If I was going to do this post right, I’d have fireworks and a confetti shower to accompany it.  No really.  I would.  My life’s work is to help people make big things happen.  In business.  In life.  In every moment.  When I started the Making Things Happen Intensive three years ago, I never imagined just how much of a 180 my life would take.  Just read my blog from three years ago.  You will SEE the change.  Some of you have been readers and friends since I first got into weddings almost a decade ago.  What a remarkable decade it has been.  I’m 32 and I can honestly say I have done everything I ever wanted to do.  All I want now is to know God more and more every day.  I want to give my all and share my experiences to help others until I have nothing left.  That’s it.  I want to give my all without fear.  CUE THE FIREWORKS!!!

During the last 32 cities that we’ve visited, I’ve met some pretty incredible people who have gone on to do some pretty remarkable things.  From leaving full-time desk jobs to pursue their passions to finding balance in their lives, witnessing transformation sets my heart on fire!  Mind you, the MTH alum have made big things happen because they did the hard work on their own.  Nothing magical happens in the workshop.  MTH is just the spark that lights the fire.  They showed up, dove in and made. life. happen.  CUE CONFETTI SHOWER!!!

You know how important my family is to me.  Time with Grace is my number one priority.  So, setting out on a 10 city tour this year was a huge decision. And one I have zero regrets or fear about. Oh, yes, I will cry when I leave.  For sure.  But, I’ll survive because this is the work I am supposed to be doing.  It is worth the sacrifice of being away.  For me to say that is huge.  I hope it shows you just how important this work is to me.  This work opens doors, challenges self-imposed limits and makes people make things happen.   It brings people together.  It makes collaboration happen.  It makes creativity happen.  It makes balance, peace, friendship, marriage, and life happen.  It makes happy happen.  And it makes me take big scary life-changing action, too.  Emily, Gina, Natalie and I get just as much out of giving the Making Things Happen Intensive as the attendees do.

Double bonus? So many of the MTH alum are now my closest friends. Making things happen isn’t just about coming to a workshop one day.   That doesn’t do anyone any good.  It’s about accountability for a lifetime.  It’s about community.  It’s about being supported AND supporting others just as much. It’s about being surrounded by like-minded passionate creatives who want to take things to the next level.   It’s about doing the hard work. If you want to make things happen, you have to decide to do the work, but there will be a huge community of people doing the same things right along side you. They will cheer you on. They will lift you up. They will remind you why you do what you do when you forget. And you will forget. I do sometimes and there are always friends there to lift me back up.  They will text you just to tell you you CAN do it. They will shower you with high fives. They will also offer to shower you with confetti when you do a scary speaking engagement (thank you, Michelle Edgemont! HA!). The MTH alum are the best encouragers around, hands down! I’m so grateful to be a recipient of such awesome encouragement on a daily basis.  Hi friends! I love you!!!

The intensive itself is pretty simple. We spend a day talking in a small group. We talk about our fears, our dreams and how we are going to make them happen. We spend a good 8-10 hours together, so we really get to know each other. When you spend a day talking about your fears and dreams with someone, it challenges you to take the leap.   Whatever that big leap is for you.  We hold each other accountable.  And the incredible thing for me is that, as I grow, so does the power of the intensive.   I know the same is true for Emily, Gina and Natalie as well.  Oh, what incredible progress we’ve made in our lives since this all started!  We are so grateful!  I’ve been through it in the last year.  My heart is more focused than ever. My companies are on the most grounded clear path they’ve ever been on. Things are at a whole new level. I can’t wait to share all I’ve learned and all I’m doing to simplify my life and make what matters happen.

People ask me all the time if we can do an online version of Making Things Happen. It’s like picking out a wedding dress from a catalog.  You could do it, but there is nothing like feeling the magic of slipping into that gown in person. OK, for the guys (or gals, too!) out there… it’s like fantasy football. Awesome, but not at all the same as being there on the sidelines. You can’t phone Making Things Happen in. You have to sit in the seat and look in the eyes of the person next to you.  You have to take a risk and be present.  You have to sit in the seat to really harness the change you want in your life.  Quite simply, you have to show up.  As you are.  Fears and all.  Everyone else is in the exact same boat. We tell people to come in comfy clothes.  No heels.  Leave the decked-out duds at home.  MTH is a place to come and just be yourself.  It’s the greatest feeling to just let go with people that get you.

As usual, we’ve chosen cities for the 2012 Tour that are easy to travel to.   Registration is now open for ALL 2012 CITIES! The Spring Tour: Chapel Hill, Atlanta, DC, NY and Boston! The Fall Tour: Austin, Phoenix, LA, Chicago and one last city yet to be determined.Every intensive (except NYC) will be by the airport, too, for convenience. About 60%-80% of attendees fly or drive in from another state to attend. Lucky you, if you happen to live in one of these cities!  By the way, people are always looking for roommates if you want to share.  You might make a friend for life, as I know so many alum have done!

We have are so passionate about this work that we have given a lot of partial scholarships in the past. We want people to be able to make things happen, no matter their financial situation. So, to give EVERYONE the chance to get a partial scholarship, if you enter the contest below, you will automatically get 50% OFF until the regular rate, just for telling us what you want to make happen! (West Coast cities have till July 4 for early-bird registration at the same 50% OFF rate.)  We also have very flexible payment plans.  Just email Marissa to get set up with one. 

We want to make this easy for you.  Y’all, I’m going to push you on this because I believe in this work so very much. If you think this is right for you, do yourself a huge favor and apply so you can either win a scholarship or get the half-off rate. Save the other half to invest in your business or your family or whatever sets your heart on fire. You will thank yourself. And register before your city sells out. I’ve been doing this for three years and it sells out every time. I want you to make things happen with us. I want to get to know you. Really, I do. Because your story will teach me something and I hope mine does the same for you.

Want to know more? Read the post that started it all and take The Challenge and read and this and this and this or any of these posts from alum.  Ask an alum about their experience.  I can’t wait for you to be inspired to make big things happen!

We have had some very generous alumni step forward and donate to a full scholarship fund yet again. Year after year, the generosity of so many amazes all of us!  So, we’ve decided to match that and give two full scholarships this year.

Two ways to enter:

The Alum Scholarship: Leave a comment here an tell us what you want to make happen.  Also, please tell us the city you would like to attend. Anyone who applies for a scholarship will be given the ability to register at 50% OFF if they are not chosen. So, you have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain by entering.

The MTH Match Scholarship: Leave a comment here telling us what you want to make happen AND spread the word! Tell your friends about Making Things Happen, too! Tweet, Facebook, Blog, Pin this, send smoke signals… whatever you want to do to tell people about Making Things Happen and just link to this post.  Leave a separate comment here telling us you did so. We will pick a random winner for this second scholarship, so the more entries you submit, the better!

Deadline: You have until midnight on April 1st to apply. Again, if you enter to win a scholarship, you’ll still be given the chance to register at 50% OFF the regular rate if you aren’t chosen.  We want you to be able to make this happen no matter what!

