WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:11.219 Welcome to Inclusion Bites, your sanctuary 2 00:00:11.360 --> 00:00:15.125 for bold conversations that spark change. I'm Joanne Lockwood, 3 00:00:15.265 --> 00:00:18.705 your guide on this journey of exploration into the heart of 4 00:00:18.705 --> 00:00:22.405 inclusion, belonging, and societal transformation. 5 00:00:23.105 --> 00:00:26.625 Ever wondered what it truly takes to create a world where 6 00:00:26.625 --> 00:00:30.050 everyone not only belongs but thrives? You're 7 00:00:30.050 --> 00:00:33.649 not alone. Join me as we uncover the 8 00:00:33.649 --> 00:00:37.250 unseen, challenge the status quo, and share 9 00:00:37.250 --> 00:00:41.010 stories that resonate deep within. Ready to dive 10 00:00:41.010 --> 00:00:44.625 in? Whether you're sipping your morning coffee or winding 11 00:00:44.625 --> 00:00:47.844 down after a long day, let's connect, reflect, 12 00:00:48.305 --> 00:00:51.844 and inspire action together. Don't forget, 13 00:00:52.305 --> 00:00:55.344 you can be part of the conversation too. Reach out to 14 00:00:55.344 --> 00:00:58.380 jo.lockwood@seechangehappen.co.uk 15 00:00:59.160 --> 00:01:02.700 to share your insights or to join me on the show. 16 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.160 So just your earbuds and settle in. It's time to 17 00:01:07.160 --> 00:01:10.780 ignite the spark of inclusion with Inclusion Bites. 18 00:01:14.755 --> 00:01:18.115 And today is episode 153 with the 19 00:01:18.115 --> 00:01:21.415 title, fearless connections, bold journeys. 20 00:01:21.955 --> 00:01:25.570 And I have the absolute honor and privilege to welcome Anna 21 00:01:25.570 --> 00:01:29.170 Van Atmel. Anna is the founder of Wandering Roots, 22 00:01:29.170 --> 00:01:33.010 hosting transformative adventure retreats worldwide and empowering 23 00:01:33.010 --> 00:01:36.550 women to design lives filled with authenticity, connection, 24 00:01:37.265 --> 00:01:41.104 and purpose. When I asked Anna to describe her superpower, she said 25 00:01:41.104 --> 00:01:44.865 that it is increasing risks to inspire fierce living 26 00:01:44.865 --> 00:01:48.385 and authentic connections. Hello, Anna. Welcome to the 27 00:01:48.385 --> 00:01:52.159 show. Thank you for having me. Pleasure. So where 28 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:55.760 whereabouts in the world are you? Did you say Michigan? Yes. I'm in Michigan in 29 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:59.520 the US. It's very cold here. Yeah. 30 00:01:59.520 --> 00:02:02.479 I was talking to someone from Atlanta the other day, and they said it was 31 00:02:02.479 --> 00:02:05.655 almost snowing in Atlanta at this time. Yeah. I haven't heard It's kind of been 32 00:02:05.655 --> 00:02:09.175 a weird year for everybody even where it's not supposed to be cold. So 33 00:02:10.134 --> 00:02:13.495 Yeah. Weird. Yeah. It was very wet. Very wet and a lot of storms over 34 00:02:13.495 --> 00:02:17.220 there. So yeah. Yeah. The UK is not a not a happy place either. 35 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:21.140 No. But, you know, everybody, I've actually hosted a few 36 00:02:21.140 --> 00:02:24.760 retreats in the UK, Scotland, and then also 37 00:02:24.980 --> 00:02:28.740 Ireland, and we're going to Iceland too this year. But I'm like, it's just 38 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:32.505 weather. We're so used to it. It makes all of us pretty resilient. So I'm 39 00:02:32.505 --> 00:02:36.265 I'm happy to to dwell here. As 40 00:02:36.265 --> 00:02:39.085 the saying goes, it's not the wrong weather. It's just the wrong clothing. 41 00:02:39.625 --> 00:02:43.465 Yes. No. I always say that. I always say there's no bad 42 00:02:43.465 --> 00:02:46.880 weather, just bad gear. Yeah. Exactly. Really well. I 43 00:02:46.880 --> 00:02:50.720 agree. Yeah. You can be wrapped up and snuggly in a huge coat, and, 44 00:02:50.880 --> 00:02:53.060 you can be minus 10 outside. Yeah. 45 00:02:55.040 --> 00:02:58.815 So, Anna, what inspired you to leave? Yeah. You had 46 00:02:58.815 --> 00:03:02.575 a successful career. What inspired you to leave that and pursue this life 47 00:03:02.575 --> 00:03:06.035 of adventure where you create spaces for women? Yeah. 48 00:03:06.495 --> 00:03:09.990 For the most part, it was a long journey. It was a couple years. 