December 30, 2024 • 33 mins
What happens when the chaos of motherhood meets the pursuit of personal dreams? Jessica Erickson, a life coach and mother of four, shares how she navigated feelings of being lost amidst parenting and rediscovered her passions during a transformative retreat in Punta Cana. Hear about her journey to balance responsibilities with personal aspirations, and learn practical ways for moms to prioritize their dreams. Jessica's story offers an inspiring reminder that stepping back and investing in oneself isn’t a luxury, but a necessity for personal growth and fulfillment.
Ever wondered how a childhood dream can become a reality despite all odds? Through my own tale of turning an English-inspired fantasy trip into a family adventure, this episode brings to light the power of goal-setting and vision boards. Whether it's overcoming travel anxieties or budget hurdles, the experience highlights how creativity and flexibility can lead to unexpected joys and achievements. We'll also guide you on crafting effective vision boards to keep your goals front and center, offering tips and insights that promise to keep you inspired and on track towards your dreams.
Please follow me on instagram and facebook @happilyevenaftercoach and if you want to see what coaching is all about I offer a free 45 min. clarity call via zoom.
Email me: hello@lifecoachjen.com for any comments or questions.
Thanks for listening, please like and review as well as share with your family and friends.
My website is www.lifecoachjen.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to my podcast .
Happily, even After.
I'm life coach, jen, I'mpassionate about helping people
recover from betrayal.
I rode the intense emotionalroller coaster and felt stuck
and traumatized for years.
It's the reason I became atrauma-informed certified life
coach who helps people like younavigate their post-betrayal
world.
I have the tools, processes andknowledge to help you not only
(00:32):
heal from the betrayal butcreate a healthy future.
Today, we begin to help youlive happily even after.
Hey friends, welcome to today'spodcast.
I'm so excited I have a friendof mine that I met this summer
at an event.
You guys know I love Jodi Mooreand I pretty much do everything
(00:53):
that she sells, I buy everythingthat she sells and she did an
event it was called 12 and 12.
And it was just a business likeeducation, learning about your
business and I met JessicaErickson there and I, when I met
her and I heard her story, Ijust was so impressed and I just
thought this would be theperfect time as we're all
(01:15):
gearing up for 2025 to do apodcast with her, and so I have
brought her on today and I'mgoing to let her introduce
herself.
But really her niche that shecoaches she's also a fellow
coach.
She coaches women how to createa vision for themselves, and I
think we all need this so bad.
(01:38):
And I, a past few years, I havecreated a vision board, but in
my my past, past self, there'sno way I could have done that,
so I just was hoping that shecould give us tips and tricks
and just have a conversationwith her today.
So, jessica, thanks so much forbeing here.
Hi, jennifer, tell us a littlebit about yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, so I am a mom of four and I have teenagers
down to a four-year-old, so I'ma little bit of, you know, some
gaps there.
So toddlers to teenagers Wow,that's a lot.
Very full life.
We've got some dancers, somesoccer players, some flag
(02:25):
football kids, so we are prettybusy, and I know I'm a little
bit allergic to the word busy.
So very full life.
Yes, yes, I agree, I agree.
So I help lost moms discovertheir dreams and do them.
You are a mom so I know thatyou're going to understand what
(02:46):
I'm talking about.
But when you have a kid, youget in this mom haze, especially
with the newborn.
You're not sleeping real great,you're feeding and changing
diapers and your whole liferevolves around that newborn.
And at some point they're not anewborn anymore and you can
step away from being, you know,insanely involved in that baby.
(03:09):
I feel like with each kid thatwas, it took longer or shorter,
depending on the baby that I hadand the support system that I
had.
It was different with each kid,but each time I remember being
like, okay, wait now, theremight be a little bit of time
for me.
What do I even want to do withthat?
What do I want to do and justfeeling a little lost, like I
(03:35):
don't even know what I want todo anymore.
Like I was a competitiveballroom dancer in college and
after my fourth I was like, do Ieven want to go back to dance?
Like what do I want to do?
And so, anyway, I just had thisseason of just feeling a little
lost after each kid, butdefinitely like my fourth was in
(03:55):
the middle of COVID, so therewas like a whole lot of drama
going on.
I did my life coachcertification through Dr Jen
Ridey and the Vibrant Life CoachCertification, so I had some
new tools and some newunderstanding in my tool belt
and the thing that I finally waslike I want to do something for
(04:15):
me and she was offering aretreat.
So the retreat was in PuntaCana and I'd never been to Punta
Cana.
I knew no one.
Is that in the?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Dominican Republic.
Yes, Dominican Republic.
I'm like, I think it is.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, yeah, and I'd never been there.
I like actually needed to lookon a map to find out where it
was.
Yeah, so I decided, you know,it costs a little bit of money.
But I was like you know what,like I deserve this.
It costs a little bit of money,but I was like you know what, I
deserve this.
How much money have we spent onmy kids' dance shoes?
How much money have we spent onsoccer cleats?
(04:50):
It's okay, mom gets a turn too.
