#21 Influencing Yuanfen

Meet Xu Ying, Jenny, Hsinmei (again), Ulli Sigg, Camilla, Anna and Daniela

September 23-27, 2022 - Zurich, Schaffhausen, St. Gallen - People

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Surround yourself ONLY with people that do you good.

It may sound extreme.

Yet it is a very simple and effective life advice that served me well over the last years.

Designing Yuanfen Moments

I am currently back in Switzerland before continuing my journey to Asia next week.

I surrounded myself with friends and family. I finally spent some days with my husband Philipp at home und ate and drank with people I love.

I also met Jenny for a coffee on my birthday. She is the founder of Funkensprühen and since I got to know her in 2018 (thank you Daniel Osterwalder for making the connection!) stayed my soul mate and sparring partner over the years.

I met Hsinmei from #1 Introduction Yuanfen again for lunch and she shared some insights into how to write a book.

And I met Xu Ying in Schaffhausen.

Back in 2013, I wrote a portrait on her life for the local news paper Schaffhauser Nachrichten. About being an artist, a mother, a brave person that moved to an unknown country for love and reinvented herself as a Chinese artist living in Switzerland.

During our conversation Xu Ying brought up an interesting distinction within the concept of Yuanfen.

She mentioned that there are two ways to look at the definition of “moments meant to be happening”:

1) Yuanfen - Intentional magic

These encounters above are examples of moments meant to happen, that were actively designed by me.

I wanted to meet these inspiring individuals and created these moments of encounters.

The same happened yesterday.

I received an e-mail invitation from my alma mater to visit the new University of St. Gallen SQUARE building for a visit of their current personality in residence Ulli Sigg.

I’ve met him in person for the first time in 2014 working at the Swiss Consulat in Shanghai. He travelled to China for the 15th anniversary of the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (CCAA), which he founded.

I wanted to meet him again and planned a spontaneous trip to St. Gallen.

I also wrote to Camilla, the daughter of my god father. She is currently studying at the University of St. Gallen and I wanted to see her.

I actively made an effort to make these encounters happen.

2) Yuanfen - Unintentional magic

During the informal conversation round with Ulli Sigg, there were two females sitting in the audience, who actively shaped the conversation.

Anna and Daniela were individuals I did not know at all.

Yet during and after the discussion, there was a short but intense connection.

A kind of energy that is hard to explain, yet where I felt instantly drawn to.

The second way to look at Yuanfen.

Moments that were meant to happen, where one does not actively plan anything to make it happen.

The Conclusion: Yuanfen is based on your Choices

Both ways can be influenced by my actions and intention.

I could have chosen not to meet Jenny, Hsinmei, Xu Ying or not to go to St. Gallen.

I could have closed myself to the energy of Daniela and Anna and decide not to engage with them briefly after the session.

But I let that mutual energy I remembered from the past and the energy in that very moment guide me.

Whether it’s intentional or unintentional, both ways of creating Yuanfen moments need agency, bravery and openness.

And I’ve decided over the years, to engage in inspiring conversations, long-term friendships or any relationship with people that do me good. Where I feel that energy which is hard to explain.

It doesn’t mean I close myself from discussions with people that may have another world view, political preference or other life perspectives.

It rather means that I let the energy I feel or not feel guide me towards new and old connections.

I love these moments, when a few minutes, hours, days or years that I spend with a certain person, give me energy that lasts way longer than the moment that the connection happened.

It makes me grow.

It lifts me up.

It encourages me.

It‘s simply priceless.