49 00:03:10.470 --> 00:03:14.170 I will give you the highlights, the cliff notes, if you will. But I, 50 00:03:16.150 --> 00:03:19.690 I got the opportunity in my old career in laboratory 51 00:03:19.750 --> 00:03:23.350 medicine to start a build a lab. I was the 52 00:03:23.350 --> 00:03:26.724 first employee and there were the owners and that was it. I 53 00:03:26.724 --> 00:03:30.485 I built the lab, bought the equipment, hired the staff, 54 00:03:30.485 --> 00:03:33.704 and it sort of planted the seed of 55 00:03:34.564 --> 00:03:38.405 being an entrepreneur with no financial risk, which is usually a hang up 56 00:03:38.405 --> 00:03:42.220 for most of us. And, it just made me think 57 00:03:42.220 --> 00:03:45.980 a little differently, but also I had to have neck 58 00:03:45.980 --> 00:03:49.020 surgery around the same time. So I was in a neck brace for 4 months, 59 00:03:49.020 --> 00:03:52.700 and I couldn't do anything. Couldn't drive, had had to take a pause on 60 00:03:52.700 --> 00:03:56.355 work. It was the first time I probably paused ever in my life. I was 61 00:03:56.355 --> 00:04:00.114 28. And, I had so much 62 00:04:00.114 --> 00:04:03.715 time to sit with my thoughts, and I was wildly unhappy. I had realized 63 00:04:03.715 --> 00:04:07.555 that I had achieved more financial and sort 64 00:04:07.555 --> 00:04:11.060 of career, like, climbing the ladder success than I ever thought 65 00:04:11.060 --> 00:04:13.880 possible, but I still wasn't jazzed about it. 66 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:18.360 And I I just wanted I had this very 67 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:22.205 wake up moment of I get one life. I've 68 00:04:22.205 --> 00:04:25.485 just felt my mortality for the first time. You know, in your twenties, you think 69 00:04:25.485 --> 00:04:29.245 you're gonna like, that's just something that happens to old people. And, 70 00:04:29.645 --> 00:04:33.085 I was like, I don't wanna screw this up. I wanna 71 00:04:33.085 --> 00:04:36.365 squeeze every drop out of it. I wanna be jazzed about it, and, 72 00:04:36.765 --> 00:04:40.360 this is not it. And, that's pretty terrifying. 73 00:04:40.419 --> 00:04:44.020 And there was a lot of shame around that of not being great more grateful 74 00:04:44.020 --> 00:04:47.460 for what I had. I had attained a lifestyle that I really 75 00:04:47.460 --> 00:04:50.979 enjoyed and didn't really want to start over and let go of. 76 00:04:50.979 --> 00:04:53.504 So, yeah, I. 77 00:04:54.925 --> 00:04:58.764 I took yoga teacher training to sort of help heal my 78 00:04:58.764 --> 00:05:02.525 chronic neck pain and not become a pain management patient. And, 79 00:05:02.764 --> 00:05:06.205 took yoga teacher training and I had been traveling quite a bit and I 80 00:05:06.205 --> 00:05:10.050 thought I had this experience in training that 81 00:05:10.430 --> 00:05:14.030 I was with 11 strangers, 11 women that were supporting each 82 00:05:14.030 --> 00:05:17.710 other. And we were sharing very vulnerable parts of ourselves, and 83 00:05:17.710 --> 00:05:21.229 everybody is loving and accepting each other for who they were and not who they 84 00:05:21.229 --> 00:05:24.764 were trying to be. And I thought I could create that type of 85 00:05:24.764 --> 00:05:28.444 environment, and combine up my love of travel and host a 86 00:05:28.444 --> 00:05:31.505 retreat. And I tried one in 2018, 87 00:05:32.444 --> 00:05:36.065 like, in Northern Michigan, a few hours away from where I live. 88 00:05:36.550 --> 00:05:39.509 And I did a long weekend, and then I did another one, and then I 89 00:05:39.509 --> 00:05:43.110 did another one, and then I started hosting international for 7 90 00:05:43.110 --> 00:05:46.470 days, and it just kinda took off from there. Wow. I'm loving it. I I 91 00:05:46.470 --> 00:05:49.590 mean, I your kind of story there really resonates. You know, you get to that 92 00:05:49.590 --> 00:05:53.275 point in your life where you think I could just carry on as I 93 00:05:53.275 --> 00:05:56.955 am, walk into the distance with no control over my life, 94 00:05:56.955 --> 00:06:00.794 just doing what everyone expects on this conveyor belt, off you go. Sometimes you 95 00:06:00.794 --> 00:06:03.195 just have to hit the stop button, don't you? And just say, hang on. I 96 00:06:03.195 --> 00:06:06.460 wanna get off for a minute and get figure out what I'm doing now. Yeah. 97 00:06:06.460 --> 00:06:10.139 I had, like, right around the I also, at the same time of having 98 00:06:10.139 --> 00:06:13.659 that epiphany of, like, you only get a one chance. You only get one life. 99 00:06:13.659 --> 00:06:17.340 I was like, I have created all of this. And so if 100 00:06:17.340 --> 00:06:21.165 I'm passionate about my work, I'm sure I could have even more success. 