It’s a remarkable coincidence that I’m posting this on Leap Day. Today is your day to take the leap, my friend. I have goosebumps typing finishing this post because I am genuinely so excited to read your entries.   We all are!  I never cease to be inspired by what makes people really come alive.  So, what do YOU want to make happen?  Join us!

P.S. We’re working hard behind-the-scenes on a brand new Making Things Happen website as we speak! So, the main site is currently offline for a major overhaul.  Yeah!!!  Get ready.  It’s packed with phenomenal inspiration and incredible alum stories!  Your story could be next.

P.P.S. THANK YOU for the outpouring of support and encouragement I received from my last post.  WOW.  So many notes and messages and letters and open hearts.  I am sincerely grateful.  Your kind words helped me and so many others.  You just never know how much even a blog comment will encourage someone else.

UPDATED:

If you want to be inspired, just reading the scholarship entries below will do it. This was such a hard decision for us to make. There is so much fire and determination in every single entry! No matter what, all of you are destined for great things, regardless of if you attend MTH or not. Just your words alone, and your ability to share so much of your true selves, shows your passion and your drive. Thank you all for sharing your hearts! Amazing!

Making Things Happen started in the spirit of paying it forward and, after 30 cities, we are just overjoyed to continue on this track! So, if you are not the main scholarship winner, don’t fear. You may be getting a phone call from us in the next day or so. Check your email and check that voicemail over the next few days!

CONGRATS to everyone who entered! If you applied for the scholarship below, you get 50% off registration! Email Marissa@laracaseyreps.com for your special registration code. The tour is almost sold out now, so let Marissa know ASAP if you need a payment plan as well.

Congrats to scholarship winners, April Foster and Emily-Claire! (email Marissa to get your registration set up) We CANNOT WAIT to see everyone in a few short weeks! Time to make big things happen, friends!

Between making babies happen, making brands happen, making things happen, making a magazine, a new house, new staff, shoots, consulting, travel and everything in between, there has been a whole lot happening since I last wrote here!  Hello, friends.  Hello, blog.  Nice to see you.  Sit a spell with me and I’ll quickly get you updated.

I was so honored (OK, really… I squealed and did some form of a really hilarious happy dance in getting the invite from R+ K!) and grateful to get the opportunity to speak on a branding panel at Engage!11 in San Diego recently.  Alongside my incredibly inspiring roomies Harmony Walton and Jasmine Star, I was so fired up to get to speak on a subject that fuels me beyond words… and to a group of professionals who inspires me to no end!  Full recap coming soon in my Engage!11 MegaPost, but I just had to say thank you again to the two women (and team) who gave me the remarkable gift to teach and learn and spend a week getting my heart and mind cracked wide open: Rebecca Grinnals and Kathyrn Arce.  If you know these two phenomenal women, you know what I mean!  There aren’t words large enough to express my gratitude.  This was my 6th Engage! and it just keeps getting better.  From the moment I got there, my mind started buzzing with new ideas that resulted in powerful changes taking place in our office since I’ve been back.  Big changes.  Remarkable advances.  And it’s just the beginning.  Thank you, Rebecca, Kathryn and all of the incredible professionals we shared that magical week with!  I wish I was going to be in Cayman for the next Engage!, but I will likely be in labor.  Literally, labor is the ONLY reason I would ever miss an Engage!  This video from Cloud Nine Creative says it all really…

Engage 11: Grand Del Mar // Wrap Film from Cloud Nine Creative on Vimeo.

Making Brands Happen makes my days light up!  Emily and I talk about 20 times a day and exchange an average of 80 emails every afternoon, making people’s authentic powerful creative brands come to life.  What started as an idea sketched out on a Delta barfbag somewhere over the Pacific on the way to Maui (really) to merge our two loves – design and branding -  turned into something we never dreamed possible!  We had no idea this would take off like it has with clients we adore more than words, but it just further confirms what I’ve always believed:  when you harness your core – your driving passion – nothing is impossible. 

The golden question in the SW office: How do we connect great vendors to the right brides to give them the experience of a lifetime on their big day?  My gut reaction answer is always: educate brides and build better businesses!  Great matchmaking and powerful experiences start at the core.  My mission is to change the wedding industry for the better from the inside out.  Building authentic, flourishing businesses gets me fired up! When a brand message is crystal clear, you attract the ideal clients who understand your true value.  When a company has built a remarkable client experience and brand culture based on that core brand message, fireworks happen!  That’s what I want for brides.  Fireworks!  The kind that are so brilliant and big that your parents didn’t want you to light them on your own when you were a kid.  Life-long memories and unforgettable experiences.  True authentic love to the power of infinity!   Oh, Heavens, don’t get me started!  I. love. this. work.  We’re now completely sold out for 2011 brand launches and have a waiting list for 2012 when I get back from maternity leave.  Get on the 2012 List.

I’ll be launching my own new branding soon that I can’t wait to share.  A little low-res iPhone peek at my new cards below.  Much more to come…

Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit, V4 aka Volume Four of Southern Weddings Magazine is set to be our biggest and best issue yet!  Heavens to Betsy, is it ever! We’re still accepting PRINT SUBMISSIONS for this issue, so jump on it and send us your best! Shoot season is in full swing for us and our office is abuzz with deliveries, prop styling, brainstorming sessions, sketches and swatches.  Our Art Director, Emily Ayer, and our divine team are making all sorts of Southern wedding goodness happen.  I’m so grateful for the women I work with.  Photo below from our Southern Weddings charity yard sale by Nancy Ray.

Y’all need to come visit our office one day to fully understand their awesomeness.   Come on over!  Seriously.  We have a full fridge of sweet tea and Cheerwine ready for you.  A little sneak peek at our new team shoot from Millie Holloman below.  Love you, ladies!

I know you want baby updates.  UPDATED: We’re having a GIRL!!! SO grateful to have my first maternity session with the lovely Nancy Ray this week.  More to come…

Travel time! I’ll be back to my hometown to speak at The Stationery Academy in August.  Very excited about this… except it’s the last speaking engagement I’m letting myself do for the year before this baby arrives.  I love to speak more than anything and have had to – sadly – turn down 14 wonderful opportunities this fall all over the world, including two in Ireland!  My dream!  I know God has designed this plan for a perfect reason, though.  Said reason is currently kicking my bellybutton : )

Aaaaand my favorite news besides baby…  Emily, Gina and I are headed out on the road for a very short Making Things Happen tour!  All of the past 27 cities have SOLD OUT, so we expect this to as well.  We purposely chose places that are easy to travel to so you can make it happen.  With le bebe on the way, this is the last tour I’ll be able to do for likely a good year or so.  We’re headed to Pensacola, Atlanta and New York in just a few short weeks.   We’re also hosting a big alum event in Florida!   I couldn’t be more excited. I love this work more than I currently love black cherry popsicles (that’s a lot of love, people!) and can’t wait to see everyone soon to make some big things happen.  Seats are already filling fast.  Register before July 1 for the early-bird rate while you still can.

