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Simply Profound: 5 Insights From Happy Startup Summercamp 2019 That Give Us Hope For Humanity

A series of events that put our actions at the service of people and nature

This article was published first in Medium on Sep 23 2019.

“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen

In the countryside of East Sussex, UK, last weekend I was one of 150 people that got immersed in the Happy Startup Summercamp 2019.

It is a gathering of people who celebrated life and all that it implies. This was the second Summercamp I attended.

Although this time I wasn’t able to be there from the start of the proceedings, I was immersed in a space of deep connectedness to my fellow human beings in the presence of a peaceful natural environment.

The main message I took from this experience is a new way of thinking: that is, to live in harmony with the planet, with other human beings and with nature.

A mindset that gives you hope for this world

So back to those 5 insights.

1. Your mind

During the weekend we were immersed in different activities. The talks we heard, the conversations we had, the people we met, the rituals we participated, and the emotions we felt in all of those activities, give your mind powerful insights of what is happening to you as a human being.

These insights are the spark to mindfulness.

“Mindfulness is the self-regulation of attention with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance.” Scientific definition

I always remember a quote I saw in one of the rooms in the university I studied in Colombia – it stated “Your mind is your most powerful resource”.

I think before tackling the problems we have in our society, we need first to face the demons we have inside. It is therefore no wonder that a mindful person has the empowerment to offer actions for a more human-centered society. In his talk, Max St John gave us powerful ideas about this transcendental topic.

2. Your mortality

“What would life be worth if there were no death? Who would enjoy the sun if it never rained? Who would yearn for the day if there were no night? ” Glenn Ringtved

Sometimes during our lifetime, we are participants of situations that give us thoughts about our own mortality and how it put things in perspective. Well, what a weekend of deep thoughts we had at Summercamp! The departure of the physical world was also part of our discussions, a meaningful one.

It is OK to be ageing to mortality, we heard. It is ok to face our own mortality. In a profound spiritual experience, Laurence Shorter, in a conversation with 3 inspirational guests, gave us an insight of life from a spiritual perspective.

Facing with imminent death in a short time of period can be daunting, but we were privileged to be aware during the event that life doesn’t need to be taken seriously. “It’s a chance to jump in, be silly, capture those moments with family and friends you love, and care a little less about what the world thinks”, in Lesley Graney’s words. I am grateful to life for meeting her and listening to her talk about RAON, “Random acts of nonsense”.

“Mostly it is loss which teaches us about the worth of things” Arthur Schopenhauer

3. Your gift

In our modern society, we are used to listen that success is a process of going to school, go to college and get a job that can give you the financial support to live your life. First at all, this is a very narrow view of the term success. And secondly, and in line with current conscious awareness, there is a disconnection between humans and nature.

“There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way,” Christopher Morley.

Being at Summercamp, you found there is something in you that you want to explore deeply, and while you are in that journey, you get in contact with your inner self which shows your own uniqueness. This is the moment when you realize you have a gift that needs to be explored.

“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” David Viscott

4. Your community 

At Summercamp I experienced different emotions that spark curiosity, compassion, and empathy. This happened to me while I had conversations with the people who were there. The intersection between the people I met, their thoughts about why they were there and the insights we shared while we were participating during the activities, produced in the atmosphere strong vibes that I still feel.

I rephrase the comment I have heard in the past, “you arrive at Summercamp as a complete stranger, and you leave with friends for life.” You make deep connections because you share your own beliefs with others.

“Community is a sign that love is possible in a materialistic world where people so often either ignore or fight each other. It is a sign that we don’t need a lot of money to be happy — in fact, the opposite.” Jean Vanier

In a community where people are working to include their job as part of their meaningful lives, and as we don’t find meaning in business as usual, we work on creating businesses that can have positive value to the human existence.

We have been witnesses of the effects of Summercamp, when days, months and for some others, years later, we get better with our ideas and actions with the support of the community.

“What if the purpose of business was to make the world a happier place? That is, what if the business of business wasn’t business?” Carlos Saba

So, yes! this is my tribe! Business hippies

5. Your impact

“The Best Way to Find Yourself Is to Lose Yourself in The Service Of Others” Mahatma Gandhi.

Once we have our minds connected to our inner self and we are starting to explore the gift we can offer to the planet, it gets intrinsically on motion to produce an impact. Based on the current situation of the planet, there is also a call to all of us to give a positive impact on it. I heard people during Summercamp talking about their beliefs, their ideas and their work, with a focus to not only make a sustainable planet, but to heal it and also to regenerate it.

Each of the people that I talked to, are on track to give a positive impact, either from an artist or from a business point of view.

Those conversations still resonate with me, as my personal experience has reflected this. Few years ago, I was working for big corporates where I didn’t feel I was making a positive impact, hence, I made a career change to work with social enterprises and SME’s in something I found meaningful and positive to society. And I am still work in process.

Hope

With a new mindset, we should expect to action all of those insights which at the end, you are also on duty to offer your gift to others. Coming from a place in the southern hemisphere and living now for almost 10 years in the Northern Hemisphere, I can relate to the words of a teacher I had in my youth. “ a privileged person has the moral responsibility to help others”. When we keep alive the hope in us, it is our duty to share the spark to others with support and compassion.

Hope is also ingrained in the ethos of the Happy Startup School, “Change The World By Changing Your World”. This resonates with the words that Laurence McCahill put in “Simpler Living For a Happier Planet”.

From now on

I feel the spark of this mindset is something powerful that keeps me on the journey of self-discovery. It is not any more complicated, but that doesn’t mean it is easy.

So, it is better we enjoy the journey, as death will be our final destination.

This article was published first in Medium on Sep 23 2019.

I have been thinking about few ideas before Summercamp. And after it, I have now a desire to develop my ideas further. Well, this will be a topic for another article, Planet Earth Mindset !

P.S. Earlybird tickets for Summercamp 2020 are on sale. See you there