The circles in the image above are not some mystical thing, they’re just a visualization that can help us find our niche towards thriving authentically.

What’s thriving authentically? Living our purpose and earning a good living while nurturing human health and nature.

Basically, we’re choosing to be conscious about our situation, our contributions, and our connections.

So, the circles. Each individual has their own circles (because we’re all one of a kind). We use the circles to guide us towards finding our purpose, applying our energy most optimally, and connecting to those who can benefit from our expertise. We all want to feel good, like we’re doing our best, like we’re not causing harm, and like what we’re doing matters. (Entities such as businesses or communities can use the circles too, more on that another time.)

The circles correspond to our three steps towards thriving authentically: Step 1) Our Situation: understanding our needs and impact, Step 2) Our Contributions: finding our niche and being a star in the climate economy, and Step 3) Our Connections: participation and sharing.

Inner Circle: Step 1: Understanding our Needs and Impact

• Red Circle: Inside: Are we mentally safe and healthy? Are we content with where we’re at in life? Do I have access to help for these things if I need it?
• Orange Circle: Outside: Are we physically safe and healthy? Is our carbon footprint optimized? Do we have access to what we need in terms of shelter, food, other stuff? Can we do the things we need to do in our home and community?
• Yellow Circle: Participation: What to we consider to be our skills and expertise? Is there a culture or community where we feel we belong? Do we feel appreciated?

Outer Circle: Our Contributions: Finding our Niche and Being a Star in the Climate Economy

• Green Circle – Climate: Our contributions to nurturing the environment and nature
• Blue Circle – Humanity: Our contribution to overall/global human health, happiness, productivity
• Purple Circle – Economy: Our contribution to production and exchange

Dashed Circles: Our Connections: Participating and Sharing

Connecting is key to thriving authentically. We participate and share our expertise. Each person’s circle can connect to others, and eventually we’re all connected.

Going through this exercise can help you clear out confusion and wrong-thinking, and make you feel confident that you’re thriving authentically. To dive into your own circles, go into your profile under “My Stuff,” then to “Profile” where you add info about yourself and a picture, and go to the “My Circles” part. You can fill out the information and keep it private or share it. Have fun exploring!