3 Lessons Learned Through My Virtual Adventures Connections

Connection Kuel Category Expert: Kay Newton

At the end of January each year, I always create an annual dream board. Despite Covid19 restrictions, I still felt compelled to design a corner for travel.

An image of a suitcase and a deserted island with a tree-shaped question mark was all I needed. I added the words; travel, education, fun and adventure, within and without, and left the rest to the universe. 

Connection to others has played a role in my virtual peregrinations. I have not moved from my home here in Mallorca, Spain, yet there has been another way to find new horizons. Here are three of the most memorable so far and the 3 lessons learned through my virtual adventures connections.

“It is wonderous to meet another adventurer who is not afraid to trek into the unknown.”

F*ck The Bucket List:

As a resource, Google is wonderously exciting, especially if you follow your intuition. Clicking on a link to show the list of Forbes 50 global women futurists, I came across Ayelet Baron. A few simple messages on LinkedIn and we had opened an exciting conversation.

Ayelet is a visionary author, healer, and global futurist. Leaving a successful career at Cisco, she went through a profound transformation in her life. The third part of her book trilogy, F*uck the Bucket List, will be launched this month.

Ayelet wrote the books because she wished she had this universal guidance contained within them when she started on her journey. Her dream is to help unleash millions and millions of people ready to do inner work and become the architects of humanity. Heart pickings will be the next stage, as well as her new nomadic lifestyle.

It is wonderous to meet another adventurer who is not afraid to trek into the unknown. At some point, I will also have a visitor in my spare room!

Lesson one. Nothing is impossible. Connect to your intuition and let the rest flow.

EXXpedition:

In 2019 I applied to join the eXXpedition all-female crew, sailing around the world investigating plastic. How is plastic affecting our oceans? What is the body burden of plastic upon women? What can we do to solve the issues?

Due to Covid19, the intention to physically travel became a Virtual Voyage. I joined nine other newbies to ‘sail’ around the coast of South Africa. We are a multi-talented crew with many skills, too numerous to mention. Yet, our professions read like this – coach, teacher, doctor, artist, graphic designer, coral specialists, divers, architects and the world’s only specialist in sperm storage in deep-sea sharks. (Yep, you read that correctly!)

Our leaders Emily Penn and Sally Earthrowl, have taken us through an informative exploration of plastic pollution and how to use our skills to solve it. The journey of plastic discovery is by no means over for me. I will be writing more about this in my next Kuel article.

South Africa has 2798 km of coastline. The marine environment is home to whales, sharks, seals, penguins and dolphins to name but a few. Unfortunately only 16% of plastic is recycled. The majority of plastic ends up in landfill, rivers, and then the ocean. As plastic breaks down into micor particles it enters the food chain harming all life on the planet.

Lesson two. No matter what your age, there is always something new to discover, learn and pass on to others.

“When someone takes the time to introduce you to someone new, make an effort to reach out.”

The Power Of Connection:

Through a good friend Deborah Claire Proctor,  who lives in Argentina, I met Isabel Hundt in the US. I have never met Deborah in person, yet she has been my connection inspiration. She constantly goes above and beyond when it comes to introducing me to amazing people. Isabel was no exception.

For more than a decade, Isabel has studied various facets of human connection. She has explored the emotions and conflicting messages that come with labels, unconscious bias, social programming, and false identities. Her focus is on shattering cultural barriers and engaging in cultural transformation.

Her new film is well worth watching if you are interested in the power of connection. In the documentary, there is a simple experiment you can do at home. I challenge you to use it with a loved one and feel the profound impact we have upon one another.

Lesson Three. When someone takes the time to introduce you to someone new, make an effort to reach out. You may not see the connection immediately, yet it will show itself in time. With 7.8 billion people on the planet, it is well worth finding out why you both were put together.

Finally, Connect In Two Steps:

Follow two simple steps to connect to someone new..

Step one, follow your intuition. That is it and so simple!
Step two, have the guts to reach out and say hello. Be prepared for very few to respond, it is human nature, yet those that do, are worth their weight in gold.

If you have managed to reach the end, why not reach out? If the 3 lessons learned through my virtual adventures connections interest you, let’s talk. .Any of the people mentioned in this post will be happy to connect. Including me! I am always up for a chat. Who knows, you may hold the key to the next part of my virtual voyage.

About the Author:

Kay is the founder of Midlife Strategies, an award-winning International Speaker, and enthusiastic author. She is an acknowledged expert guiding women to find their mojo, through the Midlife Squeeze.

Kay’s books include: 

• ‘The Art of Midlife Stress Busting – Seven Steps to Declutter Your Mind Without Pills or Potions’
• ‘How to Clean Your Home Organically – De-Stress Your Surroundings’
• ‘Tips and Tricks For Stress-Free Downsizing – A Step by Step Guide to Moving On’
• Co-author of the six Kindle books in the ‘Quick Fix For’ series, and a contributing author to ‘Hot Women Rock’ and ‘A Journey of Riches’.

Today, Kay lives a simple life next to a beach in Mallorca, Spain. You can find Kay here: www.KayNewton.com.