I have recently found myself typing out and then deleting many an email to you, my wonderful audience – about telling you the story that has been unfolding over the last few years.

I believe it is a story many of us around the age of 30 are beginning to analyse, or, at-least those who fear of the inevitable predictability of life, yet, who are subconsciously in search of the possibility of the unknown… and so, as not to fill your inbox with essays you weren’t expecting: Welcome back to the League Collective Blog – where I cover topics of mental motivation, apparel, events and ‘introducing sessions’ with incredibly inspiring humans.

There is plenty wisdom among and useless outlets of pondering I plan to share – in hope it will have caught you on the day you needed to hear it and have an affect of good in some way – that it only feels right to write once more… So here we go. And welcome back! 

Re-starting League Collective was one of the most unusually difficult decisions. The main question it posed was WHY?

Creating with purpose was always the goal. Otherwise, whats the use if you’re not adding value to peoples lives? But when your own goal-post’s shift, how do you continue offering something authentically, with true enthusiasm and belief in what you’re sharing?

Purpose and Values are totally subjective and are expressed accordingly through ones own human experience. When your values and purpose are strong enough, the ability to move and effect those around you should your values not align with their’s is still totally fathomable; through the level passion, excitement and complete and utter belief in what you are doing. This is how empires are built, and how Dyson is literally the only hoover brand I bet you can think of right now.

On the contrary, if you don’t align with your own values, or fully believe in your offering, there is no way you will be able to honestly, authentically convince your friends and piers that what you’re investing your energy into is worth their while too.

Taking time for honest self evaluation is tough, yet necessary for a fulfilled life, because, if we aren’t dancing to our own tune and internal truth, how much of our human experience will we actually enjoy?

And how on earth do we know what our own values are?

To start with, lets not get Values mixed up with our morals: ‘integrity, honesty, loyalty’ etc… We’re re-framing this context as: ‘What do you value the most?’.The best way to find this out, is to look back on what ‘sparked joy’ in your life. What Marie Kondo’d you into a stupor of endless time and energy for that one thing. No matter how big or small – from playing the piano, building an empire, travelling, knitting, spending time chatting to strangers – even though you couldn’t fathom getting off the sofa to wash the dishes or do your accounts?
Our own ‘Joy spark’ is where the route of our values are usually hiding, waiting for us to flick a switch so it can overflow and light up our entire lives.

(Unfortunately, society often frowns upon us having, finding or keeping joy and success in our lives for too long… but that’s for another blog post. Let’s not feel guilty about doing well and feeling good for now shall we!)

After evaluating my personal shift in what I valued most in life whilst compounding the things I personally saw as ‘success’ whilst running League Collective (hosting incredible yoga and wellness retreats… which is ironic since I spent 4 years trying to become a clothing brand) it was clear to see, from some hard yet heartfelt truths where my true Values and passion led me…

Whilst coming to terms with the fact that creating nothing was 100% worse than creating something where the passion dwindled, I began to evaluate the questions that got lost along the way and by being un-addressed, made me stop running League Collective all together:

  • Why are you doing this? – Create community, adventure, wellbeing, experience.
  • What will you do? – Shift from witnessing to doing.
  • How will you do it? – Create experiences instead of things.

The truth is, Our time IS STILL NOW, and always will be. So no matter how busy you are with the ‘Important things’ in life, please remember that the moments we cherish are the ones of Joy, new experience and excitement, and that might just be where your true value lies…
Passionate about what you do? Great! You’re in alignment with your values. Struggling to find the enthusiasm for your day to day? maybe its time to re-e’Valuate’. Does what you’re doing actually align with what you value the most?

If it helps, take some time to do the exercise above with different pillars of your life, and see what answers come up. Do they align with your actions?

I hope this post inspires you to internally reflect on the good, the bad, the passions and things we sometimes don’t make time for but really, really want to… they might just be your Next, Big, Thing.

Thank you for reading!

Lilly x