One Insight
When I left my over 20-year corporate career, I was terrified of the unknown. Then I stumbled upon “Coddiwomple” (kod’e wom pel) (v.) – an English Slang, which means: To move purposefully towards an as-yet unknown destination. It was perfect for me, as I didn’t know where I was headed, but I was confident I could take one purposeful step at a time, even when the future was fuzzy.
It’s been three years since I began this Coddiwomple journey, and I’ve learned and accomplished so much by embracing this Coddiwomple philosophy. I’ve built an extensive body of work—conducting coaching sessions, facilitating deep listening practices, guiding meditations, delivering talks, designing learning programs and facilitating workshops, and completing my book, “The Heart Space,” all by taking one step at a time.
Through my Coddiwomple journey, I’ve learned to embrace uncertainty with a different kind of certainty and humility. The vastness of the unknown can be overwhelming for the little brain of mine. Instead of getting lost in trying to control the outcomes, I choose to focus on what keeps me moving in the right direction—my intention, purpose, attention, vitality, and a deep desire to play and create in this world.
I believe that approaching our journey in this way can help expand our capacity to navigate the rapidly changing world with peace and clarity. Ria Baeck from Collective Presencing likened a journey through the unknown to walking in a dark forest together—an opportunity to cultivate our night vision and wild intelligence together.
I invite you to experiment with this word, taking steps purposefully, joyfully, and playfully this year, even if you don’t know exactly where you are going.
I documented the beginning of my coddiwomple journey here: https://www.coddiwompleexperiment.com/.
This website stands as time capsule reminded me where I started, I am sure you’ll get something from it.
One Quote
There is a reason you don’t come with a manual book. It allows you to change and rediscover yourself.
Christine Samuel — Life Doesn’t Come with a Manual Book blog post
One Question to Ponder
Imagining a scenario where you are free from the fear of making mistakes, how would your approach to challenges or opportunities change?