It came to me three weeks ago. It’s time. It’s time to launch Start3Things and what better day than the 4th of July when we celebrate freedom. Start3Things (S3T) started over 3 years ago and it’s been ruminating since with starts and stops and then nothing.
The original concept was based on doing 3 things everyday that move you to your purpose. To becoming the you that you are called to be. And it’s still true today but I realized a few months ago that it’s more than starting and finishing. I’ve been caught the last three years in the middle. I started and then I sputtered and stopped. We have hundreds of ideas of starts but not a proportional amount of finishes. Why? The middle – the working ground. Starting again and where we are at is where living and being intersect.
So S3T started to make more sense as the concept evolved and I evolved my thinking along with it. The only way to the finish is starting but we need that grit and fortitude in the middle to keep going. Starting is easy compared to the work demanded in the middle to finish.
And the concept of 3 took on more itself as well. Life is a series of beginnings, middles and ends. It’s cyclical and dynamic. And in all areas of our life in one of those areas all at the same time. We are complex beings living in a chaotic world. And the one thing we all have in common to be sure is that we are here for a purpose in our daily life, on our years and in what we leave behind.
And in the process of having S3T evolve, the logo changed from and arrow forward to a cyclical dynamic image. And the order of the website has changed as well moving beyond the concept of starting to one of story, a beginning, middle and end and resources, research and writing that lands in those 3 “buckets” – plant, cultivate, harvest; start, middle, finish; ideas, inspiration, insights. And finally – the concept of the caterpillar, cocoon, butterfly and the transitions in between. So you’ll see content ordered in 1-caterpillar icon: starting, always exploring and learning – a growth mindset; 2-cocoon icon: the middle ground where we need encouragement to keep going; and 3 – butterfly – our becoming and transitions to new by letting go of what’s been and building on what is in our evolving.
So here we go. Launching an incomplete, evolving and imperfect website. Just like me. There’s magic in starting that demands attention and light to move into the middle and on our way to the finish. Where S3T is now is not where it’s going to be but would never be at all if I don’t take flight and launch.
So happy freedom day from fear, perfection and moving from start through the middle to one of many finishes that make up life. Let’s take flight together.