Against The Wind
In This Issue:
Risk vs. Goo: On Taking Risks
The Getaway Website Launch
Wade & Katie Would Never (arguments with my AI)
Embracing Imperfection with Etegami
Upcoming Events
Taking My Own Medicine
Risk vs. Goo
I stumbled onto Earl Nightingale a few years ago during a late-night TikTok rabbit hole. (My Tiktok algorithm - at least until the blackout on 1/19 - was uniquely sharp, always spot on and reliably serves up content that fuels me in one way or another.)
I digress. Earl Nightingale was a Pearl Harbor veteran, radio host and motivational speaker in the 1950s. He has a piece on Risk Taking that I come back to quite often. This is the part that hits:
“98% of people are mainly looking for security in their work - they want to lose themselves in the warm, nourishing viscera of some large corporation.”
While he’s referencing a decades-old survey, the inclination is still pretty common today. Many of us still seek that Goo - comfort and stability, but in a world that’s accelerating faster than ever, clinging to security without intention isn’t really safe at all.
The real risk is in letting life just happen to you. Navigating through unknown territory is a muscle worth building now, especially in a world where less and less is certain. The pact of change keeps accelerating, destruction/disruption isn’t taking a vacation anytime soon. These are the muscles we need to develop now in order to shape the future we’ll thrive in. When’s the best time to start? Like planting a tree: ten years ago.
Here’s a nudge to take a baby step. Even a small move, made with intention, starts to shift things:
Vision Board Workshop: Create a vision to inspire your year, (TOMORROW) 1/29 (register here, $55, 2 hours, in person)
Your Inner Compass: Values Workshop with Jen Zenz Olson, 1/31 (register here, free, 60 minutes, online)
Taking a moment to articulate the intentions you have for your own life will build a sense of control in the chaos. More on these workshops a little further down.
The Getaway Gets a Website
The Getaway finally has her home on the world wide web (I’m old). The website is your go-to place for exploring what The Getaway offers, from events to retreats to workshops.
I’m especially excited about the launch of bespoke and personal retreats like these:
Solopreneur Retreats: A quiet escape for reflection, focus, and creativity. Perfect for mapping out ideas or getting a big-picture view of your business.
Private Leadership Growth Retreat: Personalized , facilitated sessions for leaders charting their next growth path. Includes reflection, creativity, development and goals.
Workshop Facilities: Equipped with everything you
Seasonal Resets: From holiday prep to meal planning, clarify personal and household priorities to prepare you for the upcoming seasons.
Our Workshop Facilities havw everything you need, including a large whiteboard, conference table, flipcharts, post its, markers, aesthetically designed social spaces, private rooms to take calls and a fully stocked kitchen.
If you’re ready to host your next retreat or workshop, reply to this email or schedule a discovery call. You deserve it!
Wade and Katie Would Never
One of the (many) gaps between AI and humans I’ve noticed, I'm putting in the category of responsibility and integrity. I don’t mean Responsible AI, but I mean AI’s sense of personal, assumed responsibility. Generative AI is polite, friendly, fast, and mostly accurate. And I'm prepared for hallucinations, and egregious filling-in-of-blanks...but I'm still surprised sometimes.
I asked AI to record all the supplies I'd previously said we'd need for Turkey Bingo, but it made up quantities and items I never mentioned. It decided "forty" was "about the right number" for hotdogs (it wasn't, and I never said 40). In helping to calculate package rates for coaching, there was math that actually didn't add up. That was a bonkers one. These moments highlight where humans excel.
Wade and Katie - two exemplary humans I was lucky to work with in the past - would never make those kinds of errors. They bring a uniquely human integrity to their work, an understanding of what matters to me, and a deep sense of accountability. Wade triple-checks math - because he knows I don’t. Katie’s able to reconcile my hare-brained ideas against all known policies and expectations - without a database to refer to. That level of care and discernment is something AI doesn't (yet) have.
AI is a tool. An insanely helpful one. But it doesn't (yet) replace the human ability to act with judgment, honor commitments, or understand what’s important. This stage of AI expansion presents us with a great opportunity to stop and observe, appreciate and then uphold the wonderful things that only people can do. Wade and Katie remind me every day why humans bring a depth and reliability that technology simply can’t replicate. (Yet.)
Embracing Imperfection: Etegami Workshop at The Getaway
I believe we need more people practicing creativity - meaning, the activity of creating. Too often, the fear of “not being good at art” stops people before they even start. That’s why I want to introduce the practice of imperfection. Building the creative muscle begins with making something, without worrying about how it looks.
Etegami offers a simple, accessible way to begin. This traditional Japanese art form uses watercolor, ink, and postcards to create hand-painted images paired with thoughtful words. The method intentionally sets everyone at a “child’s level” of ability, pushing us to allow imperfect, meaningful creation.
📅 Date: Monday February 17, 10a-3pm PM (President’s Day)
📍 Location: The Getaway
🎟️ Cost: $35
No prior experience is needed. All materials are provided, and the class is limited to six people for an intimate and relaxed atmosphere.
Reply to this email to reserve your spot.
(editor’s note: If you’re a pro at Calendly and one-off events - I need help!)
Upcoming Workshops to Chart Your Path
As we move through January, this is the perfect time to realign with yourself and create an inspiring vision for the year ahead. These workshops are here to guide you in crafting a purposeful and fulfilling 2025.
Vision Board Workshop (in collaboration with Westonka Community Ed)
Visualizing your goals is a powerful step toward achieving them. Partnering with Westonka Community Education, I’m hosting an in-person Vision Board Workshop where you’ll use provided materials to create a tangible representation of your aspirations. Whether your focus is on personal growth, wellness, or career development, this process is designed to inspire clarity and motivation.
Date: Monday, January 27, 2025
Time: 6:00–8:30 PM
Location: Westonka Activity Center
Cost: $55
Registration: Register here
This workshop is a chance to prioritize your dreams and dedicate time to yourself in a meaningful way.
Your Inner Compass: Values Workshop
Clarifying your values is one of the most important steps in shaping your decisions and finding fulfillment. Join me and Jen Zenz Olson for this free, online session to uncover your core values and create a personalized Values Compass to guide your next steps.
Date: Friday, January 31, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM CST
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Registration: Register here
Starting your weekend with a reflection on your values can set the tone for the year ahead. It’s a way to pause, refresh, and make choices that align with what matters most.
Taking One’s Own Medicine
I’m writing this email from Charlson Meadows in the final morning hours of a two-day “Fill Your Cup” retreat. Honestly why am I even telling you this - I should keep this place my little secret. I first visited Charlson Meadows in 2023 in a day retreat with the Mound Fire Auxiliary. It’s an operating foundation that sits on 142 acres and hosts a beautiful 11-bedroom main home and retreat center. You can find out more about their retreats on their website - you’ll likely get on the wait list, but there’s always a standing chance of getting in.
I spent my time slowing down, reading, writing, and in group conversation. (Also, I brought too many things and still entertained projects focused in the now, but I limited that work.) I am going home rested, clear, excited, and with some new friends.
I’m also going to practice what I preach on this email: Done is Better Than Perfect. :)
Thank you for reading and I hope this note finds you well. see you in feb!