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# Venture Within

Retreat curator, writer, and purposeful business strategist.

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## Posts

- [On Stick Bugs & Boas](https://venture-within.com/on-stick-bugs-boas/) - It’s said, by some guru I can't credit, that when we are triggered, the experience triggering us is a reflection of ourselves. If this sage quote holds true, then we are meant to reflect and learn the life lesson that the experience is offering. That’s cute, but reflection is seldom my first response to
- [Take the Second Chance](https://venture-within.com/take-the-second-chance/) - Though the sand hole was not too far away, the early morning sunlight just beyond cast a golden shimmer that turned every small stone and beachy creature into a silhouette, and I was not sure what it was exactly that caught my eye. Its movement was strange. I could tell the shadow was not
- [The Day I Hit a Little Dog With My Truck](https://venture-within.com/the-day-i-hit-a-little-dog-with-my-truck/) - This week I hit a little dog with my truck. I braked, but I couldn’t avoid the heart-sickening thump and the ensuing yelp, as I swerved into the oncoming traffic lane. To be clear, the oncoming lane did not pose a threat to me. Rather, it was an invitation to avoid tragedy.
- [The Last Wish](https://venture-within.com/the-last-wish/) - The wishing tree lay fallen on her side. Once stretching to the heavens, emerald leaves hiding monkeys from view, she now sprawled across the jungle floor. Branches grown twisted for the safekeeping of birdnests now down-spiraled into dirt. Every uplifted bough had smashed through the younger, smaller trees, splitting them in pieces as feathers
- [The Last Words](https://venture-within.com/the-last-words/) - From her pillow, she said, “I believe in the music…” And then closed her eyes, and said no more. These were the last words ever breathed by my dear friend’s mother. It’s with utter respect and permission that I repeat these words here. I often think about last moments, about the last
- [A Personal Request . . . And a Message From a Bat](https://venture-within.com/a-personal-request-and-a-message-from-a-bat/) - A few days ago, I was visited by a young, injured bat. I didn’t see the showdown, but I’m pretty sure this small, still-breathing bat lying quietly on my kitchen floor was the handiwork of my cat, Tino. No doubt, this bat had been struck and had downward spiralled to the floor. Tino
- [How It All Ends](https://venture-within.com/how-it-all-ends/) - She clung deftly to the low stone wall, peacefully watching the dragonflies humming nearby. Scaly but sweet, the minuscule lizard cocked her head as I and other yogis entered the open-air palapa. The ocean air rolling in off the beach was warm, and we soon began to sweat as our yoga teacher led us
- [Don't Forget About The Tacos](https://venture-within.com/dont-forget-about-the-tacos/) - Grief can churn our insides. Losing our beloved pets, our favorite humans, or our long-chased dreams, anticipated or sudden. Yet, we’re often encouraged to focus on the positive, to express gratitude for what we had while it was in our embrace. To lean into all the good feels the experience gifted us. Don't worry, this
- [Dusty Drives in Hot Trucks](https://venture-within.com/dusty-drives-in-hot-trucks/) - The ants numbered in the thousands, as ants tend to do. Moving like water, the tiny black creatures appeared seemingly from nothing, spilling out over the piles of dirty, dusty towels on the laundry room floor. Fall in line, they did not, as their ranks scattered and panicked, a panic which spread to me
- [Snake Dreams](https://venture-within.com/snake-dreams/) - Though the dream snake hung limply from the tips of her fingers, its skin glowed with the vibrance of something alive. Even though we both knew it was dead. Its back was smooth turquoise, a hue spotted only in the thinnest band of the rainbow if you squint for it. The belly was a
- [The Outpost](https://venture-within.com/the-outpost/) - Looking up, their pillowed bellies balanced expertly on twigs against an endless backdrop of twinkling constellations. Roo tugged at her leash, her attention closer to Earth level than mine, as she sniffed and pulled me forward. But I kept looking up. After all these years in Nicaragua, I’d never seen Urracas sleeping.
- [Crab-Crawling Sideways](https://venture-within.com/crab-crawling-sideways/) - Blue diamonds shimmered from the ocean’s surface, so bright was the early morning sun. The warming sand soon became warming rock beneath our flip-flopped feet. Traipsing along the shallow tide pools pocketed below the cliffside, many a crab did scramble - sideways, hurried and nervous. I was nervous, too. My two companions
- [One Leg Down](https://venture-within.com/one_leg_down/) - I pulled up the drive to my friend’s beachfront house in my truck and killed the engine. As I opened the door and stepped out, Roo, with unrestrained excitement, leaped from the back seat and into the driver’s seat. She wriggled through my arms to help her down out of the truck, landing boisterously
- [The Dream Whale](https://venture-within.com/the-dream-whale/) - In the mornings I wake up slowly because I want to play back my dreams one more time. My dreams are colorful every single night, pulsating with so much meaning, that I am eager to understand them. I try to register each detail and commit them to memory, to glean whatever message is
- [The Best Story](https://venture-within.com/the-best-story/) - What started as a chill-and-grill birthday pool party at someone else’s house, ended as an impromptu girls’ wine night at mine. This isn’t unusual. I try to always keep wine and coffee stocked in the kitchen, pillows and candles ready for comfort and ambiance, fairy lights twinkling and strung out the back, with
- [Here All Along](https://venture-within.com/here-all-along/) - 3 weeks ago “We have no more hope”, she said. I hovered in the back galley, the metal drawers and cabinets slamming slightly, but not alarmingly, in the turbulence 35,000 feet above the Earth. The seatbelt sign was unlit, and after 4 or 5 hours into a 12-hour flight, I was
- [The First Storm](https://venture-within.com/the-first-storm/) - Rainy season has descended on Nicaragua. The heat lightning warned us of its coming, dancing arrogantly along the purple horizon. I’m coming for you, it flashed. And it came. At the stroke of midnight, the thick, humid air was shattered by a downpour that woke dreamers from their peace. I was
- [Seek The Peace (A Gruesome Story)](https://venture-within.com/seek-the-peace-a-gruesome-story/) - This week, the moon has loomed high and white, fully illuminating the jungle, the homes, and the ocean blanketing out beneath her. There’s a calmness in the evenings here that is absent during the frenzied heat of the Nicaraguan day. It may not have been a peaceful month for me or many others
- [Just Bad Enough](https://venture-within.com/just-bad-enough/) - They say the good die young. Does this mean the bad will live a long, hearty life? How bad must one be to live forever? And what about the ugly? I was thinking about this while patiently waiting at the dentist for a check-up. Ten minutes earlier, an elderly Nicaraguan lady
- [Change Your Mind](https://venture-within.com/change-your-mind/) - Twenty-four years ago this week, someone asked me to marry him. Shiny balloons, lush red roses, velvety wine, a night sky sparkling with stars. Keeping with the theme, the diamond was also sparkling; shining bright encased in lush velvet. A grand, romantic production. I said yes. I am pleased that I eventually
- [The Sloth Hanging in the Tree](https://venture-within.com/the-sloth-hanging-in-the-tree/) - Yesterday, my neighbor spotted a sloth in her tree. Bicycling down the dusty dirt road through the intense Nicaraguan heat, I met her in her front yard. Standing under the shallow forest of tall, leafy trees, we gazed up into the sunshiney canopy and were in awe. High, high above us hugging
- [The Dragon Story](https://venture-within.com/the-dragon-story/) - I don’t know my new neighbor well, but he has a small, fluffy grey dog named Lulu. Crossing paths with Roo the other day, he stopped me unexpectedly and asked if I was a writer. He’d read a recent article of mine online and was intrigued. Although I hadn’t realized we were digitally
- [The Spider On My Porch](https://venture-within.com/the-spider-on-my-porch/) - She appeared one morning a few weeks before Christmas. Bulbous, but near-missable and centered in mid-air at eye height. Her web, perhaps not the biggest I’ve encountered on my travels through jungly, remote spaces, but the biggest web I’ve seen here in Nicaragua. In truth, the biggest web I’ve ever discovered in an abode
- [Chasing Roo & Changing Routine](https://venture-within.com/chasing-roo-changing-routine/) - Mornings used to be slower. In the days before Roo. Even with Tino’s daily 4 am meows for breakfast before sunrise, (food is already in her bowl, she wants fresh breakfast); when I later awoke to my morning, it would unfold slowly. Roo has shaken out that easy-paced morning routine over the
- [Time Isn't Real](https://venture-within.com/time-isnt-real/) - December and January proved to be a wild concoction of frivolity, recovery, and re-focus. Time routinely set aside to write crumbled away despite my best intentions or resolutions. The sticky aspect is that even though my routines sometimes get left behind, inspiration still pings at will. Ideas and plot lines that unfold into
- [The Best & Worst Speech I Ever Gave](https://venture-within.com/the-best-worst-speech-i-ever-gave/) - Just about every time I visit family, a few of us end up at the local veteran’s bar. Queuing up the karaoke, we’re intent on entertaining the retired patrons with our alternative version of Stevie Nicks, George Strait, Bob Dylan or any other familiar ditty that deserves a far more talented tribute. It’s
- [The Sound Journey That Unearthed Diamonds](https://venture-within.com/the-sound-journey-that-unearthed-diamonds/) - Years ago, on a random afternoon in Bali, I found myself traveling by motorbike to the Pyramids of Chi, twin pyramids rising from deep within the heart of the island jungle. Erected side by side, surrounded by lush palms and dirt roads, and beyond that surrounded by volcanoes and ocean, one pyramid stood tall
- [How to Re-Engineer Our Grumpy Thoughts (Even Early in the Morning)](https://venture-within.com/how-to-re-engineer-our-grumpy-thoughts-even-early-in-the-morning/) - Navigating my mornings of making coffee, journaling, and meditating around Roo’s morning potty run has become somewhat stressful these days. The success rate of getting it together in the morning to take her out before she pees on the floor is low. There are a few reasons for this undesirable time crunch I
- [On Shouties & Being the Master of my 3-Legged Pup](https://venture-within.com/on-shouties-being-the-master-of-my-3-legged-pup/) - How can I teach my 3-legged Roo good behavior without shouting at her? She’s still a puppy, and learning every day, but I don’t want to be a shouty dog owner as I correct her for less-than-good behavior. This evening she lay in the sunset grass near the shore, happily chewing