So I organized all the mealsand got childcare for the kids
and figured all of the thingsout so I could go to this
retreat and at this retreat Ilike how moms have to do that
and dad's just.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
We need to change that a little bit.
But no, I mean I can appreciate.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I can hear you, so I decided to go and at this
retreat.
It was an amazing retreat, butI left with this list of things
that I wanted to do, and if youare a mom, I highly recommend
getting out of your daily life,even if it's for like a weekend.
(05:31):
But just getting away fromeverything gives you a different
perspective, allows you to seesome things a little more
clearly.
I don't know, do you agree with?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
that, oh, totally, totally.
But I think so many of us,because it's a lot of effort to
leave right, we think it'seasier to stay and not do that.
Or we just say, oh, we'll do itnext year or next month.
We tend to push it off, oh thatis.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Can I tell you how many times I've heard that?
Oh, I'll work on my dreamslater.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, when my kids are graduated or something, when
they all are in school.
Then I'll work on my dreamslater, when my kids are
graduated or something.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, when they all are in school then I'll do X, y
or Z when they are all driving.
Then I'll do something for meand it's like no.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Yes, even if it's just one hour.
Oh man.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I mean, go grab a hotel for a weekend or even just
one night at a hotel, dosomething.
But for me it was going toPunta Cana, going to this
retreat that Dr Jenridey led.
It was phenomenal.
But when I got done, on the way, on the plane ride on the way
home, I had had all the taken,all these copious notes, and in
(06:42):
the margins I was like, oh, Iwant to do this, I want to do
this, I want to do this, I wantto do this.
So on the plane ride on the wayhome, I wrote out all of these
things that I wanted to do, andthese were not like little
things, like want to read a book, like, although that is, one of
my goals this year was to reada book, because somehow sitting
down to read is just.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I feel you.
I'm that same.
I'm that same way I can listento a book.
To sit and read a book feelshard yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So some of the things that I put on this list were
take my daughter on a 12 trip.
She's turning was turning 12.
So I wanted to take her, youknow, on do something.
That was just mom and daughter,just go do something fun.
(07:32):
I wanted to go to Englandtraveling first class, and I
even like this is my favoriteone, you guys, cause you know I
love to travel.
I put a little caveat, likefirst or second, cause I was
like really hesitant that Icould pull that off.
But um, I did that.
Um, organize my office and mygarage.
I had been a newbornphotographer for 13 years and
I'd kind of outgrown my spaceand I was like, can I stay here?
(07:55):
And I was like I don't know if,if I am, we got to get this
organized.
So those are just a couple ofthe things, but there ended up
being 16 things.
I'm kind of an overachiever.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Do you have an amount Like?
Do you encourage your clients?
Like to say, do five Like isthere, does it matter?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Or it totally depends on the person and the goals.
Okay, If, if they're likecontradictory goals, it's really
hard to do them at the sametime.
Like if one of them costs youmoney and your other goal is to
make money or save money.
Like it can be hard to do themat the same time.
Like if one of them costs youmoney and your other goal is to
make money or save money.
Like it can be hard to do thoseat the same time.
But imagine, like we're alsotalking about like a year.
(08:34):
I like to do things in like ayear and I'll have a focus for
like a month at a time or acouple of weeks at a time.
But if I'm looking at like ayear long commitment here, you
can get quite a bit done in ayear and there's some things
that work well together.
Like if I want to get healthy,well, I'm only eating and
(08:54):
exercising for a certain part ofthe day, right?
So like I can try to gethealthy and work on my business,
yeah.
Or, and you know, and some ofthem like, hey, while I'm
organizing, I'm lifting all thisheavy stuff in.
Or, and you know, and some ofthem like, hey, while I'm
organizing, I'm lifting all thisheavy stuff in the garage and I
am getting healthy.
So some of them report to mereally well, yeah.
So I would just say it dependson the person and the goals.
(09:16):
But I mean obviously, like, ifyou have one thing that you're
focusing on, but is it, as theyear is going on, one thing that
you're focusing on, but as theyear is going on, I had 16 for
the year.
Yeah, so 16 for the year, thatis a lot, but I was really
determined and I had this newset of skills.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Did you complete all of those Like, were you able to?
Okay?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
No, I got 13 out of 16 done, which is amazing.
The fun thing with that is Iencourage people to do about 80%
, and what I did was 81%.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Oh wow, I was like why the 80% If you're shooting?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
for perfection.
It just puts way too muchpressure on way too much
pressure.
And I'm also really into likemaking your goal be flexible and
morphing it a little bit andtrying to get to like the root
of what it is.
So, like one of the things Iwanted to do was like run a half
marathon.
I did one before I got pregnantwith my first and I was like,
(10:22):
yeah, let's, that'd be a funbookend goal, Like I did one
before and now that I've had mylast kid, I'll do another one.
Well, I had this like crazyankle pain that was going on and
like I couldn't run and I wasin physical therapy.
So that goal needs to changeand the ultimate goal was to be
healthy.
(10:42):
Then, like there's lots ofdifferent ways to get healthy
right.
Half marathon is not your onlyoption.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yes or do your?
Speaker 2 (10:54):
physical therapy and like stop eating cake.
