[BE REAL. BE READY. BE BRAVE.]

This is a mantra that arose within me when I first began to step out on this adventure of living into my dream, facing my fears every day and having to take courage to mentally and emotionally survive and thrive regardless of the circumstances. My reflections on them have been shaped by many ups and downs along the way – truly from dark and deep discouragement when I’d be crumpled up, weeping on the floor to times of elation when the smallest of stars would align and affirm that we are right where we belong.

AUTHENTIC [BE REAL.]

Be true & honest with yourself and others. Feel what you feel without judgment and with compassion. When you’re connected with your true self in the present, you will be able to connect with others and be present with them.

AVAILABLE. [BE READY.]

When you have a dream and a vision, you might at times feel that you’re plodding along toward what you’re imagining. There might be times when you’re barely believing in your dream, in what you know, in the deepest places of your heart, is your destiny. But when you take as many steps toward it until you can’t, there will be a moment, many moments when unexpected, unanticipated, beautifully synchronized opportunities arise and step in line with your stride. You might be pursuing various opportunities that yield no return, feeling as though your pounding through on a impenetrable brick barrier with your sore and bloodied fist and then suddenly, a perfectly aligned opportunity will come along that you weren’t even looking for. It will pause to see if you’d like a ride and you must be ready to get in, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

AUDACIOUS [BE BRAVE.]

Initially, this word was ‘unafraid’ because I had to constantly wrestle with my own fears of failure, my own fears of scarcity, the shyness that sometimes comes over me in unfamiliar group situations. But after setting out on our first tour and crying most of the way from Minneapolis to Denver and then Phoenix with no idea how we were even gonna cover our gas costs, let alone pay our bills that month, we decided the word here, needed to be “audacious” – more proactive rather than reactive. Things ended up ‘working out’ because of people who saw the value in what we brought to their community, generous benefactors who contributed unexpectedly and so we continue on audaciously. Even though we still live in the unknowns of provision, we seek to trust. We have determined to not turn back, to keep climbing the steep, adventurous learning curves of being an independent, community-based operation and we will never stop inviting you all along for the ride. Smiles.