A soon-to-be-attendee recently asked me if any of the MTH alum keep in touch.  I told her that I had to giggle a little at her question.  Why?  For a year and a half, we’ve been lucky enough to be a part of 29 private Facebook groups – one for each MTH class, one for a student class from UNC and one big group for all MTH alum that we just launched.  Oh my word, these groups buzz with activity – encouragement, collaboration, feedback, motivation, updates, etc., etc. – on a minute to minute basis.  I always wish I could give people a peek into these private groups.  They motivate me to no end!  Accountability and continuing guidance are a cornerstone to lasting success.  Many thanks to the powers of Facebook technology and to the 400+ alum who inspire all of us every single day.  We love y’all so very much!  Be sure to follow MTH2011 on Tumblr and Twitter for daily inspiration and read the post that started it all.

SCHOLARSHIP: So, in the continuing spirit of giving back through Making Things Happen, we are opening one scholarship for this final 2011 tour.  Leave a comment here telling us what you want to make happen in 2011 (and which city you would like to attend).  Why do you want this? What is your passion? Deadline to comment is JULY 4th at midnight. One scholarship seat will be announced that week!   Life is too short to play small.  So, spread the word and get on it.  We cannot wait to meet you soon!

OK, back to making all of this happen, friends. 

Blessings,

P.S. Happy 39th wedding anniversary, Mom and Dad! I love you!

P.P.S. Happy Father’s Day weekend, y’all! Join the Father of the Bride gushfest…

Welcome to The Challenge.  One month – or a week if you’re feeling extra fired up – to revolutionize your life and business.   Are you ready?   I’ve pulled out all the stops to give you all my top advice on how to make things happen.  If you are ready for big change, take The Challenge.  Take each step day by day.  By the end of this month you will be clear, fired up and so ready to make things happen!  Need some motivation?  I have a MEGA GIVEAWAY as incentive.  Read on and get movin’!

STEP 1: Download, write your three action items for the day, write tiny action steps under each, do them.

STEP 2: Next, clear more clutter in your environment and on your computer.  Work it!  Take no prisoners with that clutter!

STEP 3: Prepare for Greatness.  Set yourself up for success tomorrow, next week and next year.

STEP 4: Take a break! Active rest. Plan breaks in your day, week and month to get renewed and recharged to make things happen.

STEP 5: Leap!  Face your fear.

STEP 6: Encourage others.  Spread the love and you’ll get it right back.

STEP 7: Define and implement solid boundaries.

STEP 8: Celebrate your success and give thanks!

STEP 9: Define and DO what fires you up.

STEP 10: Don’t stop.  This is just the beginning.  God has worked intensely on my heart this last year.  I have worked hard to do the right work.  I’ve made a ton of mistakes along the way, but as my dear friend Michael always says, no mistakes; only lessons.  I’m so grateful for where my life is now from doing this work daily – de-cluttering, setting solid boundaries, giving it all, letting go, facing my fear and choosing to be remarkable – and I’m committed to just as much work in the year ahead.  Good work.  The right work.  My favorite quote as of late…  A year from now you will wish you had started today. - Karen Lamb.   I’m so glad I started a year ago.  My life is night and day from just 12 short months ago.

If you want change, choose it.  Choose to be remarkable.  Start now.  Begin anywhere. [photos above: left Jory Cordy, right Gina Zeidler]

OK, who’s ready for a MEGA GIVEAWAY!?

TO ENTER: read The Challenge posts above and comment here on your progress as you go through each step.  Comment as much as you like.  The more the better to keep yourself accountable.  Even if you started The Challenge with me a couple weeks ago, get those comments in!  Weigh in on your progress with each step.   FIVE lucky Challenge-takers will win one of the following:

1. Wedding season is kicking into full swing and, as a result, I’ve gotten a TON of consulting inquiries lately.
Prize number 1 is a half-hour one-on-one branding/business coaching session with me to help you make things happen!

2. You’re going to need some killer headphones to get those office dance parties kickin’ (read the posts to know what I’m talking about) and I’m SO excited that the fine folks at Skullcandy have given me a pair of Holua Galaxie Earbuds to give away!  I just recently purchased these rockin’ wood earbuds myself and I can’t wait for one lucky reader to hear what these babies can do.  Thank you, Skullcandy!

3. You’ll have a TON to celebrate in this challenge and you’ll need some new tunes!  So, prize #3 is a $50 iTunes card!  Download my Making Things Happen playlist is here in the meantime.

4. These are my friends TJ and Brooke.  They are awesome and they make rad t-shirts and they’ve made a lot of things happen this year.

They have given me a stash of Walk in Love T’s like the one below that I wrote about. One lucky winner gets their very own! [photo below Gina Zeidler]

I love all of their T’s because of the message behind them and how crazy comfy they are.  [P.S. head over and donate to their store opening.  They are so deserving!]  Thanks TJ and Brooke!

5. Last but not least, the raddest bow tie from Buttered Toast that we featured in our last issue!  I WANT TO WIN MY OWN GIVEAWAY.

Knowing the results so many have had from The Challenge already, you’re all going to be winners for just starting this.   It doesn’t matter how much of The Challenge you complete, so get moving!  Just make sure you START, OK?  Begin anywhere.  Remember: progress, not perfection. Comment here and spread the word (twitter, facebook, smoke signals – get people involved)!   You never know who you will inspire in the process.   UPDATED: Challenge ends April 30. Make. it. happen!

Who’s in?!

CONGRATS to the randomly-chosen winners! EVERYONE won big here just for doing The Challenge! And remember – this is not just a one month stint. Keep up the great work! One-on-one branding/business coaching session winner: Anda Marie. SkullCandy Earbud winner: Jeremiah Daniel. Buttered Toast winner: Natalie Clamp. Walk in Love T winner: Jessica Goldschmidt. iTunes gift card winner: Judith Beverly. Congrats, everyone!

2011 is off to a flying start! I just finished a week of Making Things Happen. Tampa, Atlanta, Charlotte and New York rocked my world.  If you haven’t been keeping up with my personal Tumblr and the Making Things Happen Tumblr, jump on it!  2011 is already the best year of my life.

My personal process for 2011 Goal Setting and my 2011 Vision Board:

1. Evaluate what didn’t work in 2010

2. Define what did work

3. Get clear and write out your fears

4. Evaluate the people you surround yourself with, cultivate vision and create an inspiring environment to flourish in.

5. Define your driving purpose.

6. Making things happen: Act.

Vision is everything.  As a creative person, you have to see where you want to go clearly in order to step into the life you want.  Every image has significant meaning to me – they make me feel something and clarify the vision I have for this year.   I have been researching scripture to support each goal and, as I do this, my goals become more clarified.  Vision isn’t achieved in just 6 steps.  This is just the beginning.  I’m committed to doing the hard work every day to uncover my full potential.  2011, I am filling you with all the love, peace and joy my heart can muster.  I am listening.  I am leaping.  I am creating.  I am standing up for my heart.  I am giving till it hurts.  I am using my gifts to serve.  I am taking the narrow road.  I choose Love.  My mission in 2011: love God, serve people.

images: I’ve been collecting these for a while, so let me know if one of these is yours and I’ll link it.  The ones I remember: bridesmaids (Stacy Reeves), the redhead (Max Wanger), couple on the blanked (Erin Hearts Court) and the woman in the desert (Dewey Nicks).