You know, I know chocolatechips are my weakness, but
anyway, there's other ways toget to the actual goal than the
step that I had decided I wasgoing to take.
So it just requires someevaluation and some tweak, yeah,
(11:18):
and I like the flexibility.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Like I think in life we have to be flexible because
something could happen that wedon't even know about in six
months and we don't want that toderail us.
Like well, if we wouldn't havemade these goals, like now we're
a failure.
Like do you find people areresistant to making goals, or
what's your experience?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, I feel like there are a lot of people that
are allergic to the word goal.
They don't like it.
Yeah, and I totally get that.
And if you are feeling that way, I would ask that you reframe
it a little bit.
So, instead of saying like, oh,I have to set some goals for
new year's, like, oh, it'sJanuary, everybody's setting new
year's resolutions, I guess Ibetter jump on that train and
(12:01):
set some goals.
If that sounds terrible to you,please don't do it.
Please don't do that.
What I would reframe it is I amdiscovering my dreams and
making them a reality.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
What do I do?
That's so much better.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Like, oh, that feels so good.
Yes, sign me up for that class.
Right, like I want to do that.
So for me, I'm going to talkabout England, just because I
know that's my favorite.
Um, so we, I have ever since Iwas a little girl.
I loved Peter Pan, loved allthe pictures in our Peter Pan
book, had them flying by a bigBen, and so I decided we had
(12:42):
some friends that were my kids,like two of my kids, like best
buddies.
They went to England for a twoyear tour for the military, and
so we were like, if we're evergoing to go, like this is the
time, yeah, and I will tell you,my husband and I had like many
back and forth about thisbecause we had a three-year-old.
(13:05):
Like she wasn't even three yet,so she was like two, almost
three.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
She's not fun to travel with guys and you have to
buy a.
You have to buy a ticket forher.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, yeah, you have to buy a ticket for her and so,
anyway, I decided, if I'm goingto do this, like I have to get
my parents on board.
They're going to come with us.
So I called my parents and I'mlike, okay, you never know when
this could be the last trip youtake.
When are we going to have thisopportunity again?
We're going and I, like youknow five minute long speech
(13:39):
with like a PowerPoint, and mymom was like you had us at let's
go to England.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
You're like you gotta stop.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
She's like this was a really fun presentation.
But like, yeah, we're in, Ikept thinking they would have
more input or something, and weall decided that we got to pick
one thing that we wanted to do.
Oh, I love that, so that wasfun, Anyway.
So I'm going on this back andforth with my husband and he's
like he gets really anxious onflights, like really anxious.
(14:07):
And he's like I do not want tofly over the ocean.
This terrifies me.
So I was like well, we need tojust like give you a pill and
knock you out, yeah.
So why don't we put you infirst class so that you can lay
down and just zonk out and likeall be in the back with the kids
?
But then that sounded terrible.
Yeah, and then I'm with thebaby, right, yeah.
But then he was like well, whydon't you go in first class with
(14:31):
the toddler and I'll be in theback with her?
So I was like this just isn'tworking.
We're all going first class.
And he was like this is way tooexpensive, we're not going to
be able to do it, and so, anyway, I wasn't sure how it was going
to work out, but I put it on myvision board, I put all.
I put the picture of big Benand I wanted to do a photo shoot
(14:51):
by a big Ben and I put us liketraveling first class, and I had
no idea how that was going towork out.
When I first logged on to try tobuy the tickets, it was like
astronomical, oh shoot, maybethis isn't going to happen.
But then I was like no, it ison my vision board, this is what
I want.
(15:11):
I am going to figure this out.
So my husband left the room andhe's like I got to go change a
diaper, like you do, whateveryou do.
And so I kept searching and Ifound a flight that was.
It was first class foreverything, except the very last
leg from like Seattle back toCalifornia was not first class
(15:32):
and that was in budget.
And so I bought the tickets andhe was complaining about how
this was still so expensive.
And literally like an hourlater, I got a call from my mom
who worked for our accountanthey, by the way, I just got the
update from the accountant andthis is the amount that you're
(15:53):
going to get back for your taxrefund, and it was a hundred
dollars more than what I hadspent for these.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
So amazing, like seriously, I just love that.
I love that, like you put it.
I believe you put things out inthe universe that you really
want and desire and they cantotally happen, which is what
you, you manifested, thatmanifest.
It was amazing, so amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So and we did have like literally the best time.
It was the trip of a lifetime.
I got my pictures by a big Ben,which it ended up like raining
at the end of our photo sessionand like part of my brain was
like, oh shoot, this is going toruin everything.
Those are some of my favoritepictures of us like dancing in
the rain on this bridge right byBig Ben, like it was magical,
it was super fun, that's soawesome.
Anyway, you just never know.
(16:47):
You know like what can happen.
Yeah, it was like why wait?
It's so true, there weredefinitely things that were, you
know, not very pleasant.
We ended up in Paris, too, andwe went to Montmartre and I had
no idea there could be that manystairs in one place.