- [Sea Turtles in My House](https://venture-within.com/sea-turtles-in-my-house/) - This morning was hijacked by a waking nest of sea turtles, sleepily finding their way up through packed, damp sand, blinking lidded eyes into the morning sun, the sway of the nearby ocean calling their ancient newborn souls to the waves. That was their morning. My morning was much different, but I’ll
- [Create Your Own Significance](https://venture-within.com/create-your-own-significance/) - I held the wooden statue in my hands, the smooth contours and simple lines etched deeply to carve an enigmatic expression on its face: a straight line for a mouth and eyes wide and round. Arms, sage-like, perched on bent knees, its back arched slightly forward so that the statue seemed to lean in
- [When Landcruisers Stop Cruising](https://venture-within.com/when-landcruisers-stop-cruising/) - A couple of months back, the starter died on my truck while I was parked in San Juan Del Sur, a touristy fishing village about 90 minutes from home and from my mechanic. The day was a hot one, and while it wasn’t the worst of places to break down, the delay wasn’t
- [When Everything Breaks](https://venture-within.com/when-everything-breaks/) - Just because things are not okay now, doesn’t mean they never will be. Years ago when I was first living in Australia, my Aussie boyfriend worked at this god-awful job in downtown Melbourne. He would spend 12 + intense hours each shift staring into brightly blinking screens for a company whose morals were questionable.
- [Sinking Into Silence](https://venture-within.com/sinking-into-silence/) - Silence has pooled in the in-between spaces of this past week. In-between the morning sip of coffee and the first call of the day. In-between starting the engine, and the winding drive that takes me to the beach. In-between the snuffing out of one conversation, and the kindling of the next. Silence
- [False Starts & Hopeful Trails: Lessons I Learned From a Sea Turtle](https://venture-within.com/false-starts-hopeful-trails-lessons-i-learned-from-a-sea-turtle/) - Nightly, on coasts sprawling globally, sea turtle conservationists take to remote beaches during the midnight hours in search of nesting sea turtles. Endangered, and crazy vulnerable while nesting, sea turtles depart from the dark, slapping sea. Slowly and effortfully, they paddle their heavy flippers one laborious stroke at a time up damp and
- [The Ocean Cleanse](https://venture-within.com/the-ocean-cleanse/) - Today’s yoga on the beach was powerful. My mind called out to the ocean through the entire 90-minute sequence. Whenever my thoughts carried me to unpleasant places, I closed my eyes, and let the waves fill my ears with their sound. They were coming for me, bubbly and consistent and endlessly reaching. I
- [Catch & Release](https://venture-within.com/catch-release/) - It started with the discovery of a flurry of feathers. The fluffy grey tufts were so small, no bigger than dimes, and tossed throughout my bedroom floor like deflated party balloons long abandoned after a party. Moths, geckos, and grasshoppers had thankfully been my only gifts from Tino these last couple of years.
- [Raising an Army](https://venture-within.com/raising-an-army/) - If I were to tell you, you had the strength to raise an army, would you believe me? Would you allow others to willingly rally for your cause, and lift you high? Would you allow this protective movement of soldiers to barrel towards you, and feel the love ribboning through? And
- [Second Highest on the Totem Pole](https://venture-within.com/second-highest-on-the-totem-pole/) - Traversing through miles of partly lush, partly dry farmland, acres of plantain trees and sugar cane fields, our road trip motored us past silhouettes of volcanos rising from the horizon, hovering over the two-lane highway that chicken buses, big rigs, herds of cows, motorcycles, horse-drawn carts, and our Land Cruisers all shared in not-so-equal
- [A Tale of Two Dentists](https://venture-within.com/a-tale-of-two-dentists/) - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Let’s start with the worst of times. My first dreaded experience receiving dental care in Nicaragua was not ideal. Suffering from an infected molar in need of healing and extracting was not ideal either. So, practicing as many “teeth” and
- [Proof That AI Sucks at Writing](https://venture-within.com/proof-that-ai-sucks-at-writing/) - This week, I tried several times but failed to catch inspiration by the tail. Instead, I caught a sore throat, and a potentially scratched eye, and caught news that a root canal is in my near future. I caught up on sleep by way of much-needed naps. These were the best catches
- [It's All Our Lucky Days](https://venture-within.com/its-all-our-lucky-days/) - For years, I’ve rejected the term “lucky”. To be called “lucky” always felt as if good things happen to you accidentally. You claim the parking spot at the front, "You are so lucky.” You get to travel the world and see amazing sights? “Wow – so lucky!” You live by the beach?
- [The Skydive](https://venture-within.com/the-skydive/) - The full body flight suit I wore was blue, puffy, and unflattering. The helmet tightened over my head, the goggles beetling my eyes, and straps harnessing my chest, my crotch, my waist, my wrists. No one said skydiving was going to be pretty. Actually, no one said it was going to be fun
- [A Flight of Crows Chaos](https://venture-within.com/a-flight-of-crows-chaos/) - Often, writers, myself included, tackle topics that will resonate, topics that will trend, topics that will gain applause or shares, or whatever. Topics that align with our own sense of self-branding I guess. When called to write, but feel a flight of crows chaos in direction or a vacant lot of inspiration,
- [On Rocket Ships & Grace](https://venture-within.com/on-rocket-ships-grace/) - Self-acceptance has been a heavy theme this week, emerging from several unconnected conversations with friends and clients. This has been especially true for me this week. Every day, I experienced false starts with my writing, and with other projects with which I am trying to progress. In truth, landing back in Nicaragua (after
- [When Inspiration Strikes](https://venture-within.com/when-inspiration-strikes/) - This week I have been struck by inspiration. Not mid-yoga pose, nor ambling down a sunset beach. But somewhere 36,000 or so miles above the ground, seated tightly in the middle seat of coach, soaring towards Los Angeles. Inspiration struck then. And it struck me in a way that might interest a few of
- [When Plans Change Mid-Flight](https://venture-within.com/when-plans-change-mid-flight/) - Plans changing mid-flight. Years ago, I read that line from a poem I found amongst my mother’s things, stacked in a beat-up cardboard box, cob-webbed over from years of shelf life in our dark and stuffy garage. It could be that she wrote this poem, being a writer herself. In my memory,
- [One Last Little Turtle](https://venture-within.com/one-last-little-turtle/) - “Setenta y siete, setenta y ocho, setenta y nueve, ochenta!” I counted in Spanish as I lifted each baby sea turtle from the red plastic crate and gently placed their tiny wriggling bodies on the damp sand. “77, 78, 79, 80!” It was a lively hatch, and I was grateful for the
- [50 x 50](https://venture-within.com/50-x-50/) - Nearly every morning, I sit on my back porch, a hot coffee in my hand and my little cat Tino sitting somewhere near, scanning the shrubbery for critters, and I write. Sometimes I write about my dreams from the night before. Sometimes about my plans for the day ahead, capturing these thoughts in ink
- [An Accidental Break](https://venture-within.com/an-accidental-break/) - Let’s get right to it – the “accidental break” points at the past six weeks of my readers finding their inbox void of my latest piece of writing. I have been writing, but not anything I have wanted to post. Rather, I thought I would maneuver throughout the holiday festivities, indulging in late, late
- [We Are Not Alone](https://venture-within.com/we-are-not-alone/) - The star burned through the night sky, flashing a radiant white and emerald green. Slowly, purposefully, it tailed orange sparks until it seemed to plummet through the dark waves and extinguish itself into the black sea. We sat in silent awe for a moment. “What do you think it means?” I asked
- [Believe In Everything Good](https://venture-within.com/believe-in-everything-good/) - The moon shone full and bright in the crisp, starry sky as my heavy luggage was loaded into the truck. At 3 am, the early departure was comforted by this nighttime light, and the warm coffee mug in my hands. The last two weeks have been punctuated with epic gatherings of heroes, speaking
- [Connection We Are Gifted](https://venture-within.com/connection-we-are-gifted/) - Connection can be found all around us if we pay attention. Sometimes we long for it. Sometimes connection seeks us out when we are not looking. When the sight of something familiar flickers across our panorama unexpectedly, and a memory yawns awake. Or perhaps a slow “oh yeah” grin lifts our faces for a
- [Nervous Heroes, Sunny Flights & Flip-Flops in the Cold](https://venture-within.com/nervous-heroes-sunny-flights-flip-flops-in-the-cold/) - Sitting on the plane, my face masked for the first time in months, I think about how this is my second trip to the States this year. I’m grateful for a window seat on a sunny day flight. I used to board a plane every couple of months, zig-zagging continents, changing out currency,
- [Stories Burning To Be Told](https://venture-within.com/stories-burning-to-be-told/) - Currently, I have 1 and 3 half-clients working with me as their Writing Coach. I say “half-clients” because these 3 have started the conversation of wanting to write their books, but have yet to commit themselves to this emotionally arduous journey. However, each has sent me sneak peeks of their writing. Their
- [Russian Babooshkas, Cat Falls, & Blocks of Parmesan Cheese](https://venture-within.com/russian-babooshkas-cat-falls-blocks-of-parmesan-cheese/) - Last week, my friend’s 75-year-old Russian mother moved in with me. She doesn't speak much English. Right now, I don’t know much about her life except that she, like me, loves jewelry with big colorful stones. She didn’t bring much food with her. I’ve only seen her drink coffee and eat fancy cheese,
- [Sitting On the Wrong Darn Train](https://venture-within.com/sitting-on-the-wrong-darn-train/) - The pristine afternoon sunlight on my back porch invites me to sit. It is the kind of light that illuminates a golden green sheen through the trees, settling over dragonfly wings hovering amongst the nearby flower bushes. Jungle birds are chirping, or caw-cawing, depending on the species. If I listen even closer, I
- [Flow Always Follows the Ebb](https://venture-within.com/flow-always-follows-the-ebb/) - Prefer to be read to? Have a listen instead. I woke up at 4 am yesterday to a text from my former landlord claiming charges to repaint the walls in my condo. Charges for “wear and tear beyond normal” that I don’t believe I should be blamed for. The claim seems petty, and
