How a Vision Board changed my life.

I’m a helper. That’s just who I am. I can’t help it. Heh. See…

I think I’ve always tried to make calm out of chaos. I really do love finding the most efficient way to get a thing done. My mom used to tease me because I always knew a secret shortcut to pretty much anywhere I drove, even if it took me through potholed alleyways. Project is at point A, needs to be at point Z, I love to help figure out the steps to get there.

I think it was around 2006 or 2007, I was working at an agency as a project manager at the time when I went to my first “retreat” at my cousin Angie’s house. I brought my still pal, Yvonne Perez-Emerson of Make & Mary (please go check out her full-spectrum, hemp-infused botanical blends for whole-body wellness products), for a weekend of visioning and healing in a beautiful wooded setting on the Wenatchee River. What came out of that weekend was my very first vision board and the notion that I wanted to help people by bringing them together around food. This is that vision board.

I got a little clarity that weekend, a seed was planted. What took root were two ideas. The first was cupcakes. I started baking cupcakes for people for $$. Here’s a progression of that little side hustle. I still love to bake cupcakes for people from time to time. The Key Lime are the best. IYKYK.

The second was the idea of using cooking as a team-building activity. This was the idea that really was the genesis of where I am today. I did a test run with my team at the agency I mentioned before. Later, I brought a disparate group of independent freelancers together and tried it out; check out the time lapse video of that here. I took the idea to the BendStartUp weekend in 2012. I’ve used it several times as part of a full-day facilitated retreat or as a standalone team activity (check out a case study here).

In 2014, things started to get even clearer. I had an epiphany that I’ve written about before which I captured furiously in a FIELD NOTES book on a flight to Hawaii. Also around that time, I had a coffee date with the fabulous Greg Bell of Water the Bamboo, and he sketched D’s Universe-ity. That chicken scratch inspired my next Vision Board, which led to finding my retreat space, the Peach Cheesecake Ranch.

The point I guess I’m trying to make is this: while all of this side hustling and visioning was happening, I continued to work as a project and event manager. I went from being in-house at agencies to being a freelancer. I also was surrounded by an amazing group of supporters and encouragers. I invested in myself by paying for learning and professional development with courses, coaches, retreats, camps and conferences. My path kind of sounds linear, and it kind of was and it kind of wasn’t, at times it was very three steps forward two steps back, or a complete zigzag. The one thing I didn’t do was stop believing it was possible.

I’ve made a huge dream come true by having this place, the Peach Cheesecake Ranch, become a reality. But I haven’t reached my real goal–my amount of work/$$$ goal yet. I haven’t stopped believing it’s possible. So I’m here, still doing the work. And still loving it!

I love to help people. I love to help people get their sh*t done. I think I was born to manage projects; to put on small and large-scale events; to facilitate touchy, complicated conversations; to own a retreat space for people to capture, catalyze, and take action on their best thinking; to gather people so they can vision their dream lives; to cook food that nourishes the body and feeds a passion.

Today, I’m inviting you to experience one of the ways this project manager helps people reach their dreams. On Friday, October 24th, I’m hosting a Map Your Magic | Vision Board + Take Action Retreat here at my space. It’s half Vision Board Workshop, half Planning Retreat. You know, I believe in the power of a vision board. There are a few spots left. I’d love for you to fill one of them.