The year ahead holds a lot of mystery for me.  I have been working to clear my calendar as much as possible to make room for more family, rest, focus on my marriage, friendships and further-solidifying our brands. This year I am committed to working hard on life, giving as much as possible and walking the walk.

The SOLD OUT Making Things Happen 2011 Tour with Natalie Norton and Gina Zeidler (and the very pregnant Emily Ley just on the Tampa stop) was a powerful catapult into 2011. We’re working on adding just one more city to accommodate our huge waiting list. More info.

In a couple weeks, we’re off to Vegas for WPPI where I have several fun things lined up including Making Things Happen Vegas…

The black-tie Airplanes and Blazers party …

Harmony Walton and I have teamed up for the ultimate business, branding and marketing intensive, The Total Package.  There are only a few seats left, so jump on it and get ready to rock your business in 2011!

March 18th of this year marks our five year wedding anniversary.  We actually got married in Vegas. Yes, Vegas. Ari and I still trying to decide what to do to celebrate.

At the end of May, I’ll be speaking at Engage!11 :: Grand Del Mar with Harmony and Jasmine Star.

I’m so honored to be asked to speak again – especially with these remarkable women.

Ari is speaking at a big radiology conference in DC in June.  I’m so proud of him and I’ll be joining him there to cheer him on.  I don’t know if people cheer at radiology conferences, but I’m going to give it a whirl!   June, July and August will be photo shoot and layout madness time for V4 (Volume 4 of Southern Weddings), which drops in September.  We’ll be taking on two new full time employees this summer, too! We’re growing and I’m so excited about adding to our wonderful team.

All of this may seem like a lot, but it’s almost a tenth of the travel I had in 2010.  Yes, there’s more to be planned, but that’s all for now. Learning how to say no and work hard to clear my schedule has been incredibly powerful for my life.  I’m so excited about what’s ahead and very happy with right now.  You can stay up to date with my 2011 Travel Calendar here and find me every day on my personal Tumblr and the Making Things Happen Tumblr.

OK, lots of winners to announce…  Congrats to the business book winners, Amy Worthington, Pam Parker and April Walker!  Email me your mailing address and I’ll get your books to you ASAP!

Big congrats to the Making Brands Happen winner, Kelly Sauer!  Email me and Emily and I will get your mini sessions scheduled.  Everyone else who entered… we had the HARDEST time picking just one person for this.  You all could make huge things happen with more powerful branding!  SO, if you reserve your brand with us by this Friday, we’re giving you a $200 credit toward your new brand!  Every single entry was deserving, so we want to help make this happen for you.  Our schedule is getting packed to the max, so book ASAP if you want your brand completed quickly.  Due to high demand and the great success of this for our clients, we’ve expanded to offer three levels of service to fit your needs.  Just email me for all the details.  We can’t wait to help take your business to the next level! The process and results from this work fire Emily and I up to no end!

Oh you know I can’t do a post without another giveaway.  The fine folks at Adorama, who I love and adore, have given me a FujiFilm Instax Mini to give away!  We’ve had so much fun with Instax on the Making Things Happen Tour.  AND!  BONUS! Harmony and I are giving away ONE SEAT to The Total Package. A rad camera + the best marketing, branding, PR and business insight = Happy 2011! If you aren’t able to come to The Total Package, we’ll split this prize into two. So, just tell me if you are only interested in the camera prize.

Leave a comment here telling me about your goals for 2011 AND Tweet, Blog or post on facebook about this giveaway and link to it. Just leave a note in your comment that you posted about it and you’re all set!  Giveaway ends next Friday.  What are you making happen this year?

UPDATED: Congrats to Total Package winner Meg Perotti and camera winner Josh Ulmer!

A year ago this week, I made a big announcement from Breckenridge, Colorado.  I never dreamed that some of the names I would read would be my future best friends. Or that I’d be seeing them again in just ten days to celebrate a pivotal, powerful, life-changing year. 2010 has been the best year of my life for more reasons than I can count.

A risky blog post led to a 20 city tour led to over 400 new friendships that have brought me to today:  humbled, grateful, in awe of how God can change a life in such a short time.  We traveled to 20 cities this year to challenge people to conquer fear and harness their true potential.  Never in a million years would I have guessed the result.  I can’t take credit for what the MTH Alumni have accomplished since this first began 12 months ago.  They genuinely lived what I said: Feel the fear and do it anyway.   The feedback and the community support has blown me away.

One of the biggest factors in all of this success has been the community and fierce accountability from the MTH alum. The support I see every single day from past attendees is just phenomenal. There aren’t words big enough to describe what these people have done for each other to help one another conquer fear and make really big things happen in their lives and in business.

There have been countless late night phone calls, group Skype chats to offer encouragement, weekly meet-ups, a thousand encouraging texts, uplifting emails (I know all of this because I’ve been a recipient myself!), facebook groups that are active by the hour, Twitter messages to encourage and support, many tears, frustrations, hurdles, triumphs, and remarkable advances.

Want a peek inside the tour?  I made a new montage/video thing really fast.  I’ve only made one other montage/video thing in my life.  You have full permission to berate my montage/video thing skills.  I’m awesome at jumping moguls on skis and making muffins, so it all evens out.  Watch carefully for some new faces towards the end.  I know it moves fast, so get that espresso brewing!

Making Things Happen 2011 from lara casey on Vimeo.

It is with so much excitement and gratitude that I announce the first part of Making Things Happen 2011!  We will be visiting five major airport hubs this January for easy travel:  Tampa, Charlotte, Atlanta, Las Vegas (WPPI) and New York City!  We are looking for one more city to add to the tour, so please leave a comment and let us know where you’d like us to come.  Spread the word, because we need at least 10 people per city to make it happen.

The 2010 Tour completely SOLD OUT, so this one is sure to as well.   I wish I could visit more cities, but with my packed schedule – and a commitment to not be on an airplane so much in the new year – I can’t pack any more in.  So, jump on these places!  We purposely chose places that are easy to travel to so you can make it happen.

This workshop is not for the faint of heart, but for creatives who really want to change, grow, and harness their full potential in the new year. Are you ready to Make Things Happen?  Pull the trigger now, while there are seats.

Need help to make it happen?  Leave a comment here telling me what you want to make happen in 2011 (and which city you would like to attend).  Why do you want this? What is your passion? One scholarship seat will be announced January 1st!   I’m so excited about the upcoming year and can’t wait to kick it off with you! Life is too short to play small. PLEASE NOTE: The only cities offered for 2011 so far are Tampa, Charlotte, Atlanta, Las Vegas and New York. We are open to suggestion on one more city to visit.