- [The Unsettled Spaces](https://venture-within.com/the-unsettled-spaces/) - Prefer to be read to? Have a listen instead. I moved house this week, but I can’t blame that entirely on why I don’t have a proper story today. I had a couple of stories, spinning in my head, and there they will remain – spinning – until I’m able to spin them out
- [Bad Decisions With Good Friends](https://venture-within.com/bad-decisions-with-good-friends/) - Prefer to be read to? Have a listen instead. Sometimes, it’s the bad decisions that lead us down the path we’re meant to tread. The path leading to connection, inspiration, reflection, and just simple ice cream bowls of happiness. This week, as I tried to record the audio version of my book, I
- [On Fasting, On Loss, & Weeks Tipped Upside Down](https://venture-within.com/on-fasting-on-loss-weeks-tipped-upside-down/) - Prefer to be read to? Have a listen instead. I almost didn’t write this week. A jumble of chaotic busyness and 24-hour fasting that I actually believe made my brain stop functioning is the cause. Unexpected changes in plans played their part too. The moon is getting full, so I tend to
- [Getting Farther Than We Expect](https://venture-within.com/getting-farther-than-we-expect/) - Every year, a local business here in Nicaragua hosts an Annual Race Day in our neighboring beach community of Gigante. Mixed with Nicaraguan locals and us hybrid Euro and Ameri/Canadian ex-pats, the event raises money to support the entire day of beach races, beach swims, live music, and supports a local charitable cause. For
- [Healing From the Inside Out](https://venture-within.com/healing-from-the-inside-out/) - I lay on his table, my eyes shut, tears streaming down the side of my head and pooling into my ears. I had never been to an osteopath before and wasn’t sure what an osteopath did. What I did know in that moment was that an osteopath hurt. His strong hands pressed deep
- [The Chicken That Didn't Cross the Road](https://venture-within.com/the-chicken-that-didnt-cross-the-road/) - It was a squall, to be sure. Fast moving and furious, the rain came down in sheets seemingly AT you, filling the roads with rainwater that was easily ankle deep in minutes. The lightning in the sky above flashed through my windshield fantastically. I do love a good storm. It wasn’t safe to
- [Micro-dosing Abundance](https://venture-within.com/micro-dosing-abundance/) - This week, during a busy-ish few days, I impulsively made an appointment at the local spa and gave my long-neglected toes a shiny new pedicure. For the last few months, I’ve been working my way through The Artist’s Way. For those of you who aren’t familiar, it’s a book written for writers, or any
- [Temazcal, or Not Temazcal?](https://venture-within.com/temazcal-or-not-temazcal/) - Upon arrival, we saw that the temazcaleros had not finished raising the fire. The rocks, about the size of our heads, were piled under tinder and bramble, absorbing biting heat that would eventually heat us beyond breathing inside the temazcal. Smoke rose slowly from the fire pit, newly scarring the lush green grass amid the
- [Covid Hair, Don't Care](https://venture-within.com/covid-hair-dont-care/) - Back in November, it was the Delta strand that took me down. I can’t remember if I wrote about it. Thoughts I may have felt inclined to share are likely not to have left my murky brain and the muddle it sat in for those few weeks of sluggish despondency and achy everything.
- [Magic in the Waiting](https://venture-within.com/magic-in-the-waiting/) - This week I had much I planned to accomplish that went awry. My outreach was to focus on waiting, and the benefits that most of us impatient people (my hand shoots straight up) don’t often consider. But, irony of all ironies, I’ve come down with a summer cold this week. (Not Covid, although
- [From the Gulch](https://venture-within.com/from-the-gulch/) - Let’s talk about the gulch. Specifically, let’s talk about the gulch, and how the lack of being present can drop us into said gulch. Lately, being present has been a personal focus of mine. Or trying to be present, I should confess. When I find moments of calm – a solitary beach walk,
- [Soul Shaping Tails - A Sneaky Preview of My Book](https://venture-within.com/soul-shaping-tails-a-sneaky-preview-of-my-book/) - It’s been years in the writing, but my book is finally ready to send out into the world. Soul Shaping Tails is a travel memoir, sharing life lessons I have learned through travel during the seven years I lived in the United Kingdom and the life experiences I gained through my onward journeys to
- [Doing Life Right: A Case for Coaching](https://venture-within.com/a-case-for-coaching-are-we-doing-life-right/) - Dear everybody. Life feels more EXPENSIVE than ever. Basic groceries have spiked, and the cost of gas for our cars is stupid. Everything feels overpriced. And we don’t seem to be getting any pay raises, price, or tax cuts anytime soon. From here, the mental and emotional temperature of so many is feverish. Fingers
- [A Hopeful Flash of Vermilion](https://venture-within.com/a-hopeful-flash-of-vermilion/) - Sometimes, an enigmatic sign from somewhere beyond is just what we need to lift us out of a low, lonely place and into hope. It was 3 weeks of traveling home to visit family. While every person I actually spent time with was lovely and personable, the US feels like a pretty dismal place
- [My Siblings and I](https://venture-within.com/my-siblings-and-i/) - The thing about siblings is that they know you for your (or their) entire life. They know you. They can read the unedited thoughts behind your facial expressions, predict your emotional reactions before you unleash them, and track the direction your mind will go when triggered. They know what those triggers are and see
- [Summer of Change](https://venture-within.com/summer-of-change/) - I'm writing this post from my sister’s kitchen in sunny (but still chilly) southern California. It's a change from my usual coastal casa in Central America, but a trip back to the States has been long overdue. Since I was last here in 2019, there have been no less than 3 new babies born into
- [Summer in Crete](https://venture-within.com/summer-in-crete/) - The following is not from the last section of the book, however, it is the last section I will be sharing with you. (Sad face). Today is also your last chance to pre-order a signed & delivered copy directly from me. After this, if you've enjoyed these tales so far, you'll have to read
- [Bulgaria Is Full of Kind Strangers & Bears](https://venture-within.com/bulgaria-is-full-of-kind-strangers-bears/) - Here you go: a lively, descriptive, sometimes deceptively cheerful recounting of a time when my well-being (and maybe even my life) was at the mercy of winter storms and rugged strangers. Like the actual experience itself, this section of Soul Shaping Tails will end too soon. Enjoy. We were rescued by a mountain of
- [The Pilgrimage](https://venture-within.com/the-pilgrimage/) - How are you enjoying these excerpts? This next preview for you comes from the fifth and final section of Soul Shaping Tails, bringing you with me along the Camino de Santiago, a nearly 500-mile-long walking pilgrimage through Spain. I walked the Camino in between leaving my life in the UK and returning to the
- [5 Signs A Personal Growth Retreat is Exactly What You Need](https://venture-within.com/5-signs-a-personal-growth-retreat-is-exactly-what-you-need/) - Welcoming guest blogger, Jenny, promoting Venture Within's partnership with Global Work & Travel. Feel like all your New Year resolutions are becoming harder and harder to achieve as the months go by? Is the once burning flame of motivation slowly flickering out? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Instead of trying to tackle all your
- [The Island Buffaloes](https://venture-within.com/the-island-buffaloes/) - From Soul Shaping Tails, here is a sneak peek at one of the animal stories, giving you insight into why this book is filled with just as many tails as it is tales. I hope you enjoy. As the story goes, a herd of wild buffaloes were once ferried across choppy ocean waters
- [When Your "Hips Don't Lie" & Other Inspiring Quotes](https://venture-within.com/when-your-hips-dont-lie-other-inspiring-quotes/) - This week was a doozy . . . Sometimes, when the week spirals sideways with delightful opportunities, you just have to seize them for what they offer, regardless of the hours they cost. And other times, when the spiral is not delightful but rather sets you off course, you have little choice but
- [Big Dreams](https://venture-within.com/big-dreams/) - At the start of the year, I joined a Shamanic course online. The course consisted of a series of holistic workshops, carried a tribal tone, and was heavily themed on our human connection to the elements. It delivered a “same, same but different” feel to the work I do already with my own life
- [Signs of Life](https://venture-within.com/signs-of-life/) - Hi there, Are my amazing readers still out there? Around early February, I wrote my most recent blog post, then buckled down for a busy series of transformational retreats here in Nicaragua. When I looked up, it was tax season. If you’re looking for signs of life, I am still here. And
- [From the Border: Updates On My Current Retreat in Nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/from-the-border-updates-on-my-current-retreat-in-nicaragua/) - At the time of writing this, I'm sitting in the front seat of a parked taxi, hot-spotting from my phone, and typing away on my laptop. The side door is open, letting in an occasional breeze that I'm grateful for on this sweltering day, waiting at the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It's
- [Go All In](https://venture-within.com/go-all-in/) - This April, I’m offering an experience that I have long wanted to create. For the past 10 years, my businesses have blended travel with personal growth, fused cultural immersion with education, and combined adventure with relaxation. I’ve partnered with elephant rehab centers, worked alongside sea turtle conservation non-profits, and worked with local community schools
- [On Creativity](https://venture-within.com/on-creativity/) - Happy New Year! Can we still exchange this greeting so deep into January? I would think so, as this is the first article I’ve sent out since we crossed into 2022. My cat Tino is already exhausted, but I - I am just getting started. Despite the arc of time since my last
- [My Best Parties Are Poster Boarding Parties](https://venture-within.com/my-best-parties-are-poster-boarding-parties/) - I finished writing my book back in September, almost 20 years to the day after the events in the first few pages take place. Since September, I have experienced promising spikes in Venture Within’s growth and busy-ness, indulged in a splash of important birthdays to celebrate (and I wouldn’t miss), was taken out by
- [Worth the Climb](https://venture-within.com/worth-the-climb/) - We stood on the sand, the calm waters nearing us, then falling back with the tide. The three of them were in a stand-off with me. Did I want to hike the nearby cliffs named Giant’s Foot that overlook the ocean with them? I threw out every excuse in the book, which were echoed
- [The Temporariness of Things](https://venture-within.com/the-temporariness-of-things/) - When my stepdad passed a few years ago, I bought a silver bracelet custom engraved with his and my mother’s initials: T & C. I rarely took it off, unless I was afraid I’d lose it swimming, or break it when working out. But then – crossing the border by foot into Costa
