Envisioning Possibilities –
Travel
Travel and Helpful People is one of the locations on my Bagua.
A story about the law of attraction – is it something you want?
I created a vision board about nine years ago based on feng shui and the bagua. I continue to use the Bagua template on an annual basis.
In the bottom right-hand corner are Travel and Helpful People. My intention, then, was to focus more on career and reputation and making money. I wasn’t paying attention to the lower right-hand corner. The corner is where the Dreams of Travel and Helpful People reside. This vision board of 2015 was cut and pasted with a friend visiting for this event. As we chatted and pasted, I cut out two cruise ships and put them in that corner without actively thinking about traveling. I filled the remaining part of this 30 x 60-inch dreamland with beautiful pictures of family, relationships, good health, career, wisdom, and many Dollar Signs.
As I was dragging out a new board, I looked at the previous year’s board. It had been sitting at my desk in my home office for almost a year. On the board were two cruise ships. We had taken a cruise with our friends in February and one with our family over Thanksgiving. They were both unplanned. It was an AHA to me. Yes, I believe in the law of attraction, but I think it believes in me.
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From Fearful to Fearless:
Every confident speaker once shook in their shoes.
How to Answer “Tricky” Questions
When you stay calm, clarify with repetition, and bridge back to your core ideas, you guide the dialogue rather than chase it. The result? You come across as thoughtful, credible, and persuasive exactly the qualities clients and colleagues remember.
How Humor Can Lighten the Room
A smile can make your design pitch twice as memorable. Humor, when done right, isn’t about being a comedian it’s about being human. A little laughter reminds everyone that design is supposed to bring joy, not stress. So the next time you walk into a presentation, bring your sense of humor along with your fabric swatches. You’ll leave behind not only a beautiful concept but also a positive impression.
Creating Connection: The overlooked power of eye contact
Eye contact is the designer’s secret to presence. It’s what transforms a presentation from mechanical to magnetic. Slides may show your ideas, but your eyes show your confidence and that’s what clients and audiences remember most.
Why Every Designer Should Practice Their Speech
In design, presentation is persuasion. When you practice speaking as much as sketching, you build trust, authority, and excitement around your ideas. A polished pitch can make the difference between a “maybe” and a “let’s do it.” Remember your voice is part of your professional toolkit. Use it well, and let it sell your vision as powerfully as your designs do.
NETWORKING …. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
Networking is more about follow-up than first impressions.
Sound as Good as You Look
Trade shows can showcase your talent and brand but shouldn’t cost you your voice.
The Designer’s Elevator Pitch:
If you can’t explain your vision in a minute, you’ll lose the moment. In the world of design, opportunities often appear unexpectedly,a quick chat at a showroom, a brief meeting at a networking event, or a chance encounter with a potential...