Me with flow sister Marjory Mejia
who magically appeared as my lunch companion on Sunday
Impressions from three glorious days
with professional non-conformists
Truth and Beauty
Luminous photographs by Karen Walrond dousing the conference room in colour. The electric authenticity of Jen Lemen and Andrea Scher, the uninhibited delight on their faces when they told us they had hand-written blessings for every single person in the room. (And yes, Andrea, you guys ROCKED the sh*t out of that talk!)
Story
Spilling the beans over and over about our big travel plans, Operation Hejira, and being drawn into other people’s adventures: Chris Gray Faust left her journalism job and now runs a hopping travel blog, Anita Chan is moving to Hong Kong, and Inna Aizenshtein has launched a creative starter website.
If you met me at WDS and want to delve deeper into my story, check out the Operation Hejira newsletter: dispatches from the frontier of location independence.
Connection
Jami Scholl joining me for Mediterranean food and registration line chatting on Friday night. The bubbly presence of Shenee Howard as she wrote irresistible on my forearm with a Sharpie. The tidal wave of love directed my way by Tanya Geisler, Julie Daley, and Carol Schillios, women I’d only just met who took the moment to really see me.
Persistence
Skewering Tyler Tervooren with my question, after he couldn’t get to me with the microphone during the final panel: “How do you learn to let people love you, masses of people?” He thought it was about being real and available. Dagmar Øye said it was about humility, and knowing that you’re surrounded by many wonderful people. Maybe I’ll ask Danielle LaPorte during her White Hot Line telejam next week.
Empathy
Meeting Nate Wolf on the MAX train from the airport and carrying on a weekend-long conversation about raising kids, the guts required to move to a foreign country, our lowest moments and peak experiences. Truly a privilege to get to know this guy who isn’t out on the internet but hidden away in Madison, Wisconsin. Nate, email me!
Me and Nate during the Mondo Beyondo session
Photo by Armosa Studios
Curiousity
Talking to every person I sat or stood next to. Charlene (Chuck) Mendez and I chatting lazily about design, travel, her rocker husband, and the awesomeness of marriage while we rode the party bus. Cate Brubaker talking about her work in intercultural education while she learned to knit next to me. Dale Davidson handing out these cool TrekDek cards that I can’t wait to use in our wanderings.
Independence
Pam Slim telling us that a parent’s task is to raise children to be independent. And Cynthia Morris giving me what felt like a benediction: after our coaching five years ago, here I was flying on my own, and she was proud and honoured (and a little choked up). I needed that send-off, Cynthia. Thank you.
Joy
My client Melea Seward and the sexy confidence with which she turned our lunchtime networking into a playful creative conversation. Running up to the first person I saw (Jolie Guillebeau, bless her heart) with the joyful news that our house had been sold on Sunday, just as I predicted. Benny Lewis, the Irish Polyglot, making a beeline to tell me that his awesome thing was “Smiles from pretty girls, oh look, I just got one!”
Synchronicity
Every time I needed someone, that person showed up. I left a session for a phone call from Shawn and on the way back inside I got to meet Jodi Ettenburg and Karen took my photo (scroll to the bottom to see my shining face). Dusti Arab whisked me away for dinner on Sunday night. I peeked around the corner during the mastermind meet-up at the Ace Hotel and there was Sinclair! Alyson Earl and I had an engrossing conversation about business and knowing who to trust, and she introduced me to Jonathan Wondrusch when she heard I was planning to digitally publish my long out-of-print short story collection.
Giving
Giving: hugs and kisses, business cards, books, referrals, eye contact, compliments, and rapt attention. Receiving: the perfect word from Mark Silver on my Heart Power card, a surprise renegade visit from Laura Espinosa and Linda Eaves, a tarot reading from Chelsea Rae Schmidt, and buckets of love. My whole weekend came courtesy of my kick-ass husband, who was caring for the kids, selling our house, and delivering a conference paper. Shawn is my superhero.
Order
The conference running so smoothly and methodically, every detail attended to. Four flights without a hitch. Amazing bus mojo, especially appreciated on our way back from the knitting tour with my tired companions. My NEXUS card saving me ten minutes in the line for Customs, meaning I caught an earlier flight and arrived home in time to pick up my kids from daycare.
Source
Faith, energy, and creativity booming up from the assembled throngs in the Portland Art Museum. All tapping into the same well of spirit. What a trip.
P.S. Those headings up there? Those are my values. No wonder I had such a glorious weekend, eh?
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