- [The Disastrous Consequences of Fearful Choices (aka, Life Lessons I Learn From My Cat, Part 2)](https://venture-within.com/the-disastrous-consequences-of-fearful-choices-aka-life-lessons-i-learn-from-my-cat-part-2/) - This is a story about what happens when we allow fear and panic to fuel our decisions. And . . . . it’s another story about Tino, and the life lessons I learn from my cat. For those of you following, my one-and-a-half-year-old kitty has recently survived her third horrifying free fall. Her third.
- [Lighting Fires With Vikings](https://venture-within.com/lighting-fires-with-vikings/) - Since kicking off this newsletter, I aim to share not just my services, but my personal stories. Episodes and events that pepper my life in lesson-learning ways that I hope will offer some kind of relevancy to my readers, through humor or connection in some way. I recently moved in with my Viking boyfriend.
- [Bring on the Rain](https://venture-within.com/bring-on-the-rain/) - I’d love to write one of my real-life stories here that unravel into a deeper meaning, tying in with the personal growth workshops and life coaching I do. You know . . . the comical or rocky stories from my life embedded with deeper learning that I hope is relatable to my readers.
- [Wash Away the Salty Morning](https://venture-within.com/wash-away-the-salty-morning/) - This morning I woke to a beautiful start, which is rare for an early anything with me because, in the mornings, I prefer silence and coffee. For some reason, still in bed, my little black and white cat attacking my toes with all the might in her paws and savagery of her teeth, I
- [New Moons, Popcorn Kernels & Continuing the Pursuit](https://venture-within.com/new-moons-popcorn-kernels-continuing-the-pursuit/) - This past Monday, after the sun dipped behind the horizon and night began to fall, I celebrated the New Moon. Each month, I set aside an hour or two for personal reflection and take time to be present with my intentions for the coming weeks. This time, I invited a few of my more
- [A Dizzying Spin](https://venture-within.com/a-dizzying-spin/) - Transition – I talk about this a lot and I wish there was a sexier word for it. Shift. Uncovering. Revealing. Passage. In flux. Magic. Renewal. A dizzying spin - this is what transition really means. All the catchphrases equivalent to turbulent movement, clamorous change, and making shiny improvements where we need. These
- [What My Little Cat Would Do](https://venture-within.com/what-my-little-cat-would-do/) - My cat looks like this when her day has gone perfectly to plan. I also look like this when my day definitely has not. Twisted upside down, eyes askew, not at all on our feet. Ironic? My mother used to use the word “discombobulated” when she felt out of sorts – when clarity,
- [This Could Change Everything](https://venture-within.com/this-could-change-everything/) - I often get asked, what is the magic that happens on my Retreats? What do people do? Well, we do a lot. But whenever I sit down and map out the kind of experience I want to create for others – I don’t think about what I want them to do. I
- [On Writing, Travel & Our 80-Year-Old Selves](https://venture-within.com/on-writing-travel-our-80-year-old-selves/) - I’m writing a book. I’ve been fairly low-key about it, so many of you probably haven’t heard. But some of you are in it. I like to say I started writing this book almost a year ago when the sludge from the pandemic began to cement its grip around our ankles. When I
- [Cacao Ceremonies, Full Moons & Hippy Dippy Intentions](https://venture-within.com/cacao-ceremonies-full-moons-hippy-dippy-intentions/) - I haven’t spoken enough about the chocolate. Anyone following my Instagram or who has read past blogs will recognize my affinity for the full moon and new moon rituals. I treat these celestial time markers as an opportunity to check in with my own personal goals. Am I doing life right? Are all
- [Sunset Whiskeys](https://venture-within.com/sunset-whiskeys/) - Last Thursday marked the 3rd anniversary of my stepfather’s unexpected passing. Leading up to the day, I knew I’d be drinking whiskey. It’s one of the ways I used to spend time with him if mom had gone to bed early, but the fire pit was still aflame, the whiskey was still flowing, and
- [How Travel Makes Us Feel](https://venture-within.com/how-travel-makes-us-feel/) - This invitation is for all of you: You adventure-seekers, wanderers, soul journeyers, explorers, and holiday-makers out there. The pandemic left us with an emotional void that we all know travel can fill. What can travel give us that we now need more than ever? To feel good. To feel free. To feel replenished. To
- [Just For Today](https://venture-within.com/just-for-today/) - Twice a month, I meet with a fabulous group of females, mostly based in the Bay area, to check in with ourselves and check in on each other. Reviewing our recent victories, our current challenges, our hiccups, our wins helps us to recalibrate, soundboard, and set our next intentions. We do this because
- [Right Where You Left It](https://venture-within.com/right-where-you-left-it/) - After an incredible visit to Nicaragua, my mother boarded a plane flying her away from the Emerald Coast and landing back into the Arizona desert. One might have suspected that spending two weeks under the same roof as my mother would trigger some anxiety; that we would slip into mother-daughter roles laced with irritability
- [When Your River Changes Course](https://venture-within.com/when-your-river-changes-course/) - The river you see above, cutting under the waxing moon, moving towards the fiery horizon, this river does not normally flow this time of year. In the past 7 years, I’ve walked this beach, I’ve never observed the river's direction change its flow so sharply in front of the Beach Club, the place where
- [Broken Phones, Hungry Kitties, & How to Honor Your Intentions Anyway](https://venture-within.com/broken-phones-hungry-kitties-how-to-honor-your-intentions-anyway/) - The audio on my iPhone has broken, and as a consequence, I have been without my phone all week. These tech inconveniences so easily thwart plans, and alter our days. My past weekend was spent setting my intentions for March goals – in health, work, relationships . . . . the wide spectrum
- [Are You Ready? Or Are You Done?](https://venture-within.com/are-you-ready-or-are-you-done/) - This week I have engaged in two main themes amongst my peers and clients: The “I’m ready” and the “I’m done” conversations. The “I’m ready” crowd are those who are rising after so much overwhelm, sluggishness, or even busy-ness that blankets over what they really need to focus on. They have been brushing aside
- [Allowing Good Things Through the Door  . . . . (Even When it's a Stray Kitten)](https://venture-within.com/allowing-good-things-through-the-door-even-when-its-a-stray-kitten/) - Sometimes we resist the most the thing that’s truly meant for us. It’s been a while since I’ve shared a story about . . . the cat. Anyone who follows my stories closely will have noticed a slight increase in cat-themed posts. Tino, aka “Tiny Intruder” from a previous post, has become a
- [The Rainbow on the Other Side](https://venture-within.com/the-rainbow-on-the-other-side/) - In the past, I responded to fear and personal pain with flight. Sometimes it was a refusal to hash out the hurt someone caused me. Sometimes it was an actual flight to some faraway place where I could busy myself and nurture other parts of me – adventure, learning, connection, experience – and
- [Sticky Note Wisdom](https://venture-within.com/sticky-note-wisdom/) - There’s a sticky note on my desk that I look at daily. It’s a list of different word choices I can use to reframe my initial thoughts towards any goal I am pursuing but isn’t quite in my hands yet. This sticky note helps me raise my frequency and reconstructs the thoughts in my
- [Strength in the Stillness](https://venture-within.com/strength-in-the-stillness/) - For much of my life, I tend to rush the gate. Patience is a virtue I am endlessly practicing. Moving slowly, pacing myself. Remembering to dally. Taking my time. Rarely this happens. But this week especially I have been reminded in more ways than one to embrace the stillness. The past few
- [On Sleeping In & Showing Up](https://venture-within.com/on-sleeping-in-showing-up/) - As we move into the final month of the year, I can tell you, I. Am. Feeling it. This morning, I woke up at a bright and shiny 7:00 am. I did not rise. I sleepily thought, “just a little longer . . . .” Cut past a few dream sequences later
- [Calendaring in the Floods](https://venture-within.com/calendaring-in-the-floods/) - - - - As I write this, I am in two minds. First, I am ecstatic with the rise in opportunities, clients, and professional wins for my business of late. After this year of loss, scrambling, pivoting, re-launching (and yes, reeling in moments of defeat and exhaustion from the sucker-punches delivered this year),
- [The Hurricane is Here & The Wave is Coming](https://venture-within.com/the-hurricane-is-here-the-wave-is-coming/) - What. A. Week. And I'm not even referring to the US Elections, which I haven't even checked in on. Today was especially busy, with a heavy dose of deep connection with friends from several friendship circles. The kind of connection where a simple text check-in just won't do. Where a real-time, “How are
- [Life Lessons I Learned From a Sedated Cat](https://venture-within.com/life-lessons-i-learned-from-a-sedated-cat/) - There is a particular tiny cat that has, every day, for the last 3 weeks, showed up at my doorstep. She cries and begs, and attempts to sneak inside (occasionally successful), and finds all sorts of ways to wedge herself into the routine of this household. She has a name, but we’ll call her
- [What is Your Mantra?](https://venture-within.com/what-is-your-mantra/) - Every once in a while, I'm inspired to share a personal mantra I keep displayed in my house. My mantras keep me focused, positive, and energized. They are in the form of brightly colored sticky notes on my desk, or paper notes taped to my bathroom mirror, (suffering a little water damage). Some are
- [A Life Disrupted](https://venture-within.com/a-life-disrupted/) - A life disrupted would be putting it mildly, as far as describing this past month would go. But also, a life gifted. There were so many birthdays, only half of which I was able to celebrate. However, the birthday weekends that could be, these were celebrated with as big a bang as possible -
- [How to Kill the WTF in Your Head](https://venture-within.com/how-to-kill-the-wtf-in-your-head/) - Overwhelm can often be defined simply as WTF. This past week I had a few WTF moments. Overwhelm that stems from the stress and mess we make by carrying too much on our plate that just isn’t working anymore. We haven’t changed a thing and that’s the problem. Situations we hang on
