When I was 15 years old at school [year 10] I got an “A” AND an “F” for the same project. Let me explain.
We had school homework. I honestly can’t remember the task allocated.
What I can recall is that it was the eve of it due.
And I wasn’t the slightest bit interested in what the teacher assigned us to do.
So, I did what I do best. I let my inner vision do the talking. And walking.
I created a vision board —- of Machu Pichu, Peru.
Somewhere, DEEP inside of me, my soul was screaming for me to express a vision of Machu Pichu…
My teacher was so impressed that she gave me a BIG “A” for the assignment then crossed it out and next to it wrote a BIG “F”.
She said “I love it! I’m so impressed. BUT, it’s not the assignment.”
But in my own heart, I had already won with the “A” for awesome because what I saw in my mind, and put on that vision board, inspired me.
That dream of being there, at the time, was a loooooooooong distance from my days living in Huntingdale, Western Australia.
I hadn’t travelled overseas ever, at that time.
None of my family had ever travelled overseas at the time.
And some of my extended family made a loud announcement ”that will never happen” with a resounding …. “Pfffft!” To punctuate their belief.
But that only spurred me on with an internal “F*ck you, watch me!” (Who else is hearing me and can relate right now?! 😂)
So fast forward to March 2008.
I had 2.5 years of ‘hell’ I had escaped from the last few years of a highly toxic marriage.
By October 2007 I had moved back to the city and took up my post as a Paramedic in a permenant depot that I had my name on the waitlist for many years.
But I had gone on a trip overseas (Fiji) in February 2008 that changed my life.
When I came back I put in 30 days notice to quit my job/career.
By March 30th 2008 I was effectively “forever unemployed” [my vow] and manifested my declaration of 2006 to “become a global citizen with multiple streams of income and no anchor in any one location.”
There’s a heck of a lot of story in those years, that is essential to my journey to activating my best self and best life —— but we will come back to that some other time.
For now…
Vision boards… and Machu Pichu.
So in March of 2008 I left Australia for the USA with a LOT of baggage. Physical baggage. 5 bags at least. That represented my emotional baggage - NO DOUBT!
Fast forward to August 2008 (and yes, there are soooooo many stories in between that need to be told. Another day).
But I was living in San Francisco. And I had been enrolled on a travel email list of ‘crazy deals.’
This one day I had the most extraordinary travel deal land in my inbox. It was the opportunity to go to Machu Pichu Peru and the Peruvian Amazon for 14-days for DOLLARS! (Less than 100).
All I could think of was “wow, they must be trying to fill the last seat on the tour.’
But I GRABBED IT!
And two weeks later, I was experiencing my journey from Lima, to Peru through to Cusco, Sacred Valley and then literally standing on Machu Pichu, overlooking the valley - at 10111 feet above sea level.
IN THAT MOMENT I REALISED —— I had manifested my 15 year old ‘vision’.
When I looked out across the valley, I saw EXACTLY what I had created and posted on my vision board that I handed in for my social studies assignment when I was 15 years old.
I knew then that SOMETHING else was guiding me.
Even though I had been through some serious pits (massive valleys) in my life until that point, here I was standing on a most gloriously high mountain…. And, I had brought to life a dream that I once thought had been [almost] impossible.
That moment changed my life. Because now I EXPERIENCED my vision in ‘real life.’
So I began to imagine BIGGER and BETTER things for me, for my life, and for what is possible.
That journey has been ‘adventurous.’ With LOTS of highs and lows as I have learned to harness and master my energy to bring my visions to life.
And I STILL create vision boards, regularly. For many things.
Because they work…… but only if you get out of your own way to allow them to.
I’ve put together some key ideas that are super valuable to make your vision board work too… If you would like to grab a copy of my new ebook ‘5 surprising reasons why vision boards fail’ while it’s available for free, you can grab a copy here now:
https://www.theglobalbutterfly.com/why-vision-boards-fail-ebook
May you be blessed with many great and grand soul adventures too…
Xx Katie
