Learning generosity through the internet

Yesterday, Seth Godin sent out a blog he subtitles “Santa Math.”

He talked about all the ways people are stepping in to the world of the Internet and sharing their resources by blogging, showing videotapes, sharing their views through comments, giving tips to others. And not for any direct remuneration.

In committing to write a book, I’ve felt myself pulled up into what seems to be a higher vibration of empowerment that is the current world of information sharing. I thought I’d write a proposal, send it off to a publisher, then wait to be told what to do. Drop this chapter, write more on that, give us a completed manuscript by x date. The publisher would be the parent, I the obedient child (well, I was prepared to stand up for myself, so maybe the teenager).

But instead I heard these words: “She has no platform.”

It’s taken me six months to figure out what that means and then to begin to build this thing called a platform. Along the way, I kept wondering, but what’s the point? When do I actually sell my book, sell my ideas?

Now I feel the effects of this new way of doing things. In the workshops and groups I lead, I talk a lot about how we are the source of our lives, the creators of the energies of love, time, money, creativity, enjoyment. This process of writing my book and creating a platform has taken me squarely into my own authority, as I’ve decided on each step–what the book will contain, how it will look, its graphics and illustrations, and now this website. And along the way I’ve had such a rich experience of co-creating with those people that are essential to this process: my editor and graphics person and webmaster, as well as the community around me.

Soon I’ll be sending the manuscript off again, with a platform supporting it. Who knows what will happen next. I feel excited about having this baby out in the world. And I feel enriched having  become part of this next generation of Santa generosity, where there is room for every one of us to share the riches of who we really are, to live in our genius, and to live in the vast abundance of information, energy, and ideas that we’re all creating together.