Somewhere along the way, you signed up to make good change happen in the world. In these unusual times, creating powerful solutions for the planet, means that you need to be more creative than ever.

The deal you make with the Universe, if you’re using the word ‘innovative’ anywhere in your lingo, is that you will need to step into the soupy mess for real and risk doing things differently.

And the moment you do is the time when revolutionary ideas will show up to challenge you on direction, choices, decisions…arriving unplanned and wilfully disrespectful of your status quo.

Often, our first reaction is to curate ourselves based on past hurts and seeming failures.

It plays out a little like the scene from Notting Hill, towards the end in the bookshop.

Your idea arrives and, like Anna, it says, “I was wondering whether you would let me see you a little…or a lot…”

Unnerved by the magnificent possibilities, you, like William, reply, “Can I just say No to your kind request? With you I’m in real danger…my relatively inexperienced heart, I fear, will not recover if I was once again cast aside…”

Startled by something that will take you out of your comfort zone, you haul out all of the old myths and stories to stay safe, all the reasons why not.

Both of these characters are you. Your unique blend of splendid creativity asks to be seen, inviting you to take the risk on something spectacular. The same you, who has chewed the dirt in the arena, as Brene Brown calls it, doesn’t want the agony of hitting the ground again.

And yet, revolutionary ideas are incorrigible in their persistence.

You may be tender-hearted but you are not faint-hearted; deep down you know that a seed of disruption has been planted that will change everything. After all, when you chose to play with the fire of walking the path less well travelled, you knew you were going to get at least a little singed.

What to do then?

As rule-breakers and change-makers advocating for people and planet, saying No to taking action makes us deeply unhappy. And yet, age and experience make us a little wiser than saying a ‘straight-over-the-cliff’ Yes.  

What if you said, “Maybe!”

Allowing something extraordinary to unfold starts with, “Maybe…” so that time, tenderness and courage can work their magic, making space for the possibilities to be revealed and explored.

Letting go of past hurts, the fear of future failures and perhaps most of all, the terror that things might actually work out, means learning how to say Maybe.

This is the soupy space I like working with you in. It’s messy, human, real. It’s the necessary meeting point of love, wonder, joy which are essential for opening up your creativity to be innovative and entrepreneurial.

It’s where I get you to show up authentically, remembering how to take risks as unprecedented you, regardless of age or position.

You called yourself to action with your idea, I give you the tools to say Maybe so that you make massive positive impact in ways meaningful to you.

Get in touch. You can email me elaine@flowinaction.org  and we can chat about how I can help you and your team with coaching and workshops. 

Oh…and watch the whole film to know the whole story. Bring your own snack, I don’t share my popcorn!

#flowinaction #flow #wellbeing #creativity #love #innovation #entrepreneurship #socialinnovation #socialenterprise #socinn #socent #responsiblebusiness #purposedriven #climateaction #sustainability #sdgs 

I'm heading to Prague this week for the World Leading Schools Association Conference 2019 to take part as an Expert Panel Member. 

The focus of the panel is 'Practical solutions to increase the health and happiness of your school community' as part of the Healthy Campus discussions.

I'll be sharing tips and insights about using Flow In Action's learn to move mountains SDG Innovation Challenges to increase student wellbeing and develop academic skills. 

Find out more about the Conference here

#flowinaction #flow #wellbeing #creativity #innovation #entrepreneurship #industry40 #youthvoices #socialinnovation #education #sdgs #sustainability #climateaction
​

I'm excited. In a geeky sort of way. About the Coursera Global Skills Index 2019.

It's an analysis of the world’s top trending skills in Business, Technology, and Data Science benchmarked across 60 countries and 10 industries. It's a snapshot of the future of work. Industry 4.0.

In short, it identifies design thinking as one of the top trending skills, across all of the ten industries including Automotive, Manufacturing, Media and Technology. In 7 out of 10 industries, including these ones, it places it first in the list.

Why am I excited? Because Flow In Action uses and embeds design thinking around real-world sustainability issues, in our learn to move mountains® innovation and entrepreneurship challenges, to increase youth wellbeing and build Industry 4.0 skills. 

We are training a new generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs to take action for the planet and the challenges that we set are directly linked to the very industries which need innovative solutions around sustainability. 

If you're an educator or working on youth innovation and entrepreneurship, get in touch to talk about our training, workshops and toolkits. Email elaine@flowinaction.org 

#globalskillsindex #flowinaction #flow #wellbeing #creativity #innovation #entrepreneurship #designthinking #systemsthinking #skills #capacitybuilding #futureofwork #industry40 #skillbuilding #mentalhealth #sustainability #climateaction

I set up Flow In Action to be about showing you the pure joy of creating solutions for people and planet. And those solutions are all focused on increasing joy globally by designing around flourishing.

We are inextricably linked to Nature. This is my way of winning hearts and minds for climate action and a fairer way of living for all.

Playing with ideas, using your imagination, being curious and creative to fix real world challenges at a local level increases your wellbeing.

Being well increases your problem-solving creativity, which in turn opens up opportunities to be innovative and feeds your entrepreneurial mindset. You become empowered to be part of the solution as you turn ideas into projects, products and services.

Too often though we think that we are not enough or our ideas don't count or we don't feel that it's ok to be seen and heard. We are afraid to succeed or to fail. 

It's no wonder that young people are struggling with mental health issues. 

And yet all change starts with an idea...and all ideas start from knowing how to have them...and knowing how to have them comes from being in a safe space where you can show up fully as you. 

That's the space I make for you and with you. These are the tools that I equip you with so that you can feel the pure joy of creating solutions in your life, your community, your world. This is how you start your march! 

Get in touch. From 1-1 coaching, workshops, training and toolkits - there is a way to take a step forward and take action. 

#flowinaction #joy #iamunprecedented #wellbeing #creativity #innovation #entrepreneurship #resilience #rebels #climateaction #sdgs #sustainability #ideas #mentalhealth #hope 

This is Flow In Action, organised and visualised on the Hazu.io digital platform for innovators and educators using the Hazu Map 

​It's a blossoming, growing, living enterprise of ideas, creativity and energy. I've never been able to see it like this before and I am finding it fascinating, informative, transformational. 
At the most granular level I can record and showcase the incredible ideas of the children and young people exploring how to take action for people and planet; because they are amazing and have the most remarkable insights. 
I'm going to be running workshops and curricula through it soon. Save the date for 11th October! I'm running a resilience workshop at EPFL Innovation Park @parc-scientifique-epfl ...registration details to come in September!
#creativity #resilience #flowinaction #edtech #hazu # #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurship #innovation #education #ideas #flourishing #socialentrepreneurship #socialenterprise #sdgs #earlyadopter #youth #youthvoices #hope
@aaweb @unctad @uk-department-for-education