101 00:06:21.165 --> 00:06:25.005 And also like, I never once thought about what I wanted. I 102 00:06:25.005 --> 00:06:28.845 was literally just being a practical human being, getting 103 00:06:28.845 --> 00:06:32.685 good grades, going to college, getting a job in healthcare, because 104 00:06:32.685 --> 00:06:36.390 there would be, you know, job security for the rest of my life. I never 105 00:06:36.450 --> 00:06:40.130 ever thought about, like, what I was passionate about or what inspired me 106 00:06:40.130 --> 00:06:43.890 or interested me. I guess you you must have been surrounded by 107 00:06:43.890 --> 00:06:47.650 people who were inspired, but also cautious about 108 00:06:47.650 --> 00:06:50.130 what you were doing. Sort of it's not not to say holding you back, but 109 00:06:50.130 --> 00:06:53.525 they, you sure? Are you sure about this? Yeah. It was 110 00:06:53.525 --> 00:06:57.285 very, very practical. A lot of just practical human 111 00:06:57.285 --> 00:07:00.585 beings, which I kind of consider to be a little bit of sleep, 112 00:07:01.365 --> 00:07:04.905 just kinda comfortable and not really, like, living living. And 113 00:07:06.090 --> 00:07:09.930 right around the time I went to yoga teacher training, I 114 00:07:09.930 --> 00:07:13.690 sort of just tripped into this network of entrepreneurs at 115 00:07:13.690 --> 00:07:17.530 the same time. It was like those worlds of me sort of waking up 116 00:07:17.530 --> 00:07:21.285 and then being surrounded by other people that were thinking differently than the other 117 00:07:21.285 --> 00:07:24.965 people that I've been spending time with or even how I felt like had been 118 00:07:24.965 --> 00:07:28.805 thinking. So that was definitely the culmination. You know, they always say 119 00:07:28.805 --> 00:07:32.485 you're the, what is it? The 5 people you spend the 120 00:07:32.485 --> 00:07:36.245 most time with are usually a reflection of who you are as well. 121 00:07:36.245 --> 00:07:40.060 So Yes. That's very true. I I was looking through the, the 122 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:42.700 show notes you you sent through earlier and, 123 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:47.280 your kind of mantra around the fear 124 00:07:47.660 --> 00:07:51.340 of doing things holds you back. But it's it's it's how you break through 125 00:07:51.340 --> 00:07:54.805 that fear. And not to say being risk 126 00:07:54.805 --> 00:07:58.565 adverse, but being risk managed and and knowing that the fear 127 00:07:58.565 --> 00:08:00.824 is just it's just fake. It is. 128 00:08:02.324 --> 00:08:05.925 People do, assume I'm fearless and I'm not. 129 00:08:05.925 --> 00:08:09.250 Everybody has some fear. It's a fear, but, 130 00:08:09.650 --> 00:08:12.150 I have a bigger fear of 131 00:08:13.570 --> 00:08:17.330 getting to the end and, having regrets that I didn't try 132 00:08:17.330 --> 00:08:21.170 something than taking a risk. And my husband is 133 00:08:21.170 --> 00:08:24.115 very risk averse. And I'm just not. 134 00:08:25.055 --> 00:08:28.815 I side hustled the business, Wandering Roots, for 2 135 00:08:28.815 --> 00:08:32.414 years before I jumped in full time, tried to build an audience from 136 00:08:32.414 --> 00:08:35.855 scratch and knew that was gonna take a while, shoved money away into a 137 00:08:35.855 --> 00:08:39.700 savings account to try to make that leap a little, I 138 00:08:39.700 --> 00:08:43.540 guess, managed, risk managed. And, yeah, there's 139 00:08:43.540 --> 00:08:47.300 ways there are multiple ways to skin a cap. And, that's 140 00:08:47.300 --> 00:08:50.995 what works for me. I guess that's the roots of of being 141 00:08:50.995 --> 00:08:54.675 an entrepreneur though, isn't it? It's it's risk management and just 142 00:08:54.675 --> 00:08:57.655 going for it. All the time. I mean, how many 143 00:08:58.595 --> 00:09:02.115 how many times do you try something new as an entrepreneur? You're trying to figure 144 00:09:02.115 --> 00:09:05.590 out you're wearing all these hats. You're trying to figure out all these things. And 145 00:09:06.770 --> 00:09:10.530 Oh, don't you know what a molecular diagnostic is? You know, is 146 00:09:10.530 --> 00:09:13.670 it it sounds kind of really kind of big brain stuff. 147 00:09:14.210 --> 00:09:17.510 Yeah. I, we used to like, if you go to the 148 00:09:18.074 --> 00:09:21.754 doctor and you have your blood drawn, there's routine labs that 149 00:09:21.754 --> 00:09:25.514 just get that ran at a general hospital. And then 150 00:09:25.514 --> 00:09:28.735 anything specialized that gets sent out, that's what molecular 151 00:09:28.875 --> 00:09:32.720 diagnostics is. It's cancer screening. Prenatal 152 00:09:32.860 --> 00:09:36.459 diagnostics is a really big one, and that's what the last 153 00:09:36.459 --> 00:09:40.060 7 years I spent time in. There's things for anything, though. 