I had a last minute opportunity to speak at the 5th and final Farmhouse Conference:
Stories About The Collapse Under an Avocado Tree in Hollywood, California
The famous avocado tree – massive, like a big green umbrella above us
Shane Becker, the organizer of Farmhouse Conf, attended YxYY event over the summer, so that’s how I’d met him and heard of Farmhouse. In fact, many LA and SF Yaysayers were in attendance, so it was an unexpected bonus to see & reunite with all of them!
Well versed in the heart-wrenching art of letting go, I contributed:
The Collapse of Hope & Letting Go of What Could Have Been
Launching our big ideas into the world takes courage & moxy. We dive in, our eyes twinkling with possibility and hope, and if we’re lucky we catalyze collaborators, supportive fans, customers and a community along the way. But what happens when you’ve lost that loving feeling? Or when you realize it’s time to let go of the baby you’ve put your blood, sweat & tears into and move on? Letting go of what could have been may just take more courage & moxy than getting the idea off the ground in the first place.
Photo by Tj Nelson Jr – view all
I shared how challenging it was for me initially to let go of my WilloToons line, and the challenges I’ve faced in taking big, bold leaps over the last few years (detailed here). All of which that has inspired my Connect video series, our ReConnect ecourse, my 1-Day Major Movement ‘Skydiving’ offering, and more.
I related the ‘collapse of hope’ to the letting go we experience in any relationship. That even if it’s best for all involved, there’s still a healthy amount of grieving and mourning that takes place.
I talked about the importance of recognizing that when we do let go, there’s always a thread that carries through; that we are never starting over. Which is much of what has inspired my latest offering, Harvest & Thrive.
Lastly, I shared that for us to really and truly move on, we must do the work to heal our hearts, so that we may be strong enough for the next big jump. We must go through a process of forgiveness and acceptance; of others as the case may be, but most importantly ourselves.
All of the talks were filmed, so I’ll be sure to update this post with the video when it’s available.
Live sketch by Alexis Finch (aka @agentFin)
“Though we suffer the collapse of hope, we grieve & are resilient, so start again.”
“the collapse does not need to enter your heart”
Watercolor by Rachel Weidinger
The entire day was amazing. I was delighted to meet/hang out with amazing folks, like fellow speaker, Nirvan Mullick, the filmmaker & hero behind Caine’s Arcade & the worldwide Cardboard Challenge; igniting entrepreneurship, play & imagination in kids everywhere!
This is Nirvan’s original Fun Pass from Caine’s Arcade!
You must watch the video if you haven’t seen it yet.
Me with another fellow Farmhouse Conf speakers;
letterer, illustrator & designer, Jessica Hische
The entire conference went on late into the evening with fun performances by Mates of State & The Blue Ribbon Glee Club. It was a really fabulous day, and I was thrilled to have been a part!
:::
Have you experienced a collapse of hope?
What have you had to let go of?
Share with us in the comments.