Yes, and she was asleep in herstroller, so we had like one
(17:10):
person carrying the front, oneperson carrying the back, and we
literally carried this littleprincess up like a bajillion
flights of stairs to get towhere we needed to be.
But you know, it was just likewe're exhausted but we're
laughing and we're having funand like now it's like those are
like the best memories.
It's just our little princessthat just gets carried wherever
she is, as is your princess.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
So what is on your list for 2025?
Like, have you made?
Have you made your list yet, orso I haven't yet.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Um, so I've got my 24 list that I'm working on, but
little, I guess.
Tip.
Um, it doesn't have to beJanuary, so my year actually
goes like February to Februaryoh, that's when my retreat is.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Okay, so do you go on retreat every February?
Do you do this every?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
February yeah, so I'm going to go back on the retreat
.
So last year we were in Mexicoand then this year we're back in
Punta Cana.
But I've just decided thatthat's my new year, because I
can decide right.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Yeah, I love that Because sometimes people feel so
much pressure January one rightthat we've got to, we've got to
do these goals.
But I do love that because thenit just gives you some time and
space.
You get to decide, which isgreat.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I love it.
January is great and if youwant to do January, awesome,
like so fun.
But I will say most peopledon't set new years resolutions.
They set new January, yes.
Yes, they're trying to cram allof their goals into like two or
three weeks and then you getfrustrated because you didn't
(18:52):
lose 30 pounds in two weeks oryou didn't, you know, book the
travel that you wanted in thatfirst two days that you looked,
and then you give up and thenyou're like, well, I'll just
wait till next year, yeah, so,um, I really feel like when
we're setting a new year'sresolution, whenever you decide
your year starts right, I don'tcare, make sure that you're it's
(19:14):
for the whole year and liketime it appropriately.
So, yeah, lose 30 pounds.
Don't try to lose all 30 poundsin the first two weeks, like,
yeah, all year.
Yeah, be flexible If you lose25.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Awesome, yeah.
Celebrate the wins instead offocus on what you didn't do.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, yeah, I did want to say one thing about.
I know your audience is moms,and so I just wanted to say, um,
one of the goals was to take mydaughter on a 12 trip and it
was one day.
Right, this was not like lifechanging or like life altering,
okay, but we decided that I wasgoing to do this with her and I
(19:55):
was like my husband was workingthat day, so I was like, shoot,
what am I going to do with theother kids?
So I had to get childcare formy other kids I have three other
kids and, um, and then myhusband was at work.
So, anyway, I just want to saythat, like when I made a
decision to do something formyself, well, and my daughter,
we went to an amusement park andwe had a fabulous time.
(20:18):
My other three kids went withNana and Papa.
They went to a.
It was pie day, like you know,like oh yeah, and they had a
church function where theybrought like a gazillion pies
and they ate pie and they got togo to their cousin's soccer
game and it was just like anormal day but to them.
They got to spend the day withtheir cousins and with Nana and
(20:38):
Papa and they ate pie.
It was the best day ever forthem.
Yeah, my husband got doneworking early and he didn't have
any other responsibilities, sohe got to go to a superhero
movie that he had really wantedto see.
So, and everybody, when we camehome that night, everyone was
so happy and like we had allthese stories to tell each other
and like it was just likeawesome, like when you do
(21:01):
something for yourself, you liftyour mood, but then you also
lift everybody around you.
Yeah, I just, I just, mom, godo something for yourself,
because everybody with you.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
And I love that you didn't let that day deter.
You like, oh, now I have to asksomeone, even if you have to
hire a babysitter, or which I'mguessing you would have done
like you were dedicated.
This is your birthday, this iswhat I'm doing, you're not going
to let anything get in your way, right?
Which I think we sometimes werelike oh, that feels too hard.
(21:36):
I find if I plan ahead of timeand commit ahead of time, like
walk, anything, that I'm morelikely to do it.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Well, and then also getting back to that, why so,
instead of like it's a goal, youknow, like what?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
was my dream.
What was your?
Why with your?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
dream was that I wanted to celebrate her birthday
.
Like turning 12 is like a bigdeal.
I know 13 is like normal formaybe a girl, but for for our
family, like turning 12 is a bigdeal.
So, like she's turning 12 and Ireally wanted to do something
to mark that and celebrate thatwith her.
And I wanted it to be just thetwo of us, because we don't
(22:16):
often get a lot of time withjust the two of us.
So that was my why, like Ireally wanted to celebrate with
her and so it's like okay.
Well then, yeah, I'm going tohave to find childcare, I might
have to pay for childcare, Imight have to like swap, so like
I'm sacrificing another weekendday so I can swap with the kids
for somebody else.
(22:37):
But it was on my vision board.
I had that little picture of uscelebrating at this amusement
park and so like I have sixflags.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Oh, so much fun.
Is that you live in California,right?
Yeah, I'm in NorthernCalifornia.
We don't have six flags here,but that's so much fun.
What do you think some of yourlife lessons like by doing this?
What has it taught you about somany?
Or what have you learned aboutyourself?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
What have I learned?
Okay, so I think the number onetakeaway is to do a vision
board mm-hmm.