154 00:09:40.060 --> 00:09:43.645 Just just better testing, better diagnostics. It was 155 00:09:43.805 --> 00:09:47.645 I am a person that gets bored easily. I like to be challenged, and it 156 00:09:47.645 --> 00:09:51.345 fed my soul in that capacity for quite a while. And then 157 00:09:51.485 --> 00:09:55.005 having to start from scratch and manage people also was a 158 00:09:55.005 --> 00:09:58.410 challenge that I wasn't familiar with. So I'm 159 00:09:58.410 --> 00:10:01.310 grateful for it. It I always say that, 160 00:10:02.330 --> 00:10:06.170 you know, being an entrepreneur, the more, like, experience 161 00:10:06.170 --> 00:10:09.705 you have in a previous life is just going to serve you in this 162 00:10:09.945 --> 00:10:13.305 capacity because there are so many I I was really, really 163 00:10:13.305 --> 00:10:16.685 into data and publishing journal articles and things, and 164 00:10:16.985 --> 00:10:20.665 that really helps me serve my clients today 165 00:10:20.665 --> 00:10:24.025 when I plan their retreats because I am a numbers nerd. I love 166 00:10:24.025 --> 00:10:27.709 spreadsheets. Nobody that has ever hosted a 167 00:10:27.709 --> 00:10:31.470 retreat, myself included, is doing it for the profit, but it's the only way to 168 00:10:31.470 --> 00:10:35.230 sustain your business instead of operating an extensive hobby. 169 00:10:35.230 --> 00:10:38.935 To be able to share the work and the content you're passionate about 170 00:10:38.935 --> 00:10:42.454 and be able to energetically be able to do another 171 00:10:42.454 --> 00:10:45.574 one is really, really helpful, and a lot of people get bogged down by it. 172 00:10:45.574 --> 00:10:49.415 And that's just a thing that I had been fine tuning as a 173 00:10:49.415 --> 00:10:52.795 executive for a long time, 13 years. So 174 00:10:53.519 --> 00:10:57.279 it's kinda second nature. Well, like you said, that profit isn't 175 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:00.420 a dirty word. And if you wanna create a sustainable 176 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.959 business with legs that is there to serve the needs people you you 177 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:08.074 help, You have to have to earn money. You have to pay their mortgage and 178 00:11:08.074 --> 00:11:11.915 the rent and they, put food on the table. Yeah. You gotta make enough 179 00:11:11.915 --> 00:11:15.274 money to pay for your venue and your support staff and then pay 180 00:11:15.274 --> 00:11:18.870 yourself. So you're part of the team. Yeah. We're not we're not all Bill Gates 181 00:11:18.870 --> 00:11:22.550 philanthropists with billionaires that we can just expand for the fun of 182 00:11:22.550 --> 00:11:26.389 it. Exactly. I what you're saying resonates completely because I I spent 183 00:11:26.389 --> 00:11:30.010 most of my life in IT computing. Amazing. 184 00:11:30.685 --> 00:11:34.205 Yeah. So I I left well, actually, I was electronics engineer when I was at 185 00:11:34.205 --> 00:11:37.985 school, and then moved over to IT, and then spent 186 00:11:38.125 --> 00:11:41.885 20 odd years, 25 years in in IT. Any small 187 00:11:41.885 --> 00:11:45.649 business looking after small companies, venture 188 00:11:47.070 --> 00:11:50.910 networks and servers and phone systems, that kind of stuff. And then I 189 00:11:50.910 --> 00:11:54.510 got, I found my get off the conveyor belt moment 190 00:11:54.510 --> 00:11:58.325 about 10 years ago and, jacked it all in and, created a 191 00:11:58.325 --> 00:12:02.165 new career out of nothing. That was quite risky. And, there's no certainty 192 00:12:02.165 --> 00:12:05.785 in that, is there? No. There's no certainty. I do 193 00:12:06.485 --> 00:12:09.285 I do think there's a lot of excitement in it, though. If you don't get 194 00:12:09.285 --> 00:12:12.959 bogged down by all the fear, it's like not a lot of people 195 00:12:12.959 --> 00:12:16.800 go after their dreams and just go for it. And it's the 196 00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:20.560 highest highs and the lowest lows. It's a mixed bag. But if 197 00:12:20.560 --> 00:12:23.759 you get too caught up into the lows, you never get to enjoy the highs. 198 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:27.535 Wouldn't I would it was hard. And it still is, but 199 00:12:27.535 --> 00:12:31.155 I wouldn't I wouldn't change it. Yeah. I also look back at my my 200 00:12:31.535 --> 00:12:35.295 career, if you want, or life in the past that you do pick up a 201 00:12:35.295 --> 00:12:38.275 lot of these ice skills. So I'm I'm very I was very familiar with consulting, 202 00:12:38.895 --> 00:12:41.709 engaging with customers, solution selling, 203 00:12:42.329 --> 00:12:45.850 sales, marketing, business development, because it was my business, the IT 204 00:12:45.850 --> 00:12:49.690 company. You gotta get used to all this stuff, organizing your own travel. So 205 00:12:49.690 --> 00:12:53.449 when you start another business, you you've got all of these skills ready at hand, 206 00:12:53.449 --> 00:12:56.995 haven't you? Yeah. Totally. I'm even thinking IT 207 00:12:56.995 --> 00:13:00.675 for podcasting. Like, all of the equipment and things is probably so 208 00:13:00.675 --> 00:13:04.435 much easier for someone like