"... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives
valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because
there is no effort without error and shortcoming ..."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
Review of my first sold-out + interpreted eye gazing workshop:
I learned a lot during my first workshop which was both sold-out beforehand, and interpreted during the workshop itself. It was an eye gazing workshop with the point being that “eyes are the window to the soul.”
What I learned: many of the attendees wanted to eye gaze with me.
I was surprised by this because one main point of the workshop is that we are all equal and equally beautiful inside. Gazing into another person’s eyes can be like a mirror for what is inside of the person doing the gazing.
"So why do people want to sit with me?"
Rob Nugen, 2020
As workshop time started winding down, people started speaking up, wanting to sit with me. Upon realizing how important this was to the participants, I ended up feeling an overall sense of shame by the end of the workshop, apparently having “let down” some/any of the participants.
Oh, and I just realized I forgot to have anyone take pictures of the workshop for social media.
Speaking of social media
In the past month, I have hired a business development duo and plan to start leading new series of circles in Tokyo as part of The Bold Life Brotherhood™. I have not set any dates yet, but I will be leading some practice playshops/games for Bold Life Brotherhood Tokyo once I get the content sorted.
A huge part of this business is “getting myself out there” which I hate with a passion. I just want to stay holed up in my little space to make my marble track and draw art, not facing anyone who might say “no” in any sort of way.
Maybe this counts as my big “thing to learn” this year. (As if learning from leading 36 workshops isn’t enough haha)
Upcoming workshops
- March 7th (土) Walking meditation in Shinjuku Park
- March 15th (日) Your Art Matters (show and tell for artists)
My friend Jacob asked me if I have a reason to send out these newsletters. “What’s the big picture plan?”
Basically these newsletters intend to follow the ups-and-downs of my leading 36 workshops this year. These newsletters also offer me a safe way to begin putting myself “out there.”
If anything, I write this newsletter with hopes to inspire people to take tangible consistent steps toward their highest goals, to encourage anyone feeling fear+excitement about something: Go for it!
I’d love to hear about your exciting project or what scares you about getting started.
Love and light
Rob!