Camp Takeaways

Camp Mighty was hands down an amazing experience. I've had a few weeks to contemplate and unpack everything that went down and I have come to the conclusion that there will be new conclusions to be drawn for the foreseeable future. Along those lines, these were my some of my favorite takeaways from the weekend:

• "Fearlessness is the mother of reinvention." - A. Huffington
• Know your phase. Don't punish yourself for being in transition.
• Get to work on your strengths.
• "The nicest thing in the world you can do for anybody is to let them help you." - John Steinbeck
• "Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work." - Chuck Close
• Leave yourself open for opportunities that you never would have thought of on your own.
• "Be nice. Be genuine. Be generous." - Jihan Zencirli
• Make stuff for other people just to delight them.
• Think hard about the "why" of what you do. What motivates you? Would you still be doing what you're doing if you removed the negative motivations.
• Passion is just the start.
• If what you're selling isn't desirable without the story, don't bother.
• Take your fist out of the air and put it to work.

I feel inspired, but more than that I"m ready to get to work. I've been busy behind the scenes working on some new adventures that will be unfolding soon. More than anything though I'm excited to truly be alive again. The accident robbed me of that for a while, but that spark is back and I couldn't be more grateful.

The Colors of Summer

Color has been a huge inspiration for me lately. It's no secret that color has an impact on mood. The right color can calm you down, perk you up, or even make you hungry. Take one look at my wardrobe though and you'll see that my heart normally belongs to neutrals. That's why I was surprised when a recent visit to the gardens at the Bellagio swept me off of my feet with their bold use of color. From vibrant, cheery purples to the soft contrast of white and green the conservatory was awash with the colors of summer.

Being there has reminded me of a few things. I need to have more fresh flowers in my life. Even with my black thumb I can keep a vase of flowers going for a week and their presence automatically shifts the atmosphere to a more positive one. I also need to be more adventurous in my color choices. I'm currently rocking a hot pink manicure, but I would love some more color in my wardrobe too. Finally, I was reminded (yet again) of the importance of slowing down. Walking around a garden you naturally gravitate towards taking time to stop and smell the roses, but taking that time is important during the day-to-day as well.