Get your dreams down on paper,get really clear on what you
want, and I know sometimes, likewe talked about being a lost
mom and I know your audiencemight have some like trauma or
you know, like some things thatare going on that you don't want
(23:29):
, and it's really easy to focuson like what you don't want, yes
, but especially when things arelike going not the way you want
, it's really important to getclear on what you do want and
what you can control, and so Iwent through my goals and
decided what can I control, whatcan I do, and get really clear
(23:53):
on it.
And when you're envisioningyourself on a roller coaster
with your daughter with yourhands up in the air, screaming
and having the greatest time,it's not very easy to let that
go Like.
Now I'm like really into it.
I have smelled the funnel cakeand I have seen how much fun
you're going to have.
I know I am committed now andonce you've been able to get
(24:17):
really clear on what you do want, what does that look like?
What does it smell like, whatdoes it feel like?
And when you can like, whatdoes it?
What does it look like?
It looks like this rollercoaster and funnel cake and a
smiling kid.
Now I know exactly what I'mputting on my vision board, the
roller coaster, the funnel cakeand the smiling kid Right.
(24:39):
And now I'm like super committed, I'm super there and I'm going
to make it happen.
It doesn't have to happen thisweek or this month, but sometime
this year.
We're going to make that happen, right, yeah, so I think making
a vision board cause in orderto make it, you have to be clear
on what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And having specific goals, likeI've had some business goals
and it's like no, actually picka number right, like you need to
choose a number how manyclients do you want, or how many
followers, or whatever and picka number and it gives you
something to work for RightDuring that.
Just like how many followers,or whatever, and pick a number
and it gives you something towork for Right During that year.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
It's not to say that you can't be flexible with it.
Yeah, yeah, you put the number12 on your vision board, like I
want to have 12 clients, andlike you come to the end of the
year and you've got five.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Well, okay, you can like take a Sharpie and mark.
You didn't.
You had zero at the beginning.
So then it's like, wow, I havefive new clients and yeah, I, I
totally agree.
I think, I think, just thinkthis is so amazing.
So, jessica, if someone wantsto hire you like, how, how do
you help people?
Like, if you're like, if any ofmy listeners are thinking like,
oh, I want a vision board, butI just need a little bit of
(25:52):
extra help, how could they getahold of you?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Okay, well, number one I'm going to view like just
a couple of things that youcould do on your own, okay, okay
, so I would number one downloadCanva.
If you are familiar with Canvalike it is so easy, you can
learn it in like a couple hours.
Okay, I feel like a lot oftimes when people hear the word
vision board, they're thinking Ihave to go buy a ton of
magazines, I have to get thescissors and the glue and like,
(26:22):
if you're not super crafty, likethat is like a barrier in and
of itself, like I do not want towaste all this money and time.
And then for me, I was having ahard time because we what?
I'm going to spend $5 on thismagazine because I want one
picture and it's not even theright size.
Yeah, how do you do that?
So, um, but because I've been aphotographer for you know, 13
(26:45):
years, I have designed tons ofstuff, um, in like Photoshop and
and other.
Um, but I love Canva, it's soeasy to design stuff in Canva
and other.
But I love Canva, it's so easyto design stuff in Canva.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Yeah, and I can do it too, and I'm not a professional
, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
So when you think about a digital vision board,
like, well, now I don't have togo buy a bunch of stuff, like, I
can download Canva.
There's, you know, free Canva.
I can pull any picture I wantfrom the internet and I can.
There's a zillion fonts, I cando whatever color I choose, like
.
So it just opens up this worldof possibilities.
(27:24):
So there's even in Canva youcan, you can type in like vision
board, and there's templatesalready there.
So they've made it really easyto go and do that.
So, number one download Canvaand I would absolutely like pick
some, some words and visionsthat they are really going to be
(27:48):
meaningful to you.
Anyway, so you can use Canva.
It's awesome.
I also have, if you want to goto my website,
jessicaericksonphotographycomslash gift.
I have the top three thingsthat you should have on your
vision board.
It's going to be, it's fun, andin that document I also have
(28:11):
the top three resources.
Number one is to download Canvaand I'll tell you whether you do
a physical vision board or adigital vision board.
I would love it if you hadmultiple sizes of it and in
different places.
Okay, yeah, like on yourcomputer.
Yeah, yeah, here's my magic,magic tip, okay, Okay.
(28:34):
So if you have your big visionboard somewhere where you see it
the most for me it's in mybathroom.
I know I'm going to pee atleast 10 times today, right, so
I have it in my bathroom.
I also have a copy in my officeand I have a small four by six
in my car on the visor.
(28:58):
Oh yeah, what a great idea.
So seeing it in differentplaces at different times will
give you different results.
So I remember one time that Iwas like oh hey, my, I hold it
onto my visor with my garagedoor opener.
So I was like, oh well, wealready went on that 12 trips,
so I'm going to just move thegarage door opener over.
(29:20):
And then I realized like, oh,on the bottom right of my vision
board it says that I want tostart dancing again.
I have five minutes until myson is done with practice.
What can I do in the next fiveminutes?
That would get me one stepcloser to that.
