The Crossroad

A powerful question that can change your Sunday

What crossroad do you find yourself at this moment of your life?

I have been asking many people this question recently.

It's a discomforting question. And that's a great place to start. Peter Block, the teacher I learned it from, said: "If a question doesn't bring up some anxiety, then it's not doing anything".

For me, the crossroad is so many. How would I live today? Where would my attention, energy, and time go?

Going deeper into this academic world, or exploring an entrepreneurial path? Writing for this old newsletter, or writing on a new medium like LinkedIn?
Spending time with old friends or meeting new people?
Making sense of what's happening or simply diving straight into new experiences?

Why this question though?
It’s not about making the optimal decision. That’s overthinking :-)
The beauty of that question is not that we have to find the answer.

It is that in constructing it, we have a choice. Anytime you want to spice up your life, ask that questions.
It's the beginning of change, for it necessitates a choice. It reminds us of our place in the world: not as a "troubled guest on this earth" but TODO an active co-creator who doesn't control everything but has a lot of influences :-)

How do you choose though?
That is probably what my whole PhD thesis is about: navigating moments of life-changing decisions.

What I could say for now though is that
Nobody knows for sure who we will become or what we will be doing. But what we do know is that whatever that new self and actions are, they will spring from this moment.

This moment is the foundation, the springboard of the future, the place where every possibility is conceived and birthed into life.

As such, if you are, like me, going through a changing time, when you often can't tell if you are trembling with fearful hesitation or jittery excitement, know that you are not alone.
Let's ground ourselves in this moment.
To breathe and feel the breath, the magical force that sustains our life.
To remember our beating heart, and how vast and sensitive it is.
To sense this alive body, and how much it holds so much tension.
To notice a mind, clear and quiet behind all the raging thoughts.

Stay here, fully here.
Now is the time. Here is the place.
To respond and create
With life.

Thanks so much for being here with me,
Khuyen

ps:
I’m well. I have been contemplating and thinking a lot about the direction of my work on this earth. Practically it’s about my writing life: what to do with this Enzyme newsletter, who to write for, what channel etc.. (I’m slowly making my way to LinkedIn, so come and join me there)

I only hope that by paying attention and documenting this transition phase, I’d find something useful to share with you all.
I hope my findings help us navigate transition times to grow in joy and grace more than pain and suffering.
My PhD topic is focusing more specifically on what happens when founders, leaders, and organizations go through change-at-the-core.

Please forward this to one friend if you feel inspired. Just that one friend who needs to hear this now, You may change her life in an unexpected, beautiful way.

Plus, write me back your response. It will also guide me a lot in my changing phase too!

pss: an art piece at Regent Park, London to describe the crossroad moment :-)