Seek those who fan your flames

“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.” – Rumi

Spending time with people who fan your flames, is a key component in a happy life. At least it is to me!

I spend time with a lot of people, and I enjoy the company of most of them, but there are some who stand out and really fan my flames.

These people inspire me, I find pleasure in their company and they challenge me to grow as a person. And I sense that they feel the same way

Awareness, compassion, inspiration, synergy, love, pleasure and meaning are words I would use to describe the essence of these relationships.

I am sure that if you look at the people surrounding you, you will also be able to pin point some of them as “special” in that sense.

It is only recently that I have proactively been seeking the company of people who I can relate to in this way. Attending TED Global in Rio last year was probably the first time I made it a priority. But it is something that I now value and strive to integrate in my life much more than I have done so in the past.

Don´t take this the wrong way – I am in no way devaluating the relationship I have with most of the people I know – I am just acknowledging, that some relationships or connections, or whatever you choose to call them, have a special quality and intensity that stand out.

As I have mentioned a couple of times before, I have not been the most social person you can imagine, so initiating new relationships is not something that comes natural to me. BUT in respect of my (new) life rule about taking a step forward and not backwards, when I hesitate in a situation – I try to do the same in my interaction with other people.

I am no longer (that) afraid of telling someone, that I value their company, that I find them inspiring, and that I would love to spend more time with them.

And what has the consequence been? My life is on fire!

You can do it to!  Prioritize the people you already know who fan your flames, and seek to find more.

“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
– Carl Jung 

Enjoying the transformation, I wish you all a great weekend!

Author: Camilla Hilbrands

Camilla formed the company At Work A/S in 1992 at the age of 20 and has been active as a wellbeing expert ever since. She has followed and been involved in creating the development within health and wellbeing in the workplace from its modest beginnings at the start of the 1990s, and she has, among other things, been an expert at National Centre for Workplace Health Promotion (Nationalt Center for Sundhedsfremme på Arbejdspladsen). Camilla is an experienced leader, teacher and speaker and spends most of her time developing and arranging courses and concepts that aim at increased wellbeing for individuals and groups. Creativity, honesty and social intelligence are Camilla’s strong points, and in addition to this she is known for her passion for and book about pancakes. Her focus is basically resource-oriented and innovative and her tal and workshops are based on the most recent research in the fields of positive psychology, neuroscience and behavioural science. Camilla is an informal and humorous speaker, and with her solid professional background she always leaves her audience with aha moments and specific tools they can use straight away. Camilla is an active participant and networker at various conferences, including TED conferences, and in addition to this she has been enrolled as a member of Richard Branson’s “Change Makers and Rule Breakers”, and she is a strong supporter of the motto: Be the change you wish to see in the world. View all posts by Camilla Hilbrands