- [A Tale of Twin Volcanoes. And Self-Care.](https://venture-within.com/a-tale-of-twin-volcanoes-and-self-care/) - The essential routine of self-care and its importance has been echoing loudly for weeks. It's been the topic of masterminds I've joined, brought up in conversations with clients and friends, and seems to be the headline of many of my inbox reads. As a result, self-care has become the theme of my social media
- [Stay the Course](https://venture-within.com/stay-the-course/) - Most of my readers know my story. What I do, and why I do it, and the vibrant and interesting life that pursuing my passion has gifted me. With this life, I create authentic experiences that wake people up. I always have. (Even as a 26-year-old high school teacher in the UK - taking
- [Counting Down to Something Good](https://venture-within.com/counting-down-to-something-good/) - It’s good to have something to look forward to. I had forgotten what that felt like. Having a specific date where you know something good is going to happen to change your scenery. Even though we are still “in it”, some of us are seeing new paths emerge from the tangled confusion. We
- [Three-Year-Olds, Sand Pianos & Joy We Learn to Create](https://venture-within.com/three-year-olds-sand-pianos-joy-we-learn-to-create/) - Yesterday, I was coerced into teaching piano lessons to a 3-year-old. It began with an innocent enough beach walk at sunset when the curly-headed toddler began to draw pictures of pianos in the sand with a stick. Her drawings were terrible. But we (her mother and I), tried to help her hold her
- [A Sky Full of Dreams & Endless Opportunities](https://venture-within.com/a-sky-full-of-dreams-endless-opportunities/) - It feels as if we are moving through sludge. So many of my travel stories carry this very plot, but usually, I am trekking some volcano or mountain, lost and starving somewhere off the map. There is no way to see clearly, carrying the uncertainty of what's coming next, and everything hurts.
- [Broken Down Trucks, Moody Donkeys, & How to Shift Your Narrative](https://venture-within.com/broken-down-trucks-moody-donkeys-how-to-shift-your-narrative/) - I took this photo near the end of an incredibly long, and disappointing day, which, as the popped hood of my truck indicates, only got worse. The mood was lighter than one might have thought. After retelling our story later, the response was an empathetic “Oh no! That’s terrible!” or some form of verbal
- [On Sneaking Wine into a Detox Retreat & Discovering What I Didn't Know I Needed](https://venture-within.com/discovering-what-i-didnt-know-i-needed/) - I spent this past weekend at a detox Retreat just a few miles up the road from me. Yes, I left one gorgeous beach to spend time at another gorgeous beach, but hey. We all need a change of scenery, even if it’s from one place of beauty to another. The weekend was perfect,
- [One Truth To Take With You](https://venture-within.com/one-truth-to-take-with-you/) - This past weekend was a doozy. Did you feel it? A New Moon, the Summer Solstice, and a Solar Eclipse packaged tightly into side-by-side days. If you are one to celebrate Father’s Day (it was Sunday) or International Yoga Day (also Sunday), then you might have been especially busy recognizing and celebrating all
- [The Stuff Revolutions Are Made Of](https://venture-within.com/the-stuff-revolutions-are-made-of/) - I want to share with you something funny that made me laugh out loud. Truly. And then it also made me think. (Kind of a “hahaha---Hey, wait.” moment). In the last couple of months, I hit pause on my overseas Retreats and pivoted to increase teaching my personal growth programs online. This pivot
- [Connection: A Mandatory Life Skill](https://venture-within.com/connection-a-mandatory-life-skill/) - Today, I’m lying on my couch, writing this, looking out my window up at the sky on a perfectly sunny day. I’ve postponed my personal travel and retreats, and am recalibrating. What happens next? What can I offer now? I have 9 years of experience operating a global business and managing remote teams. I’ve
- [What Waits Just Ahead of the Headlights](https://venture-within.com/what-waits-just-ahead-of-the-headlights/) - Are you looking for something different? We all go through this. Phases in our life where we know, we just know, that something has to give. We realize we are ready for a change. It's okay if we aren't sure what the "something else" looks like entirely. It's okay if we also aren't sure
- [Yoga Fails, Swear Words & Upgrades to Life](https://venture-within.com/yoga-fails-swear-words-upgrades-to-life/) - The very first time I joined a yoga session it was a complete failure. Wobbling on one leg at the back of the class, I didn’t feel peace or calm. I felt frustration and annoyance because I couldn’t do the poses with ease and grace like everyone else in the room. I was NOT
- [Mimosas, Puppies, & All Our Favorite Things](https://venture-within.com/mimosas-puppies-all-our-favorite-things/) - My favorite Christmas Day photo features me and a cast of girlfriends celebrating a life abundant with our favorite things: · Sunny weather · Puppy dogs · Pool days · Mimosas · Friends we love like family What’s not pictured here is all the bad-assery each of these women have put into creating
- [How What I'm Given Fuels What I Give](https://venture-within.com/how-what-im-given-fuels-what-i-give/) - Yesterday, my workout partner asked me what I do when I need coaching and a little life-help. Even though I’ve got 20 years as an inspiring educator and business owner in my back pocket, I still need guidance in my own life sometimes. I still get frustrated, bummed out, fearful & unsure of my footing.
- [Taking Time To Breathe ~  A Tale from San Francisco](https://venture-within.com/taking-time-to-breathe-a-tale-from-san-francisco/) - I create experiences that inspire. For twenty years, I’ve combined travel and education into a business that connects fully with others to help them align their purpose, their desires, and their life path in truly transformative ways. These experiences are always meaningful, open-hearted . . . . and sometimes rowdy. :) In the
- [Wait For The Shine](https://venture-within.com/waiting-for-the-shine/) - I am completely enchanted and, it's safe to say, undone by the moon. If I or any of my friends are behaving a tad crazily, sensitive or teary, or extra energetic and delighted, it’s the moon, new or full, who gets the blame. We point our fingers in contempt or otherwise clasp our
- [Why I'll Always Look Back](https://venture-within.com/why-ill-always-look-back/) - “Some days I wish I could go back in life. Not to change anything, but to feel things twice.” ~ Up There are two kinds of airport drop-offs. The first is efficient, the goodbye-I-love-you–be-safe-hug-kiss-and-go drop off. When friends or loved ones help lift bulging bags out of cars, sputter well wishes, and wipe a few
- [The 3 Year Win](https://venture-within.com/the-3-year-win/) - I distinctly remember hitting the 3-year threshold with my first company, which I co-founded with a business partner in 2011. It was a humid night in Cambodia. I was chatting with one of my managers, ready to kick off our next Leadership Volunteer Program. The streets of Siem Reap offered a chaotic background of
- [Accidental Sound Journeys, Thieving Bluejays, & How We Feel Alive](https://venture-within.com/accidental-sound-journeys-thieving-bluejays-how-we-feel-alive/) - The lowest point of my Costa Rica Retreat hit me mid-week. Dealing with work-related tech glitches on a hot Wednesday afternoon left me agitated. The humidity and mosquitoes were relentless. The gorgeous bluejays were dive-bombing tables and stealing my food. I needed an energetic and powerful yoga sesh to warrior pose my way into a
- [Broken Morning Routines & Why I Keep Going](https://venture-within.com/broken-morning-routines-why-i-keep-going/) - This morning is NOT off to a fresh start like I planned for it to be. Every morning I follow a routine that I know will shift my mind from sleepy confusion into a positive, productive and creative position. Usually this involves the typical feel-good tasks – meditation, gratitude journaling, chewable vitamins, exercise. Ginger
- [A Note About Nothing At All](https://venture-within.com/a-note-about-nothing-at-all/) - Life can feel calamitous. Full to capacity. Constrained. Structured and expectant. Rarely do we find ourselves with Nothing to do. It’s not an easy fit within our modern lifestyle of constant doing and frequent going. How often do we allow our precious time to pass without being delegated? We claim our peak experiences, but rarely
- [We Repeat What We Don't Repair](https://venture-within.com/we-repeat-what-we-dont-repair/) - When I think about choices I have made in the past relative to my career, relationship status, or family dynamics, I see patterns. In the big picture, much of my life is a bright, sun-shiney story. Successful, blessed, loved, with rich travel experiences beyond measure: my friendships are solid I live on a gorgeous beach
- [Pursue Experiences You Will Be Grateful For ~ Here's 3 Reasons Why ~](https://venture-within.com/pursue-experiences-you-will-be-grateful-for-heres-3-reasons-why/) - The feeling of gratitude has come up in a good handful of different conversations all week. Exactly why gratitude has been such a stand-out topic as of late, I’m not entirely sure. But what I do know is when things show up in numbers, I take it as a sign. To look up, to
- [When What We Carry Becomes Too Heavy & the Need for Creating Space](https://venture-within.com/when-what-we-carry-becomes-too-heavy-the-need-for-creating-space/) - Today was almost a successful day of reaching goals. I intended to wake to good coffee, journal, exercise, work, get a haircut, work some more, and have dinner with friends. Did that happen? Mostly. Exercise didn’t happen because . . . . well, life can’t be calculated so precisely every single day. And today, exercise
- [Finding Your Purpose on the Road](https://venture-within.com/finding-your-purpose-on-the-road/) - Any of you who follow my personal social media know I often work from my laptop with my toes in warm sand in exotic destinations. It's 2019, and more and more I see professionals like myself doing the same thing. They are kicking away the 9-5, mundane routine and immersing themselves into an invigorating new
- [How to Make Your Travel Dreams Come True](https://venture-within.com/how-to-make-your-travel-dreams-come-true/) - Common sense will tell you that you need time, money, and desire or curiosity for travel to be something you enjoy. But in order to actually book your flight, pack your bags and head out on the trip of your life, you just need to do one very important thing to replace “I want to
- [Elephant Sanctuaries vs Elephant “Sanctuaries”: How to Recognize the Difference Between Helpful and Harmful Animal Tourism.](https://venture-within.com/elephant-sanctuaries-vs-elephant-sanctuaries-how-to-recognize-the-difference-between-helpful-and-harmful-animal-tourism/) - Time with our elephants in Thailand is an experience like no other. When you are up-close and personal with elephants, you can see that their eyes are big and deep, their lashes are long, and when you make eye contact with them, they seem to look right into your soul. They sense your emotions, are
- [Transformation Through Travel](https://venture-within.com/transformation-through-travel/) - How a leadership course delivered through travel is a truly transformative experience.