you. Yeah. I mean, COVID was 209 00:13:04.435 --> 00:13:08.130 certainly easier. Yeah. Because one of my hobbies was 210 00:13:08.130 --> 00:13:11.970 photography and videography and editing videos and 211 00:13:11.970 --> 00:13:15.330 things like this. And suddenly we we need cameras. Suddenly we need 212 00:13:15.330 --> 00:13:19.090 lightings, which are all the key elements to photography and videography is lighting 213 00:13:19.090 --> 00:13:22.505 and cameras and, and sound. You were like, I've been training 214 00:13:22.805 --> 00:13:26.644 for a long time for this, guys. I got you. And in the first couple 215 00:13:26.644 --> 00:13:30.365 of months of COVID, I was, providing a kind of 216 00:13:30.365 --> 00:13:33.764 a an ad hoc service to people who were trying to get online and get 217 00:13:33.764 --> 00:13:37.460 going and restart their businesses. So I was doing training for people 218 00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:41.060 on how to set their cameras up, how to get their their on screen 219 00:13:41.060 --> 00:13:44.580 presence looking good. And so that that gave me a bit of a purpose 220 00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:48.420 for 2 or 3 months until the market suddenly picked up again, 221 00:13:48.420 --> 00:13:52.214 like I start doing other stuff. But, yeah, it it gave me a a 222 00:13:52.214 --> 00:13:55.895 purpose when, otherwise, I'd be sat in bed going, doom 223 00:13:55.895 --> 00:13:59.654 is woe is me. So Yeah. Finding a bringing 224 00:13:59.654 --> 00:14:02.970 all that expertise into the fore, It's just another 225 00:14:03.030 --> 00:14:05.750 entrepreneurial trait. Isn't it saying, well, I I can see a gap here. There's a 226 00:14:05.750 --> 00:14:08.890 bit of a market. Wasn't making a fortune. I was helping people. 227 00:14:09.430 --> 00:14:13.190 Yeah. I think that's, the entrepreneur mind. Right? It's always filling 228 00:14:13.190 --> 00:14:16.815 a need. Like, you were solving a problem. Was giving you 229 00:14:16.815 --> 00:14:20.654 purpose, and I think that there's a collision between, like, what lights you 230 00:14:20.654 --> 00:14:24.435 up and also solving a problem for the client. So So 231 00:14:25.135 --> 00:14:28.735 you you now enjoy not only the organization and in the 232 00:14:28.735 --> 00:14:32.580 logistics of getting people onto the retreat, you get the 233 00:14:32.580 --> 00:14:36.340 bonus of going on the retreat and enjoying what you're creating 234 00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:40.020 as well. Yeah. I, so I first just started just 235 00:14:40.020 --> 00:14:43.800 hosting retreats. And a lot of other entrepreneurs 236 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:47.685 asked me, like, in the early years, would you ever plan it for other 237 00:14:47.685 --> 00:14:51.204 people? And so I said, no. I have no idea what I'm 238 00:14:51.204 --> 00:14:54.884 doing. I'm still figuring out. And then COVID happened, and I 239 00:14:54.884 --> 00:14:58.105 quit my lab job in October 2019 240 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:02.500 only to have to cancel the majority of my events and my retreats for 241 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:05.459 2020. And I thought it was gonna be the 1st year, you know, both feet 242 00:15:05.459 --> 00:15:09.220 in, all this excitement, and it just really didn't work out 243 00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:12.995 that way. But I was like, okay. I don't wanna go back. This 244 00:15:12.995 --> 00:15:16.755 is a test from the universe and I I'm I'm like firm and that I 245 00:15:16.755 --> 00:15:20.515 don't want to do that anymore. And so I 246 00:15:20.515 --> 00:15:23.955 will take this time and create a service 247 00:15:23.955 --> 00:15:27.700 for the people that were requesting it, sort of giving me a purpose, like 248 00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:31.220 you said, filling a need and, treated a 249 00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:34.820 digital course at the same time, because what else do you do except 250 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:38.180 record things at your house, you know, to put something out there. 251 00:15:38.180 --> 00:15:41.615 So I actually, in the last year, 252 00:15:41.915 --> 00:15:45.755 last year and this year too, is where I spend most of my time 253 00:15:45.755 --> 00:15:48.975 is helping other entrepreneurs plan and host their own. 254 00:15:49.995 --> 00:15:53.500 And then I still host 2 to 3 international 255 00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:57.480 ones of my own a year, but that's I used to do 256 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:00.300 6 a year, so that's scaled back significantly. 