My mentor list: my pastor, best friends, Ari and – among several others – my friend, Jeremy Cowart.  I love learning from his actions: creativity, humility, integrity, humor, passion for his family and an insatiable drive to leave the world be a better place than when he found it.  Voices of Haiti and Help Portrait are just two of his many ventures that started as “crazy” ideas in the middle of the night and turned into international movements. Jeremy never ceases to inspire. Help Portrait is December 4. Get involved in something powerful this holiday season:

I’ve loved getting to know him over the last two years since we first met when he was passing through NC on the road with Britney Spears.

We were so blessed to have Jeremy shoot our V2 cover and an eight page spread that I still can’t get over.

It was incredible to watch him work.

…and see the final product come to life.

Stunning. At our V2 launch party I also discovered something many of you may not know about Mr. Cowart: he is an insanely good breakdancer. No, really. Do not challenge this guy. He will win.

I’m not even a photographer, and I’ve never been so excited about this opportunity to learn what makes him tick. LifeFinder, Jeremy’s new educational DVD, is about to launch and he has given me two copies to give away! But first, the inside scoop from the man himself:

Why did you create LifeFinder? For 5 years now, ever since I started, I’ve been asked by so many people “Can I come on a shoot and watch you do your thing?”. I’ve always had to turn them down due to the complicated logistics involved. I wanted to finally put something out there to help people out.  My mission is to get people thinking about Photography again. I’m getting a little weary hearing people lose focus on the work itself. I mean, yes marketing is important. Social media is important, branding, logos, websites, etc.. But make sure your work is good first! It seems like this message is getting lost. I want to help people re-focus on creating amazing images.

If you could boil those 4 hours of footage down to your best advice for photographers and creatives in once sentence, what would it be? Well, in vein of the title, “LifeFinder“, I’d tell creatives to go find their passion and truly pursue it with everything they have. Life is too short to be doing something you’re not in love with. This may sound like a generic answer but it’s true. I get so sad when I see people investing 8-10 hours a day into something they’re not interested in. I was there once too. But I took the risk. I jumped. And I’ve never regretted it for one second.

What has been your most memorable experience as an artist? Gosh, these questions are TOUGH!! Well done. My first initial reaction to this question is my “Voices of Haiti” project. I’ve never experienced every emotion at once. That’s what Haiti was for me. I was in culture-shock, devastated, grieving, hopeful, joyful (for brief moments), worried, frightened, disgusted, you name it. It was a very, very surreal experience.

Which image is your favorite that you have created recently and why? Well, on that same note, I’d have to say this image from Haiti. (And hey, it’s a wedding photo! How appropriate :) It’s possibly the most powerful photo I’ve taken and it has nothing to do with me. I mean, for this young couple to stand there just days after the earthquake, amongst their destroyed church behind them (where they were supposed to get married that day), their home destroyed, their relatives missing and to send a message that says “Love Conquers All??? Are you kidding me? Whew. This photo gives me chills to this day.

What’s next? 2011 will continue my scattered ways of pursuing multiple things at once. I want to develop some iPhone apps. I want to hit the reset button on my photography career. I want to do a lot more fine art. I want to get started on a book idea that’s been on the backburner. I’d like to pursue a new idea with Help-Portrait. And most importantly I want to get in as much time with my family as possible. You know, just a few things haha.

See more of Jeremy’s work, follow him on Twitter and catch a glimpse of LifeFinder yourself:

LifeFinder DVD Trailer from Jeremy Cowart on Vimeo.

Thank you so much, Jeremy, for being such an encouragement to me and so many others. Life is definitely too short not to harness the passion we were created to share. Thank you for doing just that!

To win one of two copies of LifeFinder before it is released on December 14th, leave a comment telling us what inspires your creativity. What gets you fired up?

**UPDATED** WINNERS (chosen at random): Zachary Long and Carl Spring Photo. Please email me to claim your DVD’s! Thank you to everyone who entered! Such inspiration!

I’m excited to announce my partnership with Emily Ley Creative that marries effective, authentic, powerful visual branding with clear, purposeful, dynamic strategy: Making Brands Happen.  Emily and I saw a great need for creatives to be able to have a seamless, simple way to bring brilliant ideas and unique brands to life.  This partnership has been a long time coming and the second all the pieces aligned it was like fireworks. There are so many options out there, but none of them encompassed everything our clients needed …and got it done in an efficient time frame   …and for a fee that allows you to make it happen with confidence. Making Brands Happen is the answer.

We’re only taking 6 clients per month and we’re just about full for the next three months. So, jump on it if you want a new brand or a rebrand for 2011. Reserve your spot now before we are all booked.  The process is easy, fast and we’ve made it affordable with flexible payment plans because money is one of the biggest things that holds people back from making more of it!.  The results will blow you out of the water! 

The process begins with an in-depth review and strategy development sessions. Then, ELC comes in to develop and design a visual identity – including a new color palette, logo, fonts, patterns, graphic elements and collateral to tie your identity together. Just a few sessions – and four short weeks – later, you have a seriously strong, transformed brand and marketing strategy, as well as all of your design files and a Style Guide to carry your visual identity consistently across multiple platforms.

Some notes on branding: Your “brand” is the combination of your visual identity and your client experience. Most people think that having a great looking website, slick business cards and a few color-coordinated collateral items means you have a great brand. While those things are key, they are just your first impression. A great visual identity creates attraction, trust, and gets your foot in the door. An extraordinary client experience and brand culture create lasting powerful success. A great brand has a heart, integrity, purpose and consistency. A great brand anticipates desires and always OVERdelivers to the client. A great brand doesn’t sell you a product; it sells you a way of life. Would your ideal client want to live your current brand’s way of life? Is every aspect of your identity – website, business cards, social media, blog format, collateral, email correspondence, watermark, packaging, workflow, voicemail greeting – building up your brand, or are you just getting by? That’s what I’m here for – to help you evaluate where you are now and where you need to be to make big things happen in your business. Once we target the heart of your brand, what makes you tick and what will help your ideal client see your ultimate value, Emily steps in to create a visual identity that really sings. It’s pretty simple. Brand experience + brand image = powerful branding.

Whether you know exactly what you want or you are just in the first stages with a new idea… whether new to the business with loads of questions or a seasoned pro that needs a branding facelift… whether photographer, planner, writer, designer, stationer, or any creative professional… let us know what you are thinking and we will help you fill in the missing pieces.  Just remember – all big ideas start somewhere.  No matter what path you choose, you just have to start.  ‘A year from now you will wish you had started today.’ Life is too short to play small.  Your dreams are too powerful to just think about them.  Act!  You never know where that leap of faith will take you.  All you have to do now is take that baby step to BEGIN.

Remove the word trying from your vocabulary.  You’re either doing it or you aren’t. – Ralph Marston No more excuses.  You have a choice to be remarkable.  We look forward to making it happen for you.

LC

To kick off this new year ahead (only 37 days left in 2010 – wow!), we’re giving away a mini Making Brands Happen package.  One session with me to dig deep into where your brand needs to go and one session with Emily to develop your brand board.  Start 2011 with a bang!  Leave a comment here telling us why you want this and what you want to make happen in 2011. Ends January 7th.