- [3 Key Benefits of Volunteer Travel](https://venture-within.com/3-key-benefits-of-volunteer-travel/) - Helping others is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your mental well-being. Here are 3 awesome personal benefits of volunteer travel.
- [Organic Cacao Farming in the Costa Rican Rainforest](https://venture-within.com/organic-cacao-farming-in-the-costa-rican-rainforest/) - During our 3 days on the farm, we will help with reforestation projects, learn best practices for organic farming and experience a healthy and lush lifestyle in the Costa Rican mountains.
- [Go on a Vacation and Change the World](https://venture-within.com/go-on-a-vacation-and-change-the-world/) - Is it possible to change the world by going on vacation? Absolutely. Read and be reminded of how travel benefits you, the residents of your destination and the people around you. Be the change.
- [Surf Costa Rica: Conquering Fear](https://venture-within.com/surf-costa-rica-conquering-fear/) - Fear is a form of energy. Fear is only temporary. This is how I faced my fears of the ocean and of surfing. Come surf Costa Rica on one of our overseas volunteer programs and get out of your comfort zone.
- [Five Key Ingredients for a Successful Company Retreat](https://venture-within.com/five-key-ingredients-for-a-successful-company-retreat/) - If you're looking to plan the perfect company retreat, we've got you covered. Here are 5 key ingredients to keep in mind during the planning process.
- [Transformational Learning in Three Steps](https://venture-within.com/transformational-learning-in-three-steps/) - Three steps in the transformational learning process. And how transformative learning differs from informative learning. Bring a positive, lasting shift in your career and quality of life. Travel with us and level-up.
- [Thailand ~ Why I Travel to Volunteer](https://venture-within.com/thailand-why-i-travel-to-volunteer/) - I was motivated to travel and volunteer in Thailand because I’ve been wanting to start travelling more often. After researching everything Venture Within has done and what the program was about, I became very interested and wanted to become a part of it by experiencing it first hand. I wanted to do my part in
- [Nicaragua ~ Personal Growth](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-personal-growth/) - Question: 1.) Why travel to a new country to volunteer? Answer: I did something a little crazy and pretty unorthodox for me. I packed my bags, hopped on a plane, and headed out to a country I had never been to before to meet a group of people that I had never met or even
- [Costa Rica - Learning Life Lessons](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-learning-life-lessons/) - Going on this trip was a big step for me. Because I was purposefully stepping out of my comfort zone by myself. I did this because I wanted to see how I would do and with what I learned, be able to apply it in my future. During our first workshop, I mentioned a weakness
- [Thailand ~ Challenge Yourself](https://venture-within.com/thailand-challenge-yourself/) - There were many reasons for wanting to travel to Thailand as a volunteer, first and foremost to leave an impact outside my very own community, but that's the same reason we all wanted to come. Of course I love serving others and I adore elephants and I've never been out of the country let alone
- [Nicaragua ~ Make an Impact](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-make-an-impact/) - I travelled to a new country because I wanted the experience, and the good and the bad that accompanied it. I feel like it is important to experience different cultures, but only if one is in the mindset to soak it all in. I was ready to act as a sponge. In my profession, there
- [Thailand ~ Improving the World](https://venture-within.com/thailand-improving-the-world/) - Reflecting back on this first week in Thailand, a lot of life changing and impactful moments have happened in these short eight days that we have been here. The most impactful and eye opening moment I have experienced has to be seeing how the mahouts that are part of the Surin Project treat and take
- [Thailand ~ A New Perspective](https://venture-within.com/thailand-a-new-perspective/) - I can easily say that I have grown a completely different perspective on community and team work. Getting to meet the mahouts and be submersed in the Surin community has made me look at how a little can go a long way. Upon our arrival to Surin, I was expecting to do hard labor and
- [Costa Rica ~ Connection](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-connection/) - Holy Moly! What a beautiful journey it’s been. Went to Costa Rica looking for answers and left with more than my heart could even handle. I am overflowing with gratitude and contentment. Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breatks your heart, but THAT’S OKAY. The journey changes you.
- [Thailand ~ An Elephant Community](https://venture-within.com/thailand-an-elephant-community/) - I didn't know if I would have that specific moment during our Surin project. I knew what I wanted to write about and what I was feeling from the beginning of this trip, although last night was when it really sunk in for me. The morning of Friday, our last night in Surin, I felt
- [Costa Rica ~ Travel to Volunteer](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-travel-to-volunteer/) - All my life I have always wanted to travel and to see the world, and I always imagined that I would in the future. However, the opportunity had never presented itself until now. The main motivation for me was that I would finally get out of the United States and see a new country, which
- [Nicaragua ~ Leadership](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-leadership/) - So far on this project, I have been challenged by the language barrier between myself and the kiddos and with wanting to control all of the details of how certain tasks get done. However, the chance to work with these kiddos and see the joy and happiness that is brought into their lives by what
- [Costa Rica ~ Facing Fear](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-facing-fear/) - This program has been quite an adventure. There will be so many thanks that I will remember and cherish. I will use the memories as a learning experience. I will remember the funs time I had at the chocolate farm. I had a blast at the waterfall and the river. The things that I will
- [Nicaragua ~ Why I Travel](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-why-i-travel/) - Why travel to a new country to volunteer, I think the better question is why not? There are so many incredible opportunities that accompany the experience of traveling to a new country to volunteer: the opportunity to meet am amazing, new people who can become lifelong friends, the opportunity to learn about a new culture
- [Costa Rica ~ Take the Opportunity](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-take-the-opportunity/) - I travelled as a volunteer because I love to volunteer. I love to help others end this a more exciting way to do so. Traveling outside of the country is something that I don’t get to do very often. Getting the chance to help others and see another country is a dream come true. When
- [Thailand ~ Seeing More of the World](https://venture-within.com/thailand-seeing-more-of-the-world/) - There were many surprising things that I noticed while being on this trip. The whole world is so large but small at the same time. There are so many cultural things that are different here! I have really enjoyed the kindness and generosity of these people here. This house we are in is beautiful and
- [Thailand ~A Better Way to View the World](https://venture-within.com/thailand-a-better-way-to-view-the-world/) - The most significant cultural experience I have had so far on this trip has been the monk chat. Before the Monk chat I knew not much about Buddhism or the daily life of a Monk. Learning the guidelines for practicing Buddhism has really inspired me to follow them. Comparing how people in Thailand treat each
- [Costa Rica ~Why We are Here](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-why-we-are-here/) - I think my biggest personal challenge while here has been the nightly patrols. After waking up early and working all day in the heat of the sun, you’re exhausted by the time patrol comes around. Not only are you exhausted but your muscles are sore and the difficult hours of patrol throw you off your
- [Costa Rica ~ Experiencing Another Life](https://venture-within.com/costa-rica-experiencing-another-life/) - The most cultural experience that has impacted me what when we were at La Iguana Chocolate. I really learned a lot from Jorge and his family. I thought that their farm was a separate business from their lives. The cacao farm IS their life. La Iguana Chocolate has taught me that when you love something,
- [Midnight With a Leatherback](https://venture-within.com/midnight-with-a-leatherback/) - My very first experience on a sea turtle conservation project was a midnight beach patrol on an incredibly remote islet on the Caribbean in Costa Rica. We were spending a week on a tiny stretch of beach with a scattering of rustic homes along the shore built by local fisherman. This beach was only accessible
- [Eye of the Elephant](https://venture-within.com/eye-of-the-elephant/) - At first she was about 50 meters away from me, but distance did not diminish just how big of a creature I could see she was upon first sight. On a travel adventure myself, the first time I came in close contact with an unchained elephant was not in Thailand, but in Cambodia. Before 2011,
- [Tires Into Tables](https://venture-within.com/tires-into-tables/) - We had already begun to sweat profusely under the morning sun as my group and I stood in the dried up school yard, staring upwards at a tall heap of old truck tires piled against a crumbly brick wall. Just behind us, Nicaraguan school kids in their crisp, white button-up school shirts tucked into navy
- [Designing a Life Around Purposeful Travel.](https://venture-within.com/designing-a-life-around-purposeful-travel/) - This week we bring you the entrepreneurial story behind Venture Within. In an interview hosted by Chapin Kreuter, I get a little personal and tell the story of how I came to be the founder of Venture Within. It might inspire you. It could entertain you. It will definitely inform you. :) Have a listen
- [What We Learn Between the Cracks ~ A Story from South Africa](https://venture-within.com/what-we-learn-between-the-cracks-a-story-from-south-africa/) - The goal was to build a crèche (or a kindergarten) for the local village kids using bricks made out of mud. Wellington, a local farmer, had recently expressed a need to add a classroom to the small village school on his land, just outside Chintsa in South Africa. Our group had been assigned this project
- [10 Days After the Flood](https://venture-within.com/10-days-after-the-flood/) - This week’s story was written from a night-time plane somewhere over the Caribbean. An evening flight out of Atlanta put me right back into the Nicaragua I left in a sudden, last minute urgent trip home. International flights are where I can do my best, uninterrupted thinking, and as I flew back to the country