257 00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:05.575 So the way helping others organize their events is less risky 258 00:16:05.575 --> 00:16:09.035 than having to finance your own events, I guess. Of course, Christy. You are 259 00:16:09.175 --> 00:16:12.935 absolutely correct because I'm not putting out the capsule. They are. It's 260 00:16:12.935 --> 00:16:16.775 also it's my favorite. It's like being able to share 261 00:16:16.775 --> 00:16:20.459 all the mistakes I've made and hold their hand and tell them it's all gonna 262 00:16:20.459 --> 00:16:24.060 work out great. And people are so, so passionate about 263 00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:27.360 sharing whatever they want to share that it's really 264 00:16:28.300 --> 00:16:31.899 it feels like it wouldn't have happened without us working together. It feels like 265 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:35.695 we find we got to bring it to the world together and hearing their 266 00:16:35.695 --> 00:16:39.535 story is just so much fun. It's like we really get to know 267 00:16:39.535 --> 00:16:43.295 each other, and it's just a lot of women supporting women and 268 00:16:43.295 --> 00:16:46.800 business owners supporting business owners. It's a lot of 269 00:16:46.800 --> 00:16:50.640 flexibility because I don't have to be there. I, you know, I can work on 270 00:16:50.640 --> 00:16:54.240 it, when I have time. I've never done a 271 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.920 retreat. I no. I I I've got a reason or excuse all why. I just 272 00:16:57.920 --> 00:17:00.895 I just never have. Never been in the right time, the right place. I've seen 273 00:17:00.895 --> 00:17:04.655 them advertised. I've seen people talking about them and look after Bali for a 274 00:17:04.655 --> 00:17:08.494 week or fortnight or 2 weeks. Yeah. Whatever it may be. And I think, oh, 275 00:17:08.494 --> 00:17:11.855 yeah. So what does a typical retreat look and feel 276 00:17:11.855 --> 00:17:15.550 like? So good question. First of all, there are thousands of them, and 277 00:17:15.550 --> 00:17:18.849 they're all very different. And I've helped them, like, just 278 00:17:19.310 --> 00:17:22.670 so many different types of humans plan theirs, like food 279 00:17:22.670 --> 00:17:26.430 photography, actors. You know, there's people in the wellness sphere of, 280 00:17:26.430 --> 00:17:30.055 like, Reiki, massage therapy, Thai massage, woman that runs a 281 00:17:30.055 --> 00:17:33.815 nonprofit just for Asian women. There's just, there's just so many ways you 282 00:17:33.815 --> 00:17:37.655 can do it. But mine, I want everybody to try something that 283 00:17:37.655 --> 00:17:41.095 kind of terrifies them. I want them to like step outside of their comfort 284 00:17:41.095 --> 00:17:44.700 zone with a supportive group of people around them 285 00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:48.300 and also have that pause like I did where all of your 286 00:17:48.300 --> 00:17:52.060 responsibility is taken care of because we have a personal chef. We 287 00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:55.740 have somebody there that's taking photos so you can disconnect from 288 00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:59.415 your phone all week. And then you 289 00:17:59.415 --> 00:18:03.035 literally I always say the itinerary is just the suggestion. 290 00:18:03.415 --> 00:18:06.775 Pick and choose the things in the present moment of what you actually wanna 291 00:18:06.775 --> 00:18:10.615 participate in and tune into what you actually want day to day, 292 00:18:10.615 --> 00:18:14.450 but also what you want out of life and, see if we can maybe 293 00:18:14.450 --> 00:18:18.130 take something from that experience and incorporate it into your your daily 294 00:18:18.130 --> 00:18:21.570 life. Yeah. I love that. I I heard someone describe another 295 00:18:21.570 --> 00:18:25.170 organization I was doing some work with as, I use the f word. 296 00:18:25.170 --> 00:18:28.304 Fucking out with friends is what they described it as. So you you go out 297 00:18:28.304 --> 00:18:32.085 to these places That's my favorite word. Fucking around with friends and stealing it. 298 00:18:32.545 --> 00:18:36.304 Yeah. So you're basically you just know you got a supportive environment. There's no 299 00:18:36.304 --> 00:18:40.090 silly questions. There's no silly mistakes. Everyone's there to pick you up, which is 300 00:18:40.090 --> 00:18:42.970 the opposite of social media. Because everyone on social media wants to put you down. 301 00:18:42.970 --> 00:18:46.730 This is picking you up and Ours is turning into a little 302 00:18:46.730 --> 00:18:50.170 bit of, like, adult summer camp almost where 303 00:18:50.170 --> 00:18:53.815 people meet, become friends, and then they, like, get together to, like, 304 00:18:53.815 --> 00:18:57.035 book the same one for the following year so they can reunite. 