Happiness Is Just *One* By-Product
Last week I attended a 2-day mastermind in LA. There were about 150 people in attendance, many of whom are world-class thought leaders in their respective industries.
But unlike other events I have attended with industry leaders, what made this experience so amazing is that there was no hierarchy. It was completely flat. There was no VIP back room for the “top” speakers to sit.
We sat at round tables. We all ate meals together. We all hung out, conversed, and even saw comedy shows together.
It felt like a real community.
This was the second Archangel Mastermind event I’ve attended, and I am still blown away. I honestly learned so much in just 2 days that my system is still processing. Thank you to Giovanni Marsico for creating this event and curating and nurturing this amazing community.
My intention for this week is to pull a few of the most powerful lessons from the event and share them with you guys.
So for today, here is a simple lesson that knocked my socks off, courtesy of my friend Marla Mattenson.
For those of you that don’t know Marla, she is one of the world’s most respected and well-known relationship coaches. Marla and her partner Julian Colker specialize in helping entrepreneurial couples with love, intimacy and connection.
During her breakout session, Marla casually dropped this one line that literally took my breath away. It’s something I’ve heard before, something I’ve overlooked because it’s so easy to gloss over. But the exact language Marla used in that moment allowed this piece of wisdom to finally land.
She said:
Happiness is *one* by-product of living a creatively expressed life.
If we choose to venture down the path of living a creatively expressed life sometimes we encounter and experience happiness. This is wonderful, but also fleeting.
Soak it in. Appreciate it, but do not change your direction to chase or attach to this singular experience. Instead keep walking down the path towards full creative expression, knowing that happiness is only one by-product you will encounter on this journey.
Insecurity, doubt, anger, joy, calm, love and many others will also meet you at specific moments on this journey. Treat them all as equals. Find the gift they have for you, BUT always stay committed to the journey: to explore, express and release the fullest version of yourself into the world.
When Marla shared this concept, it instantly activated something deep inside me—a part of my being that knew this to be true and just needed a wake-up call. Marla’s wisdom gave me permission to continue pursuing my heart’s purpose, even when happiness is not currently present. What a freaking gift.
Thank you Marla!
Also, a huge thank you to everyone who participated and shared their fullest selves at Archangel Messenger. I love each one of you amazing humans.