UPDATED to add: Congratulations to our winner! Due to the success of Making Brands Happen for our clients, we now offer three different levels of service. All the details: Making Brands Happen.

Oh, hello pretty blog.  I haven’t forgotten you.  I’ve been blogging almost daily on my Tumblr page instead.  But, I promise to start filling you up with goodness again as soon as we make some technical changes so I can blog from my iPhone.  Mobile blogging seems to work for me.  I can blog while waiting in the Whole Foods line, at the gym, in a boat, with a goat, in the rain, on a train, in a box, with a fox, I do love mobile blogging Sam I am.

OK ok I’m stalling.  I have been nervous to make this announcement because the decision was far from easy.  I even had to recruit the help of Emily, Gina, Marissa and the SW gals to help me choose a scholarship winner for the upcoming Making Things Happen Tour.  The entries were overwhelmingly inspiring and there honestly wasn’t one that was “better” than another.

I sat here with tears in my eyes, as did we all, reading through them.  Just know that no matter what, all of you who entered are destined for great things, regardless of if you attend MTH or not.  Just your words alone, and your ability to share so much of your true selves, shows your passion and your drive.  Thank you all for sharing your hearts!  Amazing!

Before you watch this video, we have a very exciting announcement. Three [amazing, inspiring, generous] MTH2010 Alumni have purchased seats for us to use as additional scholarships.  With all of the incredible entries, have decided to use those towards partial scholarships for several.

MTH2010 started in the spirit of paying it forward and we are just overjoyed to continue on this track!  So, if you are not the main scholarship winner, don’t fear.  You may be getting a phone call from us in the next 48 hours. So, check your email and check that voicemail tomorrow.  We can’t wait to meet you!

Without further ado…

OK ok… some more ado.  I made this montage/video thing really fast.  Busy day here.  I’ve never made a montage/video thing before.  You have full permission to berate my montage/video thing skills.  I’m awesome at jumping moguls on skis and making muffins, so it all evens out.  Watch carefully.  I know it moves fast, so get that espresso brewing! The scholarship announcement is somewhere in here… enjoy!

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN TOUR 2010 from lara casey on Vimeo.

For the record, we chose the winner on an even playing field.  We didn’t look at websites, videos or anything else before choosing a winner.  Seeing her video after she was chosen was just the cherry on top!  Congrats!! Post photos by Millie Holloman from our fun session with her in Wilmington. And the video song is from my favorite MuteMath album, Armistice. Love. That. Song.

P.S. Thank you to all who entered the FujiFilm Instax Mini giveaway from the last post.  If you want to be inspired… oh my goodness!  Read all of these comments.  Wow!  The winner, chosen at random, is Katrina! Email me to claim your prize.

P.S.S. SOOOO MUCH IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW!  I’ll be speaking at WedSmith in Salt Lake City next week, launching a magazine in 19 days and speaking at Engage the week we launch. Follow along with me via Twitter and Tumblr (for now).  I’ll be back to regularly scheduled LaraCasey.com programing very soon.

P.S.S.S. It’s fall.  Unreal.  Where did the time go!?  Tell me your favorite thing about fall and a random winner will get one of the bow ties from my collection.  [photo below left by Brett Arthur]

Many of these – from Southern Proper, Xoelle, The Cordial Churchman and Forage will be featured in V3.  Your choice.  Leave a comment below.

I grew up a very independent child. I never read instruction manuals when putting things together (still don’t). I get great pleasure out of figuring things out for myself. I never got in a lick of trouble outside of an overdue library book, but I didn’t like being told what to do, when to eat, what to wear or how to do things at summer camp. I did like the abundant supply of arts and crafty things, ice cream socials, and singing hymns on Sunday morning in an outdoor “chapel” of trees, but I made a lot of excuses to try to come home.

Naturally, in retrospect, I am thankful that my parents weaned me off home and made me experience life a la bunkbed. I never ever thought I’d relish solitude, travel and adventure, but all my journeys as a young girl helped mold me into the Delta SkyMiles Queen I am now. Image below :: Paul Johnson

Life has felt a lot like summer camp lately. I’ve been going through a time of letting myself get schooled, restructured and stretched. Even in college when summer camp days were long over, I’d still spend all those hot days doing something productive. From structured summer programs to creative endeavors, summer has always been a time of learning and transformation for me. This summer, I am by myself a lot during the week. Ari has had a big board exam to study for and is now in DC for the next month doing a rotation at Walter Reed. Yes… a month. The last time Ari went away for an extended period of time, I started Southern Weddings. I get a little stir crazy when he is gone, so I’ve deemed this time “Camp Lara”. I’m planning activities for myself, getting in some pool time, taking field trips, and tackling the proverbial ropes course or two. There’s a lot going on.

I remember writing letters home to my Mom and Dad, telling them all that was happening during those steamy summer days. So today, my friends, a collection of random highlights from my steamy summer days at Camp Lara:

Cue soundtrack…

Thanks to a great conversation on the beach at Engage10, I collaborated on a little something with Jasmine Star and Calder Clark. Feel free to leave a question for me in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer.

You asked, I delivered. My first-ever live online intensive, Live with Lara, is on Tuesday, August 24 from 1 pm to 2pm EST. At this point, there are only a handful of seats left. If you’re a creative professional in the wedding industry and you want to take your brand to the next level and learn my top keys to getting published, get registered.

Katharine is getting married very soon. She has been detailing her wedding planning on the SW Blog and it is my favorite post every week. A few highlights: we took a trip to Kleinfeld so she could say yes to her dress… and guess who is doing her wedding flowers?!

I am [finally after much prodding and teeth pulling] creating a video that will give you a peek into my life, what goes on around here and some behind-the-scenes fun. I’ll be filming the rest of the summer and releasing it in early September. I won’t lie … I am n-e-r-v-o-u-s. The last clip I made was a little short with Rhys Coiro in college where I was a Bride of Frankenstein-esque robot and he brought me to life. Rhys was hilarious… so kind, and pretty much exactly like his character on Entourage (minus the crazy). He used to call me Lara Croft, and to this day that name makes me laugh. It also makes me feel a little spark of fearlessness when faced with stuff like this. Thanks for that, Rhys. Excited. Nervous. Diving in…

I’ve come to realize that the farther I stretch my creativity and do the things I fear, the happier I get. So, I did a photo shoot. I’m doing another one in 11 days to try to get me out of my comfort zone. Brett is awesome and makes me feel really relaxed. You can see the whole shoot on my Facebook.

Ari and I are spending a week here after the summer. I may never return.

I am honored and excited … and again, nervous… to be on Dane Sanders’ show Ask Dane this afternoon at 4pm PST. I really admire Dane and all he has done to help so many careers blossom. I’ve tuned in and been inspired many times and am pinching myself that he reached out to me about doing the show. Tune in just for the mere purpose of putting me at ease, friends! Seriously, live shows scare the crap out of me. Good thing Dane is such a great interviewer… I’m sure I’ll forget this nervousness as soon as we start. But, still pile on the pom poms. I need cheerleaders!