305 00:18:57.495 --> 00:19:00.615 And, you know, when you're in summer camp, you're always like, what week are you 306 00:19:00.615 --> 00:19:03.655 coming back next year? And you try to, like, you know, line it up with 307 00:19:03.655 --> 00:19:07.335 your besties. But, yeah, it's so much fun. It's really, 308 00:19:07.335 --> 00:19:11.070 really rewarding to be able to see these people every 309 00:19:11.070 --> 00:19:14.130 single year and sometimes more than once a year. 310 00:19:15.150 --> 00:19:18.910 And watching strangers become friends is fun too. It's really 311 00:19:19.310 --> 00:19:22.825 That's beautiful. Yeah. So I can imagine you there. The the 312 00:19:22.825 --> 00:19:26.585 coach arrives from the airport. There you are with the clipboard ticking people 313 00:19:26.585 --> 00:19:30.424 off. Yep. Shelly, number 1. Shelly, number 2. Yeah. I'm the 314 00:19:30.424 --> 00:19:34.044 only one that knows what room they're in because I do all the logistics, 315 00:19:34.265 --> 00:19:37.930 but there's always a, like, just a chaotic massive 316 00:19:37.990 --> 00:19:41.750 bags and hugs and things. And then we usually have 317 00:19:41.750 --> 00:19:45.590 our first meal together and do intros. We go around 318 00:19:45.590 --> 00:19:49.270 the table, and everybody does a quick intro. And then I make everybody go around 319 00:19:49.270 --> 00:19:52.875 the table and say 3 things they love about themselves because I 320 00:19:52.875 --> 00:19:56.475 think we can get bogged down with the the roles and 321 00:19:56.475 --> 00:20:00.235 responsibilities and all the hats we wear. And, you kinda get the 322 00:20:00.235 --> 00:20:03.835 essence of who they are as a being when they just say the three things 323 00:20:03.835 --> 00:20:07.530 they love about themselves. So it's nice. Yeah. I 324 00:20:07.530 --> 00:20:10.890 would I would just say if they come multiple years, whether they say the same 325 00:20:10.890 --> 00:20:14.570 as three things, that'd be interesting to track that. Yeah. You know, we can sometimes 326 00:20:14.570 --> 00:20:18.410 see people get a little more confident and say, like, bigger things, you know, 327 00:20:18.410 --> 00:20:22.065 because sometimes it's hard for people to to find through things, which is kinda 328 00:20:22.065 --> 00:20:25.665 hard and sad. But for some people that have no problem with 3 and they 329 00:20:25.665 --> 00:20:29.265 could do another 3 the following year, they could do 6 right away. You 330 00:20:29.265 --> 00:20:33.025 know? So, I was just my mind was just wondering there thinking, what 331 00:20:33.025 --> 00:20:36.150 have what have you done this year? Kicked my husband out, got a new life, 332 00:20:36.230 --> 00:20:39.990 and living my best life now. So that's all the empowerment you've given people. Yeah. 333 00:20:39.990 --> 00:20:43.430 Yeah. One lady quit her job before she went home. 1 year. Goes to 334 00:20:43.430 --> 00:20:47.270 Rica. Oh, it's just Well, I I guess that's what you're 335 00:20:47.270 --> 00:20:50.975 trying to you're trying to give people that empowerment. You wake people up. Some 336 00:20:50.975 --> 00:20:54.735 people wake up more than others. Some people 337 00:20:54.735 --> 00:20:58.195 really just need the space to just 338 00:20:58.654 --> 00:21:02.414 to just reset. You know? Because you get hung up on 339 00:21:02.414 --> 00:21:05.430 the grind, don't you? You're just you're doing the same thing day in, day out 340 00:21:05.510 --> 00:21:08.890 and so familiar with what you're doing and everything 341 00:21:09.350 --> 00:21:12.810 else rushes by. Yeah? Yeah. So you step out of it? 342 00:21:13.350 --> 00:21:17.030 I think there I think that you can do any of this type of work 343 00:21:17.030 --> 00:21:20.490 at home. You can. I just think it's easier to go away 344 00:21:20.630 --> 00:21:24.045 sometimes to to not have any 345 00:21:24.045 --> 00:21:27.885 distractions. We have multiple women that say they've never felt that 346 00:21:27.885 --> 00:21:31.725 taken care of. So sometimes just that reminder that you are worthy 347 00:21:31.725 --> 00:21:35.370 of being taken care of is really beautiful. I personally, I 348 00:21:35.370 --> 00:21:38.410 work from home, and it takes a lot for your time management. I don't know 349 00:21:38.410 --> 00:21:42.170 if you feel the same way, but, like, you can get 350 00:21:42.170 --> 00:21:45.950 distracted by the dog or the laundry or just anything stupid 351 00:21:46.010 --> 00:21:49.530 and then kinda get into your cycle of routines and forget to pause 352 00:21:49.530 --> 00:21:53.015 anyways. You know? So Yeah. I mean, that's my procrastinating 353 00:21:53.235 --> 00:21:56.355 brain. There's something shiny or something, a squirrel or something else