Mayra Porrata interviewed Jeff Brunson (among others) for one of her upcoming writing projects:

– What is the name of your business and/or what is your work about? 

The official name of my business is BasicApproach. In the pre-launch stages I determined that what I had to offer was based on ancient precepts. So, a basic approach to what all I might find myself doing.

I discovered along the way, through the tense space created by introspection and experience, that my purpose was, and had always been, to simply encourage another.

– What is the vision (whether explicit or not) of your work/business?

The original vision of my work was captured in those early, pre-launch stages as follows: “Authentic, self-actualized individuals will be in charge of work in this country where it is the norm to experience trust, caring, and the creative abundance of success.”

But my Desire & Intent says it more appropriately:

My Desire & Intent is that you lovingly lead others to their own authentic confidence as you embrace the power of who you are and act on this Trueness!

 – In your opinion, how does your work improve what we collectively view as “health” (physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual)?

When I was in the corporate environment as a manager and leader, I told my people, “You spend two thirds of your waking life in this thing we call work. I want it to be a place of satisfaction and fulfillment for you.”

The subtitle of David Whyte’s book, Crossing the Unknown Sea, is, Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity. I believe this to be so for those who will allow it to be. However, it can only be so when we allow our true selves to invade the work. As we release our Trueness into our work, who we are has its impact on others, and thus on the world through others, as they operate from the foundation of their own authentic confidence.

Trueness, lived out in our own life, and aimed to encourage the same in others, makes the world a safer, healthier place to be.

– How did you first come to realize you loved doing this work?

I was 16 years old. I had just come out of a deep depression, called, for me, being 15 years old. In between classes at my high school, kids would seek me out to talk. Only in looking back do I realize what was really happening. They simply wanted to be encouraged, and somehow they knew I would do that. By the time I was 17, I felt very confident that I had something to give in this world, although I was not clear on precisely what that might be.

Fast-forward many years; I found myself in a corporate environment leading a division of wonderful individuals. I went into a deep introspection, and coming out of it with the goal of being, once again, who I was at seventeen. This wasn’t about youth, it was about being true; and holding the self originally given to me while simultaneously releasing this energy into a needy world.

Somehow, I began to realize that the call to simply encourage could become, as Mayra likes to say, a body of work.

– If applicable, how many other things did you try before doing this work?

Oh my. I will not show my age in this answer! But, I tried a lot. I even got lost along the way, more than once.

I have an Accounting degree, so I did that for a while. I was in retail. I helped start some businesses. Less ups than downs. I even felt called to the ministry and was accepted into a theological seminary, only to not show up (that’s another full story for another time).

My last 15 years in the 26 prior to founding BasicApproach were in one organization where I found an environment conducive to finding myself (and in meeting beautiful spirits like Mayra Porrata!). I somehow knew this was the ground in which I would find nutrients for the remainder of my life.

– How did your life path inform your work?

I should have looked ahead to this question! I think my answers to the previous five have answered this. However, I will say that while I’ve learned much from my propensity to ‘study,’ I’ve learned the most from being engulfed by the experience itself (whether voluntarily participating or not).

– What do you see as your “essential nature” and how is your work related or connected to this?

Another, Oh My!

In my work, I help others identify their voice and consciously bring this into all they do. It is my voice of Love that is the essence of who I am, what has been so graciously given to me, and what I have to give back into the world.

The ‘encouragement’ of which I spoke earlier, this is the Strength of my voice of Love. So, our essential nature is very needed in a needy world.

– What advice could you share with individuals who are just starting out on their soul-work?

It’s okay to love your work, and in your work, Love!