Thanks to Jeremy Cowart, I downloaded this new album. Music to my soul. Thanks, Jeremy, and thank you, Thad Cockrell.

OK, music change. Personal note time. I’ll be very honest here… I’ve had a challenging couple of months dealing with a lot of anger. Yes, anger. Of the rage variety. This was a new emotion for me and, friends, it broke me down. I’d like to thank the following people and things for keeping me from hurling things at my computer and from smashing my new iPhone4 into a million pieces and punching holes in the walls (yeah, it was that bad): Ari for always giving me sage advice and for bringing me spicy tacos at midnight, my unbelievable friends for praying, my staff for being as good as family in their care and vehement support, the gym for letting me punch and kick the crap out of it instead of other things, whoever created the BigNotes app that has allowed me to journal through these feelings daily, AMEX for happily accepting my retail Target therapy, my church for loving Jesus and helping me see that I should forgive, and most of all… God. I have learned so much from experiencing these new feelings and working hard to get them out and let go. Through all of this anger and hurt, I’ve seen a lot of my own shadows. They aren’t pretty. I don’t like angry me. This experience helped me build better boundaries, and get clear, bold, and develop more understanding. It forced me to my knees and for that, I am grateful. A quote I love: Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle. – Plato

I had a major life turning point in this yesterday while listening to Tim Keller’s sermon on Patience. Ari and I listened to it on the way to Mount Vernon. I highly recommend downloading this. Tim’s short lesson made the words above very clear and changed my heart in fully understanding them.

Phew! OK, back to the energetic let’s do this! music…

My new It List of top images is up. Vote on your favorites.

I did an interview last week. And another yesterday.

This is what’s in my pantry. Random, but people ask me that all the time. Technically, I am still a certified personal trainer. I’ve kept it up for my own personal knowledge in the gym. OK, OK … I also like the thought that I could still run any guy into the ground with no weights, no jumping around, no running required. Go ahead, accept the challenge.

My mother and I are now Facebook friends. This was her comment on my wall the other day. There is so much wrong with this!! Love you, Mom. So proud of you. Image above :: Rae Leytham

I’ve fallen in love with this blog from my new friend in Australia. It’s my favorite blog to check every day.

We did a fun shoot with Millie Holloman a couple of weeks ago to create a plethora of promo shots for our new site and the print edition. Millie and team pulled out all the stops for a full day of non-stop action in Wilmington. There were at least a dozen sets, all hands on deck, and some gorgeoustastic details from Jennifer at Salt Harbor Designs. iPhone pics above. Millie’s shots will blow your mind.

Want to know where I am at all times? That sounds creepy. Well, here you go.

Things I say all the time to other people and should be said publicly all the time, too: Emily is 7 years my junior, yet she is 100 x more emotionally mature than most women twice my age. Calm under pressure, driven, and always stepping up our collective company game. From the beginning, she has gone after what she wants with heart and grace. Her integrity blows me away. And she has been doing layout like a boss!

Katharine‘s instincts and sense of justice comfort me like no other. When I have an issue, Katharine has an answer. In T-ball, I would have picked her first. OK, she probably would have been the one doing the picking. Among the many things she does to keep us laughing (“that’s what she said” is a staple) she always reminds me that “we know a really good lawyer.” Indeed we do. But, even better is the powerhouse trio we have in the office. I’m a very lucky girl to spend my days with these two.

Okey-dokey… here goes nothin’….

I’d like to have kids soon. [Cue call from my mother/grandmother/Dad/brother/sister/aunt/friends and Mom again.] No really, this shouldn’t be alarming. I’m 30. I think part of this stir crazy feeling I have lately is God telling me it’s time to use that energy for something bigger than me, a magazine and any business venture I can dream of. Only God knows when the time is really right – if ever – so, don’t expect me to be found in Babies-R-Us anytime soon, friends. “I’d like to have kids soon” means I’m ready for whatever God has in store. Preferably in the next 5 years. Ari and I used to be terrified to talk about it. Now we can have an only mildly awkward convo about it. It usually results in me saying I want to adopt first and he says we should have one of our own while I’m still young and my body can bounce back. He knows me too well. Working out keeps me calm, keeps me feeling strong and taking deep breaths. Obviously a baby would be worth time off the Stairmaster, though. OK… getting ahead of myself. I’d like kids someday. There. I said it. Image above of my whole family on Father’s Day :: Paul Johnson

I bought new glasses. Ari and I bought clothes at Macy’s. We ate dinner at 4pm. All in one day. I’m getting old. OK, he is, too. We had a good laugh at our oldness during our early-bird dinner.

This song, found via Jeremy and Ashley Parsons, changed me. Thank you, Andrew Peterson.

As per my last post, the Making Things Happen tour is ON! Most cities are half-full already and the people joining us so far are a-m-a-z-i-n-g. I’ve invited Gina Zeidler to join Emily Ley and I for the journey to document our whole experience. Gina and Emily are First Class alums and two of my favorite women. I’m excited to travel the country with them. San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Houston and Maui are about to get fired up in a BIG WAY! Register here. Yes, there is still time to get in on the scholarship opportunity (ends August 16th) and lock in a payment plan (email Marissa).

Speaking of Marissa…. I’d like to formally introduce my sidekick (I cannot stomach “assistant” for some reason), Marissa Kloess. She keeps a lot of things running around here. I love her. She makes my life better.

We’re gearing up for Volume 3, which arrives on newsstands all over the US on October 5. The issue is looking gorgeous and, I will admit, we have too much great content this time. Not a bad problem to have. If I could, I’d make this issue 1000 pages fat. Very exciting: cover images for V3 have all come in and we’ve made a unanimous decision on our pick! Out of 16 stunning shoots done all over the country, we saw some of the best work I’ve ever seen. I cannot wait to share all of it in print and in some very exciting extended online features on our new site! So. Much. Wedding. Goodness. It’s hard to get me really excited about weddings and shoots, but trust me… prepare for your jaw to drop. We won’t be announcing the cover choice till it hits newsstands, so the only way you’ll get a sneak peek is if you steal my iPhone. It’s my wallpaper. OK, don’t steal my iPhone. And if you want to get in on the action, email Katharine Technically, the deadline to be a part of V3 was Sunday night, but I’m the boss, so I’ll give you another day. : ) You will thank me for being a part of our biggest and best issue yet!

I just got done surprising the MTH2010 Nashville class on Skype during their 6 month reunion. It was so fun to see them and I felt so blessed listening to all they’ve accomplished in these 6 months. Much love, my friends! Keep inspiring and encouraging each other! xo

I’ll leave you with this quote that won’t leave me.

That’s right… no post is complete without a fun giveaway! The fine folks at Fuji have given me another FujiFilm Instax Mini to give away! Ready… set… leave a comment telling me what (a favorite phrase or thing) or who (that one person who encourages you the most) inspires you most to get out of your comfort zone. One random commenter gets this fun little camera for more summer fun!

