Connection
Most people who have started a business know it is a long, often solo, slog to get to success, however you define success. Financially I am able to cover the expenses of the business and have occasionally paid myself a small stipend. Finding ways to stay motivated, especially in the last few years with the added complexity of the pandemic, is a constant challenge. Along with the nagging doubts of does it even do what it’s supposed to do?
In an emotionally exhausting year, I have been grappling with how to continue with this venture. Weighing up the pros and cons, asking for a sign from the universe.
And like magic an email appears in the Mindsettle inbox:
"I am writing on behalf of my wife, who is still in hospital after a fall at home three months ago. One of the few positives to come out of the whole experience is discovering MindsettleTV. For anyone facing surgery and prolonged confinement in hospital Mindsettle provides a window onto calming natural imagery of great beauty and wonder. She has found this free service to be a godsend.
While it’s impossible to over-praise the life saving work of doctors and nurses, the huge psychological stresses and anxieties of hospital patients are ignored. Sedation is the only help available. Trapped in an ailing/injured body in unfamiliar, sterile surroundings, the patient is left to deal with the mental and emotional distress of life-changing medical procedures on their own. The humanitarian value and restorative potential of Mindsettle helps support patients as they recover."
I gratefully replied to Michelle and Eric, expressing my thanks and misgivings. Eric rang me that afternoon to offer additional encouragement and to arrange Mindsettle content for their private use for when Michelle finally comes home. This direct connection for Michelle with the calming and restorative benefits of nature is exactly the outcome I dreamed of when I came up with this concept. So for now I can answer YES - it does do what it’s supposed to do and that's a success!
Or as Eric put it:
“Artists such as yourself have the ability to intuit the zeitgeist and come up with creative solutions to human problems. What I admire so much about your work is that you have been able to manifest an inspired idea so others can experience and enjoy it. Right idea, right time, right place, right people. It’s a difficult thing to pull off (proof of concept) successfully as you have done.”
This connection with Michelle and Eric was beautifully timed and reinforces the value in connecting to people and nature.