And I was like well, I can callmy coach and ask when auditions
(29:41):
are and tell her I'm coming toauditions.
So I did it, and that then gaveme some accountability, because
I know she's not letting me offthe hook Right.
I put it in my calendar whenthe auditions were so.
Anyway, it just helped me takelike a step towards that, and I
had seen that every morning.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
And you have lots of time in your car.
You're sitting there.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Yeah, yeah, so you'll .
You'll find different times,you'll have different things pop
in your head based on, like,where you're seeing it too, so,
anyway, okay.
So if you want to work with me,like I, I think everybody
should have a vision board, evenif it's just like a couple of
words and a picture.
But if you are like I need someextra help I don't want to do
(30:21):
this myself, cause that'sanother thing people tell me
like, oh yeah, I would totallydo that.
I just never get around to it.
Yeah, yeah, that's me.
So I do have a done for youvision board where, if you'll
jump on a call with me, if youalready know what your goals are
and you know what you want todo, I will design that like with
(30:41):
you on a zoom call and then Iwill ship it right to your door
so you literally don't have todo anything.
Wow, that's all done for youand it will come in all the
sizes I recommend and it's done.
And if you want to do a deepdive, where you want to go
through that whole program thatI did to accomplish that 13 out
(31:03):
of 16 of my goals, I do that aswell, and the done for you
vision board is included in that12 week program, so oh, that's
so awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
So I'm going to put all of Jessica's information in
the show notes.
So if you're interested in this, go to the show notes and you
can check it out.
Jessica, thanks so much forcoming on to my podcast.
I just think this is, in myopinion, such a valuable work to
help us, like find the bestversions of ourselves when we're
creating dreams creating ourdreams right, I'm not going to
(31:34):
say goals.
Thanks so much for coming on.
I appreciate you and I'm justso grateful.
Anyway, thanks everyone forlistening today.
If you like this podcast,please share it with your
friends and family and leave areview so other people can find
it.
Have a beautiful day and I willtalk to you next week.
(31:56):
If you want to learn how tolive happily even after, sign up
for my email at hello at lifecoach Jen, with one ncom.
Follow me on Instagram andFacebook at happily even after.
Coach.
Let's work together to createyour happily even after.
Welcome to my podcast .
Happily, even After.
I'm life coach, jen, I'mpassionate about helping people
recover from betrayal.
I rode the intense emotionalroller coaster and felt stuck
and traumatized for years.
It's the reason I became atrauma-informed certified life
coach who helps people like younavigate their post-betrayal
world.
I have the tools, processes andknowledge to help you not only
(00:32):
heal from the betrayal butcreate a healthy future.
Today, we begin to help youlive happily even after.
Hey friends, welcome to today'spodcast.
I'm so excited I have a friendof mine that I met this summer
at an event.
You guys know I love Jodi Mooreand I pretty much do everything
(00:53):
that she sells, I buy everythingthat she sells and she did an
event it was called 12 and 12.
And it was just a business likeeducation, learning about your
business and I met JessicaErickson there and I, when I met
her and I heard her story, Ijust was so impressed and I just
thought this would be theperfect time as we're all
(01:15):
gearing up for 2025 to do apodcast with her, and so I have
brought her on today and I'mgoing to let her introduce
herself.
But really her niche that shecoaches she's also a fellow
coach.
She coaches women how to createa vision for themselves, and I
think we all need this so bad.
(01:38):
And I, a past few years, I havecreated a vision board, but in
my my past, past self, there'sno way I could have done that,
so I just was hoping that shecould give us tips and tricks
and just have a conversationwith her today.
So, jessica, thanks so much forbeing here.
Hi, jennifer, tell us a littlebit about yourself.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, so I am a mom of four and I have teenagers
down to a four-year-old, so I'ma little bit of, you know, some
gaps there.
So toddlers to teenagers Wow,that's a lot.
Very full life.
We've got some dancers, somesoccer players, some flag
(02:25):
football kids, so we are prettybusy, and I know I'm a little
bit allergic to the word busy.
So very full life.
Yes, yes, I agree, I agree.
So I help lost moms discovertheir dreams and do them.
You are a mom so I know thatyou're going to understand what
(02:46):
I'm talking about.
But when you have a kid, youget in this mom haze, especially
with the newborn.
You're not sleeping real great,you're feeding and changing
diapers and your whole liferevolves around that newborn.
And at some point they're not anewborn anymore and you can
step away from being, you know,insanely involved in that baby.
(03:09):
I feel like with each kid thatwas, it took longer or shorter,
depending on the baby that I hadand the support system that I
had.
It was different with each kid,but each time I remember being
like, okay, wait now, theremight be a little bit of time
for me.
What do I even want to do withthat?
What do I want to do and justfeeling a little lost, like I
(03:35):
don't even know what I want todo anymore.
Like I was a competitiveballroom dancer in college and
after my fourth I was like, do Ieven want to go back to dance?
Like what do I want to do?
And so, anyway, I just had thisseason of just feeling a little
lost after each kid, butdefinitely like my fourth was in
(03:55):
the middle of COVID, so therewas like a whole lot of drama
going on.
