 14 days? Apparently, it can.
As the days have passed, I notice my disbelief is beginning to fade as I settle into the new normal of staying informed, not over or under reacting and simply being prepared. For anything.
What the past two weeks hasn’t changed for me is that I am still as excited as ever to share with you my takeaways from the documentary The Biggest Little Farm. The central theme that spoke loudest to me was about making your dreams come true, even in the face of adversity and failure. Packed into this documentary are some incredible lessons about courage, vulnerability, and determination. Those lesson remain relevant and important. The trait I’m going to take a deeper dive on though is ADAPTABILITY.
Lesson 1: Cultivate the courage to believe in yourself
Molly, one of the two central characters is a food blogger with a dream - to cook with food she had grown herself and grow it in perfect harmony with nature. The secret recipe to her dream? Clarity. While she didn’t have her HOW, she was very clear about her WHY.
Your dream should take more than one short sentence to describe. Paint a rich, technicolor picture of it for yourself and share it when anyone asks. Live it like it already happened.
Lesson 2: Leverage opportunities to put your dream in motion
I’d be willing to bet that if you asked Molly and her husband John what would get their dream ball rolling, neither would have imagined it had a furry coat and four legs. They might however agree that their commitment to provide their dog Todd with a forever home played a big role.
Your values are an important part of what makes you authentically you. Don’t compromise them or hide them away. Use them as they are intended – to guide your actions and words.
Lesson 3: Ask for help
The first time they asked for help was to find investors to support their dream. The second big ask was when Molly reached out to Alan York, a key contributor who lent his technical guidance and vision for their land.
Unless your dream is to live alone on a tropical island (and hey, some days that doesn’t sound so bad), part of what transforms an idea into a dream is the people it touches and the experiences that it creates along the way. Your dream can be contagious, so share it.
Lesson 4: “You’re going to get knocked down, keep getting up and keep moving forward”
There are so many wonderful examples of when John and Molly failed, learned, regrouped and carried on. This is one of the most inspiring themes of this film.
Enough said.
Lesson 5: Adapt, Adapt, Adapt
Coyotes in the hen house, sick pigs, snails and starlings in the orchard. Individually, these situations could have taken them down. In each case, they ADAPTED, and sometimes more than once to the things that worked, and the ones that threatened to derail their dream. And in their adaptation, they survived and thrived.
“When your clarity meets your conviction, and you apply action to the equation, your world will begin to transform right before your eyes.”
Lisa Nichols
Adapting is both DOING and BEING.
Don’t fly solo (also known as Lesson 3 above)
Invite and lend support. In many of the situations you’re faced with, there are others in the same or similar place. You probably have as much wisdom, encouragement and experience to offer someone else as they have to offer you.
Equip yourself
Learn as much as you can about the change that is requiring you to adapt. Ask questions, do some research to gain a variety of perspectives and knowledge about the issue at hand.
Broaden your (comfort) zone
Create opportunities to put yourself in new situations. Maybe that’s getting involved in new activities or meeting new people. It’s about becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. Like the first day I started to work from home. This tip speaks loudly to me.
Exercise
Movement shifts your mindset. Walk, run, dance – you get the idea.
Practice gratitude
What can you be grateful for? Sometimes you have to dig deep to find it, and every time you do, you’ll find something there.
It is what it is
Accepting your present circumstances - what is, gives you space and energy to move forward to what can be. Otherwise, you are ruminating in the past and well, that’s behind you now.
My final recommendation? Gift yourself with an hour and a half to watch The Biggest Little Farm. And when you’re done, watch it again and this time really focus your attention on the many examples of adaptation. Then find ways to bring that into your world.
