I just got my computer back. It´s been away almost a week so my collegue/community friend Maria Obed could use it to edit the video footage from when SVT was here at Ängsbacka to shoot an episode of a lifestyle show the other weekend. We decided to make a behind-the-scenes documentary of the event to tell our own story also. I used the mini-festival to work on my intention to get clarity in regards to my “business”. To sort things out, reflect upon the last couple of years with PRfekt and get a sense of where I am at at the moment. Here´s were I´m at.

Im very still. In two weeks I´ve been a little bit upset for a total of three hours – that was two days ago now. Sometimes people pushes my buttons, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, and most of the time that doesn´t bother me. It´s probably because of the great food at Ängsbacka, my continous practising of awareness, all the loving communication I am experiencing daily and the fact that I have a lot of time at my disposal.

I work 50% and really enjoy my work sharing thoughts and experiences from Ängsbacka. It reminds me that life doesn´t necessarily have to be about chasing the cheese and planning for the future all the time. It can also be about being fully present in the moment and thus actually living.

I´m mainly focusing on simplicity and Zen for the moment. So I´ve been practising simplicity in most things I´ve done. I´ve been asking a lot of people about what Zen is for them. I´ve read quite a lot about Zen and I´ve began to play with Zen in marketing and communication. For instance, I´m currently helping my friend the storyteller Michael Vanderosen get online and market himself as simply as possible. I´ve also held an improvised workshop on Social Media and marketing for my Ängsbacka collegues (video will come up soon) using the same methodology.

Primarily,the methodology is “think less”. The thinking, in my humble opinion, makes most people, including myself, to do a lot of stupid things instead of what is presently needed. Like spending hours and hours on choosing design for a blog, instead of starting to write blog posts. Or thinking about how people will view oneself instead of starting to tweet (and thus actually EXIST online for people to start with). So, I´ve been laughing a lot lately, when thinking about how much energy is put into things that doesn´t  help you out with the marketing for instance.

And I´ve been playing with doing bits of communication that aren´t really good quality according to most standards and putting them out there anyway. I believe that is partly what in Zen is called Sabi and Wabi. In short: the love of poverty Update: not trying to show off and rustic simplicity. Two approaches to life and marketing that actually really makes things happen, as opposed to most marketing plans and meetings in my experience.

My good friend and online video coach (it´s not HIS fault if my videos suck, though!) Björn Falkevik sometimes describes the shift we´re in as a possibility to be more or less constantly present with low effort due to the revolution in cost for media production tools and thus filling the gaps between the occasional high-quality communication event (think TV or a festival). That opportunity makes our online marketing more life-like in a way (unless you are that kind of politician that only shows up every fourth year, and the mostly on prime-time television). And it also makes marketing much more effortless.

This is another good philosphical stance on marketing that I found over at musician and thinker Graham English:

1. Promise Nothing
   Just do what you most enjoy doing.
   Hidden benefit: You will always over-deliver.
2. Offer Nothing
   Just share what you have with those who express an interest in it.
   Hidden benefit: Takes the pressure off of wanting other people to see you as valuable or important.
3. Expect Nothing
   Just enjoy what you already have. It’s plenty.
   Hidden benefit: You will realize how complete your life is already.
4. Need Nothing
   Just build up your reserves and your needs will disappear.
   Hidden benefit: You boundaries will be extended and filled with space.
5. Create Nothing
   Just respond well to what comes to you.
   Hidden benefit: Openness.
6. Hype Nothing
   Just let quality sell by itself.
   Hidden benefit: Trustability.
7. Plan Nothing
   Just take the path of least resistance.
   Hidden benefit: Achievement will become effortless.
8. Learn Nothing
   Just let your body absorb it all on your behalf.
   Hidden benefit: You will become more receptive to what you need to know in the moment.
9. Become No One
   Just be more of yourself.
   Hidden benefit: Authenticity.
10. Change Nothing
    Just tell the truth and things will change by themselves.
    Hidden benefit: Acceptance.

I agree totally.