I did my life coachcertification through Dr Jen
Ridey and the Vibrant Life CoachCertification, so I had some
new tools and some newunderstanding in my tool belt
and the thing that I finally waslike I want to do something for
(04:15):
me and she was offering aretreat.
So the retreat was in PuntaCana and I'd never been to Punta
Cana.
I knew no one.
Is that in the?
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Dominican Republic.
Yes, Dominican Republic.
I'm like, I think it is.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, yeah, and I'd never been there.
I like actually needed to lookon a map to find out where it
was.
Yeah, so I decided, you know,it costs a little bit of money.
But I was like you know what,like I deserve this.
It costs a little bit of money,but I was like you know what, I
deserve this.
How much money have we spent onmy kids' dance shoes?
How much money have we spent onsoccer cleats?
(04:50):
It's okay, mom gets a turn too.
So I organized all the mealsand got childcare for the kids
and figured all of the thingsout so I could go to this
retreat and at this retreat Ilike how moms have to do that
and dad's just.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
We need to change that a little bit.
But no, I mean I can appreciate.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I can hear you, so I decided to go and at this
retreat.
It was an amazing retreat, butI left with this list of things
that I wanted to do, and if youare a mom, I highly recommend
getting out of your daily life,even if it's for like a weekend.
(05:31):
But just getting away fromeverything gives you a different
perspective, allows you to seesome things a little more
clearly.
I don't know, do you agree with?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
that, oh, totally, totally.
But I think so many of us,because it's a lot of effort to
leave right, we think it'seasier to stay and not do that.
Or we just say, oh, we'll do itnext year or next month.
We tend to push it off, oh thatis.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Can I tell you how many times I've heard that?
Oh, I'll work on my dreamslater.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, when my kids are graduated or something, when
they all are in school.
Then I'll work on my dreamslater, when my kids are
graduated or something.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Yeah, when they all are in school then I'll do X, y
or Z when they are all driving.
Then I'll do something for meand it's like no.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Yes, even if it's just one hour.
Oh man.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I mean, go grab a hotel for a weekend or even just
one night at a hotel, dosomething.
But for me it was going toPunta Cana, going to this
retreat that Dr Jenridey led.
It was phenomenal.
But when I got done, on the way, on the plane ride on the way
home, I had had all the taken,all these copious notes, and in
(06:42):
the margins I was like, oh, Iwant to do this, I want to do
this, I want to do this, I wantto do this.
So on the plane ride on the wayhome, I wrote out all of these
things that I wanted to do, andthese were not like little
things, like want to read a book, like, although that is, one of
my goals this year was to reada book, because somehow sitting
down to read is just.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
I feel you.
I'm that same.
I'm that same way I can listento a book.
To sit and read a book feelshard yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So some of the things that I put on this list were
take my daughter on a 12 trip.
She's turning was turning 12.
So I wanted to take her, youknow, on do something.
That was just mom and daughter,just go do something fun.
(07:32):
I wanted to go to Englandtraveling first class, and I
even like this is my favoriteone, you guys, cause you know I
love to travel.
I put a little caveat, likefirst or second, cause I was
like really hesitant that Icould pull that off.
But um, I did that.
Um, organize my office and mygarage.
I had been a newbornphotographer for 13 years and
I'd kind of outgrown my spaceand I was like, can I stay here?
(07:55):
And I was like I don't know if,if I am, we got to get this
organized.
So those are just a couple ofthe things, but there ended up
being 16 things.
I'm kind of an overachiever.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Do you have an amount Like?
Do you encourage your clients?
Like to say, do five Like isthere, does it matter?
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Or it totally depends on the person and the goals.
Okay, If, if they're likecontradictory goals, it's really
hard to do them at the sametime.
Like if one of them costs youmoney and your other goal is to
make money or save money.
Like it can be hard to do themat the same time.
Like if one of them costs youmoney and your other goal is to
make money or save money.
Like it can be hard to do thoseat the same time.
But imagine, like we're alsotalking about like a year.
(08:34):
I like to do things in like ayear and I'll have a focus for
like a month at a time or acouple of weeks at a time.
But if I'm looking at like ayear long commitment here, you
can get quite a bit done in ayear and there's some things
that work well together.
Like if I want to get healthy,well, I'm only eating and
(08:54):
exercising for a certain part ofthe day, right?
So like I can try to gethealthy and work on my business,
yeah.
Or, and you know, and some ofthem like, hey, while I'm
organizing, I'm lifting all thisheavy stuff in.
Or, and you know, and some ofthem like, hey, while I'm
organizing, I'm lifting all thisheavy stuff in the garage and I
am getting healthy.
So some of them report to mereally well, yeah.
So I would just say it dependson the person and the goals.
(09:16):
But I mean obviously, like, ifyou have one thing that you're
focusing on, but is it, as theyear is going on, one thing that
you're focusing on, but as theyear is going on, I had 16 for
the year.
Yeah, so 16 for the year, thatis a lot, but I was really
determined and I had this newset of skills.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Did you complete all of those Like, were you able to?
Okay?
