Steve Nash raises awareness step-by-step on his soul journey. Life experience prompts him to adopt and recommend the motto; "find the guru within."
His web-based information sources inspire, empower and awaken readers. You may hear of him through a variety of endeavours. I connect with him through his selfhelpcollective inititatives and am thrilled he chooses to share some down-to-earth insights here:
Why create selfhelpcollective.com?
The truth is, I never intended to build a self-help website in Feb 2008, it just happened.
Come on, Steve, nothing just happens. What was the 'ah-ha' moment? What prompted you to go from thought to conscious creation?
I decided I was really interested, no, passionate, in self-help. I also worked out a 'spin' for my website that I thought was unique: and that spin was guru-free self-help.
So, you do not view yourself as a 'self-help guru?'
I happen to be a firm believer in the 'you are your own best guru' philosphy. I am not a fan of 'guru knows best' which many self-help websites seem to subscribe to. I prefer the idea that the 'collective' knows best.
Who or what inspired it?
It was inspired by Site Build It!, my passion for self help, and my belief that the 'guru free' message was not being spread sufficiently. I found a site-building suite of software and 'instructions' that gets you to build a website based on your passion. This makes for a more enjoyable web experience for visitors and webmaster!
How do such initiatives affect individual and group energy vibration?
Hmm, I'm not too sure about group energy as yet. The 'collective' part of my website has still to be properly developed, but I have had some VERY positive responses from site visitors from all over the world. The site is starting to make a difference. This pleases me.
For example, Tracey in USA said:
"Your Web site is wonderful and I found it at a perfect time in my life. It is helping me through a transitional period like millions of being unemployed and the stress that comes with it. It has helped me along with friends, and family to balance the tension, & stress that comes with being out of work and stay positive. Instead of sleepless nights viewing news websites when I need some peace and tranquility, to calm down, I visit your site and will each day. Thank you very much!"
And Sharon from Ireland said:
"I have had low self esteem since a very young age and i have just found your site and i am going to try the tips and suggestions to improving my self esteem. You have done a wonderful thing by creating this site so that people can get advice and tips without having to admit to anyone else that they have been suffering due to their self esteem issues. Thankyou"
As you can imagine, it's great getting such positive feedback!
What do you hope visitors take away from experiencing this website?
Ultimately, I would like people to help themselves - via a self-help article or tip they read, or a comment or story.
I would like visitors to understand they know more than they realise and can help someone else in return. They can either leave a comment or personal story or other contribution to Self Help Collective, or they can reach out to people that they know and help those people instead.
I would love it if Self Help Collective could be responsible for such a virtous circle as this 'Help and be helped.'
How does the process of building and expanding the resource transform you?
This is a great question. I've created upwards of 20 of my own websites and Self Help Collective is the *only* website where I've personally experienced 'transformation'.
Initially, it happened when I was looking to find people who knew stuff on various subjects. Whomever I approached - and I would never have dreamt of approaching anyone, before this website - responded positively towards my idea. Many contributed useful content for my site.
It made me think, pretty much for the first time that if you think you can, you can. (Sorry if it sounds corny, but experiencing this 'truth' about life is anything but corny, it's revelationary!)
Later on, I've been bouyed by the great feedback that you've already read. And much of the feedback has completely echoed my original intention for the website. I just got this feeback a few days ago (June 2009):
"According to Guru Pitka (how I love Mike Myers), Guru stands for: 'Gee, You Are You!' So, we each are our own guru... trying to recognize that myself! Thanks for creating a supportive, helpful, and fun collective- will be sure to return for more inspiration. Peace!"
And the site has started collecting real-life stories from site visitors. These often inspire, and make me realise that we really are all one - sharing the same hopes and fears, and the same trials and tribulations. This is embodied in the story of the alcoholic-in-denial who has finally started to face up to the truth (and the pain) of her life in 'Willing to be willing'
- http://www.selfhelpcollective.com/willing-to-be-willing.html
The site offers insight into happiness, confidence, affirmation, self-improvement and more. What next?
There is a long way to go before this site achieves its full promise. I really do want it to be a source of 'help and be helped' and I also want to earn an income from the site, too. So lots of hard work still to do, and hopefully a lot more transformational moments.
Where do you sense shifts in your own awareness?
I'm definitely more aware of my moods, and I recognise much more that how I feel (in a certain situations) might not be the only way that I can feel. I also seem to notice the present moment a bit more often than I used to (and then I think about my otherwise 'not noticing' most of the time...)
Sounds like the participant and observer are awakening inside your mind. This invites reflection. When is the most appropriate moment to self-reflect?
Hah! Probably after a moment of high-conflict or when I find myself in an 'impossible to solve situation' (which is often).
Many people are encouraged to rediscover difficulties are a blessing in disguise. Would you say visitors evolve with the site?
I hope so, but it's too soon to say right now. It's difficult to track repeat visitors, and their attitudes to my site, other than via my newsletter (called The Weekly Wonder). And even then, people are usually commenting on the inspirational quotes inside the newsletter rather than on the website itself.
This is also another way that the Self Help Collective website needs to develop. (Thanks for reminding me, Liara! ;-) )
What does the process of change teach you?
Gosh, tricky. Well apart from the obvious notion of change being a constant, I think the most recent changes I've experienced continue to make me realise how little I know about my true self, and the world about me. Each new insight - I'm presuming this is 'change' - always amuses and reminds me of how foolish I can be.
For me, change is summed up by: "you can't teach life anything."
Share a personal crossroads or life turning point.
There is a situation that comes to mind. One of my being emotionally 'stuck', of seemingly being unable to begin a significant romantic relationship (after the end of two relationships, one after the other). Until, that is, I got 'involved' with someone over the period of a year and they suddenly (to me and my perspective, anyway) became unavailable - they started to see somebody else.
I experienced a very real shift in me, emotionally - and the catalyst of this change was this woman's sudden availability.
Suddenly, I was able to commit! And I did so, almost immediately, with somebody else (it didn't last, but not because of my lack of commitment).
However, I find it difficult to talk about this healing time, this turning point, as I still find myself mired in a particular romantic relationship. So the healing feels incomplete now.
Still, I now know transformational change is possible.
How do you understand love and fear?
I've just started reading Gerald Jampolsky's, Love is Letting Go of Fear (a book I find amazing, by the way). And this book believes that love is the opposite of fear. And I am happy to go with that understanding too.
I am a big fan of love. (all forms of love - for friends, colleagues, parents, children, your spouse or partner - are all part of Love.) So I am a big fan of letting go of fear. Not easy, though, but necessary.
I resonate with Jampolsky's views on love and fear. Reading other views helps awakens your own soul. What would you like readers here to take away?
I'm just a fair-to-middling student of life who makes his fair share of mistakes and has successes too. But I remain committed to learning about life, love AND fear, and I hope to do that via the ever-developing Self Help Collective website that came into being in February 2008.
Actually, answering these questions has made me recognise just how important the Self Help Collective website, and its aims and ambitions, is to me. Thanks for giving me this opportunity, Liara, to 'have my say'.
(By the way, if anyone is interested in how, exactly, I came to conceive and create SelfHelpCollective.com I just so happend to keep a site-building journal (or diary). You can read it here - http://www.site-buildit.com/sbi-diary.html .)
Thanks Steve. You remind visitors that regardless of their current stage of conscious awareness or life situation and focus, resources exist to help them find bright sides and valuable lessons wherever they are. I encourage you to explore www.selfhelpcollective.com and contribute some of yoru own stories. Helping others is a way to simultaneously grow and learn too.