Signing off from Camp Lara.

xo

lc

P.S. Thank you, Christopher Confero, for this.

P.S.S. Camp care package requests: Luna Bars (of course), one of these so I can be in DC every night, and love notes. That was my favorite thing to get from mom and dad. Leave me a love note below and you’ll be entered in the Instax giveaway too.

Life is just too short.  These words have been keeping me up at night, making me do things I’ve never done.   Yes, we hear that phrase a lot, but does it sink in?   I mean really sink in.  Stop right now.  You won’t die if your email, phone, twitter, editing or 10 windows you have up go untouched for a moment.  Come on!  Just stop.  Say it out loud – yes, do it – slowly, swirling each word and the visual picture in your mind around: life is just too short. We only get one chance at this.  You get one chance to breathe each day, to create, love, do good for others and experience all you are meant to do.  [image above :: film. love.]

There was a time last year after I wrote this post that I had just had it.  I was sick and tired of feeling held back, chained to my work and weighed down by a lot of negativity I couldn’t get myself to let go of.  I let myself believe I wasn’t enough.  I let it get the very best of me.

So, I woke up one morning, got on my computer, and –as if someone had taken over my body completely– booked a ticket to Jamaica.  Yes, the next morning, I left for 4 days in Jamaica… by myself.  Ari was studying for a big exam and just wanted me to feel better, so he was excited for me.  Other than him, I only told Emily, Katharine and my mom where I was headed.  Now, I realize not everyone can jet off to Jamaica at the drop of a hat.  I couldn’t either, but I had just gotten to that point where “life is too short” was pressing in, suffocating me.  I had to do something.

Jamaica was more than I expected. I had one rule there: feel whatever you are feeling. I’m constantly around other people, having to keep my positive spirit up to motivate others and set a good example. I’m a consultant, planner, coach, boss and mentor so I always have to be on my game.  I needed a break from the expectations.  I needed to be in a place where no one cared what I did or felt.  I got just that and so much more.

You can read the first part of my journey here.  I arrived in Montego Bay, cleared customs, and as soon as I stepped outside, the catcalls began. I boarded my pre-paid airport transfer to the resort- aka a bus with a bunch of half-drunk college kids smoking pot in the back. What have I gotten myself into!? I kept thinking.  This was a horrible idea! Maybe I should just go back to the airport. HELP!!! I hunkered down next to a window and tried to focus on the fast-moving scenery. We were going a good 90 miles per hour in a diesel bus from 1970.  It was a two hour ride from Montego Bay to Negril.  Longest two hours of my life.

Four Bob Marley albums later, we arrived, and I started to feel a little hope. The Sunset at the Palms staff greeted me with fresh juice and a cold towel while they checked me in.  I just about had a temper tantrum when the gentleman told me there was no wifi.  After a deep breath and kicking myself in the pants a couple times for being so tech-dependent, I realized that I got exactly what I needed: a forced break.  A kind young man took me down a long garden path to my home for the next 3 nights- a tree house. Now, granted, it was a plush tree house, but open to the elements, nonetheless.

That night I tried to just be. There was no room service, no internet, no phone service, no people around but the security guard roaming the property. It was just me and a web-less MacBook which incidentally became my journal.  So, I wrote.  I listened to the sounds of the jungle and let all my thoughts take flight. When I’m home, I find every reason not to face my feelings. I’ll distract myself with work, Twitter, Facebook, phone calls, more work and more phone calls. I had no choice here: sleep or write.  I have a box somewhere filled with dozens of full journals from years past.  How I ever had the patience to write is beyond me.  Now, my thoughts moved faster than my pen, so I type.

I remember feeling a little unemotional.  It was a strange feeling.  I thought I’d type out all my thoughts, fears, frustrations and there would be some cathartic ending… crying, laughing, something! Nothing came.  I just sat with a sort of dull feeling of unrest.  I knew I was there to learn something.  I was impatient.  Like everything in my life, I just wanted to make it happen.  I learned on this trip, that the most sensitive and valuable things for our soul just happen.  If we let them.

So I decided to do the opposite of my instinct.  It was not easy.  When I found myself trying to control my thoughts and find “the answer” I would just breathe.  Somewhere between a solo kayak journey in the ocean and a fierce tropical downpour, little grains of truth started to seep in.  I started to find clarity.  I sat out on the deck in the rain and I started to write again.

Life is just too short.  Too short to not forgive yourself when you fall.  Everyone makes mistakes. Successful people own them, learn from them, and get back up.

Life is too short not to taste, smell, touch and see everything.  Life is too short to say, “what if?”

Life is too short not to wake up every day surrounded by the people you love who lift you up and encourage you to grow.  Life is too short to have people in your life who tell you that you aren’t enough.  Life is far too short not to tell those people to kindly take a hike. Life is too short to be small.

Life is too short to short not to turn the music up, throw caution to the wind and do something out of your comfort zone.  [images below :: my first film photographs]

Life is too short to accept your limitations.  You are the only person who can give yourself permission to be great.

Life is too short not to be loved fully… for who we are… right now.

Life is too short not to give everything. So many people have so little.  You’ll leave this world with nothing anyway.

Life is too short to not laugh, play -even when things are falling apart- and give thanks for what’s right under your nose.

Life is too short not to express.  Say it.  Write that letter.  Make that call. Love deeply.

Do the thing that you fear most.  Step into it, not away.  There is life in that.

My list went on and the fire started to burn.  I gave myself permission to just let go.  I left a lot of pain and self-limiting fear on the beaches of Negril and never looked back.

A few weeks after I returned, we made a magazine.  Three weeks after that, I wrote a post that started a movement and took me around the country to meet the people who are now my best friends.

It’s time to take up a no tolerance policy on your life. You know what happens when you let go of the things that you know hinder you from soaring?  You find freedom… in business, in relationships, and in the deepest parts of your heart that have been locked away since you were small.  When you let go and do what you fear most, you are better for those around you.  You are more creative, driven, rested, clear, successful.  Your genius can finally surface.

Why, after almost a year, is this last-minute adventure in Jamaica suddenly at the front of my mind?  Lately, I’ve been weighing risk: when to dive and when to straight up cannon ball!   The risk I took to do something that was 100% for my soul has paid off a hundred times over since. 

You don’t have to go to Jamaica to find clarity.  But, you do have to stop yourself from just going through the motions as usual.  Change your environment, change the music, change the sheets… just do something to shake things up, force yourself to really listen and do the things you were meant to do.  Don’t know what they are?  You’ll never know unless you try.  Try, fail, forgive, and try again.  Each time you will have greater clarity.

Somewhere, sometime, someone told you that you weren’t good enough… and you believed it.  You just accepted it.  You owned it.  You can begin new right now.  You can begin anywhere.  When you are truly living, there is no such thing as someday. Life is just too short not to start.

xo

lc

Congrats to Brooke aka Mrs. Cupcake who is the winner of last post’s prize, It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be. Email me and I’ll get your book to you.

Pen your own phrase and leave your thoughts here. “Life is too short to ____.” I’ll pick five random comments for a very special little surprise.