sort of under the 354 00:21:56.355 --> 00:21:59.875 bus. Oh, look. It's got It's not even there. It's not still 355 00:21:59.875 --> 00:22:03.635 outside. Oh, shoot. I was supposed to do this proposal or that 356 00:22:03.635 --> 00:22:07.480 proposal or get that done. It it cram all in the last half an hour 357 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:10.140 of the day, and he goes, that was alright. We made it in the end. 358 00:22:10.680 --> 00:22:13.640 Yeah. Be less stressful if I just got all within the morning and then didn't 359 00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:16.380 get distracted. I feel that. I feel that. 360 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:20.120 I don't think my brain would've worked properly if I forced it. I saw that. 361 00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:23.934 I I often get days like that. I really appreciate a slow morning and just 362 00:22:23.934 --> 00:22:27.054 sort of being eased into the day. I'm more of a night person than a 363 00:22:27.054 --> 00:22:30.815 morning, and I feel a little bit sharper after that, 364 00:22:30.815 --> 00:22:34.655 like, hour of brain fog kinda like burns off. But so 365 00:22:34.655 --> 00:22:38.280 I feel like morning is still a more productive, like, part of 366 00:22:38.280 --> 00:22:42.120 my day, but that first hour, forget it. It just feels forced. 367 00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:45.960 It feels too forced. Yeah. I'm a, I'm 368 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:49.640 a work from bed person for the person 2 hours a day. So I 369 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:52.860 I get up about half 6 quarter to 7 most mornings, 370 00:22:53.455 --> 00:22:57.155 get my phone out, check LinkedIn, check social medias, 371 00:22:57.695 --> 00:23:00.655 maybe write a blog post on my phone or talk to it, do a bit 372 00:23:00.655 --> 00:23:04.335 of AI processing. And I get up, have some breakfast. About 373 00:23:04.335 --> 00:23:08.095 10 o'clock, I'll start actually booking meetings and doing stuff. 374 00:23:08.095 --> 00:23:11.830 So, yeah, it's kind of my start. And then in the evening, I'll I'll 375 00:23:11.830 --> 00:23:14.950 get off my desk here, and I'll I'll sit in the lounge for an hour 376 00:23:14.950 --> 00:23:17.690 just on the phone, just checking a few things, social media. 377 00:23:18.550 --> 00:23:22.150 So, yeah, I I kind of try and occupy different spaces and do 378 00:23:22.150 --> 00:23:25.965 different tasks that, made me happy. There's no 379 00:23:25.965 --> 00:23:28.285 point sitting in a chair and feeling uncomfortable if you might as well sit on 380 00:23:28.285 --> 00:23:31.725 the sofa and do some of this stuff. You got to do more through you. 381 00:23:31.725 --> 00:23:35.325 I a 100% agree. I have a friend that gets up and 382 00:23:35.325 --> 00:23:39.025 writes for 4 hours every single day, and then she 383 00:23:39.165 --> 00:23:42.480 fuck fucks off in the afternoon. She just is, like, never. 384 00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:46.780 She just sucks in the afternoon. She can't get anything done. And even if 385 00:23:46.780 --> 00:23:49.820 she forced it, it takes her, you know, double the length of time. So she's 386 00:23:49.820 --> 00:23:52.560 like, what's the point? So, yeah, she just commits to that. 387 00:23:53.625 --> 00:23:56.905 Like, we should just do whatever works for you. I let you just say, I 388 00:23:56.905 --> 00:24:00.745 I I have that attitude to the whole of December. As soon as the 389 00:24:00.745 --> 00:24:04.265 as soon as it gets dark in the evenings, as soon as I I 390 00:24:04.265 --> 00:24:07.980 detect a bit of holiday mode kicking in, I'm kinda like, I'm just I'm 391 00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:11.680 not just on the run run down here for Christmas Eve. I'm just yeah. 392 00:24:11.900 --> 00:24:15.580 Just Same. Having a I actually took the last 3 weeks 393 00:24:15.580 --> 00:24:19.180 of the year off last year, December. It's just it's a 394 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:22.400 wasteland. My husband's seasonal. He's a landscaper. 395 00:24:23.445 --> 00:24:27.165 So he's off doing nothing, and I'm like, well, I want to do nothing. 396 00:24:27.165 --> 00:24:30.885 You know? So it's just and then, yeah, it feels like it's 10 397 00:24:30.885 --> 00:24:34.645 o'clock at 6 because it's pitch black, and I just I lack 398 00:24:34.645 --> 00:24:38.400 the motivation. A couple years ago, my wife actually joined me 399 00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:42.000 in the business. So she gave up her, paid 400 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:45.760 employment by a, yeah, by a company and, and 401 00:24:45.760 --> 00:24:49.495