## Pages

- [Home](https://venture-within.com/) - Retreat curator, writer, and purposeful business strategist helping mission-led leaders build strong systems and refined messaging that creates lasting impact.
- [Retreat for Midlife Women in Nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/retreat-midlife-women-in-nicaragua/) - Wellness-minded transformative experiences in Nicaragua. Treat yourself to personal growth workshops while immersing in barefoot luxury.
- [Returning to Source Retreat Make A Payment](https://venture-within.com/returning-to-source-retreat-make-a-payment/) - Make a payment towards Natalie Namaste's Returning to Source Retreat in Costa Rica.
- [How to Create a Life Changing Retreat](https://venture-within.com/how-to-create-a-life-changing-retreat/) - Learn the exact step-by-step system to create a life-changing retreat that transforms lives, builds community, and generates meaningful income.
- [Books](https://venture-within.com/books/) - Purchase my published books, a travel memoir, and a personal growth workbook for teens repurposed from successful lesson plans here.
- [Thank You](https://venture-within.com/thank-you/) - Thank You Your "Create a Life-Changing Retreat" has been purchased successfully.
- [Create a Life Changing Retreat Toolkit](https://venture-within.com/create-a-life-changing-retreat-toolkit/) - Learn the exact step-by-step system to create a life-changing retreat that transforms lives, builds community, and generates meaningful income.
- [Login](https://venture-within.com/login/)
- [Account](https://venture-within.com/account/)
- [Retreat Consultancy & Planning](https://venture-within.com/retreat-consultancy-and-planning/) - Create a life-changing Retreat with Venture Within. I offer retreat consultation, planning & strategy to create a transformational Retreat for your clients.
- [Writing Portfolio](https://venture-within.com/writing-portfolio/) - For-Purpose Business Strategist and Writer. Copywriting, editing, website copy, book writing, newsletters, blogs, marketing copy, and internal processes.
- [Nicaragua ~ Create Your Own Retreat](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-create-your-own-retreat/) - Wellness-minded transformative experiences in Nicaragua. Treat yourself to personal growth workshops while immersing in barefoot luxury.
- [About Me](https://venture-within.com/aboutme/) - I create meaningful experiences for those who seek to travel and live with purpose through curating retreats and supporting your writing goals.
- [NicaRisas Dental Outreach Program - Nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/nicarisas-dental-outreach-program-nicaragua/) - NicaRisas is a professional outreach program changing lives through education, leadership and compassionate dental care in rural Nicaragua.
- [FAQs](https://venture-within.com/frequently-asked-questions/) - FAQs for Retreat Consultation & Curation and Writing partnerships for your business.
- [Returning to Source Retreat, Costa Rica](https://venture-within.com/returning-to-source-retreat-costa-rica/) - Join an 8-day Costa Rica retreat with Natalie Namaste for soul connection, angelic guidance, deep healing, and peaceful renewal in a safe, sacred setting.
- [Email Me](https://venture-within.com/email-me/) - Contact me to find out more about copy editing, proofreading, or other writing gigs, coaching, retreats in Nicaragua, or retreat curation and consultation.
- [Get in Touch](https://venture-within.com/get-in-touch/) - Contact me today to find out more about Retreat Planning or Purposeful Business Consultancy.
- [Book Now](https://venture-within.com/book-now/) - Book your experience now with Venture Within. Travel with a Purpose Retreats and Writing Coaching crafted to help you bring more fulfillment to your life.
- [Make A Payment](https://venture-within.com/make-a-payment/) - Make a payment towards your inspiring transformational experience through personal coaching or an overseas Retreat!
- [Thanks For Booking](https://venture-within.com/thanks-for-booking/) - Make a payment towards your inspiring transformational experience with Venture Within.
- [Student Enrichment & Leadership - Nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/student-enrichment-leadership-program-nicaragua/) - Cross-cultural experiences for students in Nicaragua. Develop leadership and mindfulness while exploring local beaches and visiting authentic rural communities.
- [Make A Payment - Nicaragua Ohana Student Trip](https://venture-within.com/make-a-payment-nicaragua-ohana-student-trip/) - Make a payment towards your transformational Travel With a Purpose trip in Nicaragua.
- [Make A Payment - Facilitator Package](https://venture-within.com/make-a-payment-facilitator-package/) - Make a payment towards your inspiring transformational experience. Personal growth and leadership workshops facilitated online or in overseas retreats.
- [Nicaragua ~ Writing Retreat](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-writing-retreat/) - Wellness-minded transformative experiences in Nicaragua. Treat yourself to an inspiring retreat to revitalize your while immersing in barefoot luxury.
- [Manifesto](https://venture-within.com/manifesto/) - I create meaningful experiences for those who seek to travel and live with purpose through retreat curation and helping you achieve your writing goals.
- [Blog](https://venture-within.com/blog/) - Personal anecdotes and inspiring experiences in travel and personal growth. The goal of my blog is to inspire and connect.
- [Portfolio](https://venture-within.com/portfolio/)
- [Personal Growth for Teens & Young Adults](https://venture-within.com/personal-growth-for-teens-young-adults/) - The Personal Growth for Teens & Young Adults Program is a series of mentoring workshops designed to build confidence and improve mental wellness.
- [Personal Growth for Teens & Young Adults - Facilitator Package](https://venture-within.com/purchased/) - The Personal Growth for Teens & Young Adults Program is a series of mentoring workshops designed to build confidence and improve mental wellness.
- [Nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/transformational-retreats-nicaragua/) - Wellness-minded transformative experiences in Nicaragua. Treat yourself to professional & personal growth workshops while immersing in barefoot luxury.
- [Our Values](https://venture-within.com/our-values/) - Discover the values behind the Venture Within transformational experiences in personal growth, professional development & mental wellness.
- [Nicaragua Leadership Program](https://venture-within.com/nicaragua-leadership-program/) - Leadership Programs for high school students in Nicaragua.
- [Payment Confirmation](https://venture-within.com/payment-confirmation/)

## Groups

- [Create a Life Changing Retreat Toolkit](https://venture-within.com/plans/create-a-life-changing-retreat-toolkit/) - ~ CREATE A LIFE-CHANGING RETREAT ~ Move from inspiration to a fully planned, priced, and promotable retreat that changes lives, including your own. If you are dreaming of leading wellness escapes, yoga or pilates retreats, creative gatherings, travel adventures, leadership retreats, or soulful experiences abroad, this Toolkit will help you build a Retreat with
- [Create a Life-Changing Retreat - Mini Course](https://venture-within.com/plans/create-a-life-changing-retreat-mini-course/) - ~ CREATE A LIFE-CHANGING RETREAT ~ Move from inspiration to a fully planned, priced, and promotable retreat that changes lives, including your own. If you are dreaming of leading wellness escapes, yoga or pilates retreats, creative gatherings, travel adventures, leadership retreats, or soulful experiences abroad, this mini-course will help you build a Retreat with

## Memberships

- [Create a Life-Changing Retreat Mini Course](https://venture-within.com/register/create-a-life-changing-retreat-mini-course/) - The Create a Life-Changing Retreat Mini-Course is for those who wish to dive deeper into learning how to build a Retreat with guided help. The Create A Life-Changing Mini-Course includes: 7 proven steps broken down into actionable tasks 11 practical templates to keep you organized on the back end. 19 walk-through videos to support you with each
- [Create a Life-Changing Retreat Toolkit](https://venture-within.com/register/create-a-life-changing-retreat-toolkit/) - The Create a Life-Changing Retreat Toolkit is for those who know how to create a Retreat, but seek clear direction and quick, easy structure. The Create a Life-Changing Retreat Toolkit includes: 7 proven and actionable steps you can do yourself. 11 practical templates to structure your planning. Watch the Create a Life-Changing Retreat Toolkit Video Here.

## Lessons

- [What's Next](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/whats-next/) - What happens next: Watch the Final Video Here. That’s it for now! If there is anything unclear in this mini-course or if you have questions, please reach out anytime. I am available for private consultations to support you as you create your own life-changing Retreats! Or, if after reading and completing this Create
- [Post-Retreat Assets](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/post-retreat-assets/) - This final and exciting step is an easy one, but don’t leave it out! In this step, you will learn the value of receiving evaluations and securing testimonials from your Retreat guests. Watch the "Post-Retreat Assets" Video Here. Evaluations are critical in providing you with personal feedback from each of your Retreat guests.
- [Operations & Delivery](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/operations-delivery/) - This next step will provide you with information on Participant onboarding, communication, essential documents, and templates to help manage the behind-the-scenes admin that keeps your Retreat guests fully informed, prepared, and excited to for their Retreat. Watch the "Operations & Delivery" Video Here. Creating a sound system of communication between you and your
- [Marketing & Sales](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/marketing-sales/) - Now that you’ve finished building your Retreat Itinerary, have finalized your activities, inclusions, understand your costs, and have decided on a Retreat price, it’s time to start selling spots on your Retreat. This next step will take you through the process of promoting your Retreat, the timeline for selling, the channels to advertise on, and
- [Financial Planning](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/financial-planning/) - In this step, you will learn how to price your retreat profitably. By taking a close look at your financials, you will create a working budget for your Retreat. You will confidently manage price fluctuations and profit scenarios, and understand how to structure your pricing model. Watch the "Financial Planning" Video Part 1 Here.
- [Experience Design](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/experience-design/) - In this step, we will take a look at how to create a harmonious flow of daily activities to deliver the most impact with your Retreat. This will include choosing your activities, meal experiences, and providing “free time”. You will understand how to pace each day’s expectations. You will also decide what inclusions your Retreat
- [Logistics & Foundations](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/logistics-foundations/) - This step will help you determine your ideal Retreat location, accommodation details to consider, travel logistics for your guests, and the duration of your Retreat. Watch the "Logistics & Foundations" Video Here. These decisions are key to helping you keep to your Retreat theme, offer your guests what they are looking for, and
- [Introduction](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/introduction/) - ~ CREATE A LIFE-CHANGING RETREAT ~ Move from inspiration to a fully planned, priced, and promotable retreat that changes lives, including your own. Watch the Introduction Video Here If you are dreaming of leading wellness escapes, yoga or pilates retreats, creative gatherings, travel adventures, leadership retreats, or soulful experiences abroad, this mini-course will
- [Vision & Positioning](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/lessons/vision-positioning/) - This step will help you decide the transformation you wish your guests to experience, determine your Retreat theme, and define your audience. (Your audience is your target market, and ultimately your Retreat guests). Watch the "Visioning & Positioning" Video Here. DETERMINE THE IMPACT Before we dive into the mechanics of your Retreat, the

## Courses

- [Create a Life-Changing Retreat](https://venture-within.com/courses/create-a-life-changing-retreat/) - Move from inspiration to a fully planned, priced, promotable, and profitable retreat without the overwhelm, guesswork, or costly mistakes. With the Create A Life-Changing Retreat Mini-Course, learn the exact steps to create unforgettable retreats that transform lives, build community, and generate meaningful income. Seven proven steps, practical templates, and walk-through videos to support you. Let's

## Files

- [Vendor & Contractor Reservations](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/vendor-contractor-reservations.xlsx/)
- [Sample Retreat Evaluation Questions](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/sample-retreat-evaluation-questions.pdf/)
- [Retreat Packing List Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/retreat-packing-list-template.pdf/)
- [At-A-Glance Itinerary Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/at-a-glance-itinerary-template.pdf/)
- [Form of Consent Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/form-of-consent-template.pdf/)
- [Participant Travel Information (PTI) Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/participant-travel-information-pti-template.pdf/)
- [Participant Tracking Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/participant-tracking-template.xlsx/)
- [Participant Agreement Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/participant-agreement-template.pdf/)
- [Retreat Daily Itinerary & Working Budget Template](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/retreat-daily-itinerary-working-budget-template.xlsx/)
- [How to Choose the Perfect Retreat Location](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/how-to-choose-the-perfect-retreat-location.pdf/)
- [Clarifying Your Target Market](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/clarifying-your-target-market.pdf/)
- [Create a Life-Changing Retreat Toolkit](https://venture-within.com/mp-files/create-a-life-changing-retreat-toolkit.pdf/)

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- [digital nomad](https://venture-within.com/tag/digital-nomad/)
- [remote professional](https://venture-within.com/tag/remote-professional/)
- [travel with a purpose](https://venture-within.com/tag/travel-with-a-purpose/)
- [finding your purpose](https://venture-within.com/tag/finding-your-purpose/)
- [gratitude](https://venture-within.com/tag/gratitude/)
- [personal development](https://venture-within.com/tag/personal-development/)
- [change](https://venture-within.com/tag/change/)
- [coaching](https://venture-within.com/tag/coaching/)
- [professional development](https://venture-within.com/tag/professional-development/)
- [co-hosting](https://venture-within.com/tag/co-hosting/)
- [teaching](https://venture-within.com/tag/teaching/)
- [manifestation](https://venture-within.com/tag/manifestation/)
- [mindset](https://venture-within.com/tag/mindset/)
- [positivity](https://venture-within.com/tag/positivity/)
- [take action](https://venture-within.com/tag/take-action/)
- [joy](https://venture-within.com/tag/joy/)
- [Selfcare](https://venture-within.com/tag/selfcare/)

## Curriculum Tags

- [Create a Life Changing Retreat Intro](https://venture-within.com/curriculum-tag/create-a-life-changing-retreat-intro/)

## Curriculum Categories

- [Intro](https://venture-within.com/curriculum-category/intro/)

## Album Categories

- [nicaragua](https://venture-within.com/dt_gallery_category/nicaragua/)
- [costa rica](https://venture-within.com/dt_gallery_category/costa-rica/)
- [Thailand](https://venture-within.com/dt_gallery_category/thailand/)