Speaker 2 (09:41):
No, I got 13 out of 16 done, which is amazing.
The fun thing with that is Iencourage people to do about 80%
, and what I did was 81%.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Oh wow, I was like why the 80% If you're shooting?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
for perfection.
It just puts way too muchpressure on way too much
pressure.
And I'm also really into likemaking your goal be flexible and
morphing it a little bit andtrying to get to like the root
of what it is.
So, like one of the things Iwanted to do was like run a half
marathon.
I did one before I got pregnantwith my first and I was like,
(10:22):
yeah, let's, that'd be a funbookend goal, Like I did one
before and now that I've had mylast kid, I'll do another one.
Well, I had this like crazyankle pain that was going on and
like I couldn't run and I wasin physical therapy.
So that goal needs to changeand the ultimate goal was to be
healthy.
(10:42):
Then, like there's lots ofdifferent ways to get healthy
right.
Half marathon is not your onlyoption.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yes or do your?
Speaker 2 (10:54):
physical therapy and like stop eating cake.
You know, I know chocolatechips are my weakness, but
anyway, there's other ways toget to the actual goal than the
step that I had decided I wasgoing to take.
So it just requires someevaluation and some tweak, yeah,
(11:18):
and I like the flexibility.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Like I think in life we have to be flexible because
something could happen that wedon't even know about in six
months and we don't want that toderail us.
Like well, if we wouldn't havemade these goals, like now we're
a failure.
Like do you find people areresistant to making goals, or
what's your experience?
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Yeah, I feel like there are a lot of people that
are allergic to the word goal.
They don't like it.
Yeah, and I totally get that.
And if you are feeling that way, I would ask that you reframe
it a little bit.
So, instead of saying like, oh,I have to set some goals for
new year's, like, oh, it'sJanuary, everybody's setting new
year's resolutions, I guess Ibetter jump on that train and
(12:01):
set some goals.
If that sounds terrible to you,please don't do it.
Please don't do that.
What I would reframe it is I amdiscovering my dreams and
making them a reality.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
What do I do?
That's so much better.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Like, oh, that feels so good.
Yes, sign me up for that class.
Right, like I want to do that.
So for me, I'm going to talkabout England, just because I
know that's my favorite.
Um, so we, I have ever since Iwas a little girl.
I loved Peter Pan, loved allthe pictures in our Peter Pan
book, had them flying by a bigBen, and so I decided we had
(12:42):
some friends that were my kids,like two of my kids, like best
buddies.
They went to England for a twoyear tour for the military, and
so we were like, if we're evergoing to go, like this is the
time, yeah, and I will tell you,my husband and I had like many
back and forth about thisbecause we had a three-year-old.
(13:05):
Like she wasn't even three yet,so she was like two, almost
three.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
She's not fun to travel with guys and you have to
buy a.
You have to buy a ticket forher.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, yeah, you have to buy a ticket for her and so,
anyway, I decided, if I'm goingto do this, like I have to get
my parents on board.
They're going to come with us.
So I called my parents and I'mlike, okay, you never know when
this could be the last trip youtake.
When are we going to have thisopportunity again?
We're going and I, like youknow five minute long speech
(13:39):
with like a PowerPoint, and mymom was like you had us at let's
go to England.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
You're like you gotta stop.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
She's like this was a really fun presentation.
But like, yeah, we're in, Ikept thinking they would have
more input or something, and weall decided that we got to pick
one thing that we wanted to do.
Oh, I love that, so that wasfun, Anyway.
So I'm going on this back andforth with my husband and he's
like he gets really anxious onflights, like really anxious.
(14:07):
And he's like I do not want tofly over the ocean.
This terrifies me.
So I was like well, we need tojust like give you a pill and
knock you out, yeah.
So why don't we put you infirst class so that you can lay
down and just zonk out and likeall be in the back with the kids
?
But then that sounded terrible.
Yeah, and then I'm with thebaby, right, yeah.
But then he was like well, whydon't you go in first class with
(14:31):
the toddler and I'll be in theback with her?
So I was like this just isn'tworking.
We're all going first class.
And he was like this is way tooexpensive, we're not going to
be able to do it, and so, anyway, I wasn't sure how it was going
to work out, but I put it on myvision board, I put all.
I put the picture of big Benand I wanted to do a photo shoot
(14:51):
by a big Ben and I put us liketraveling first class, and I had
no idea how that was going towork out.
When I first logged on to try tobuy the tickets, it was like
astronomical, oh shoot, maybethis isn't going to happen.
But then I was like no, it ison my vision board, this is what
I want.
(15:11):
I am going to figure this out.
So my husband left the room andhe's like I got to go change a
diaper, like you do, whateveryou do.
And so I kept searching and Ifound a flight that was.
It was first class foreverything, except the very last
leg from like Seattle back toCalifornia was not first class
(15:32):
and that was in budget.
And so I bought the tickets andhe was complaining about how
this was still so expensive.
And literally like an hourlater, I got a call from my mom
who worked for our accountanthey, by the way, I just got the
update from the accountant andthis is the amount that you're
(15:53):
going to get back for your taxrefund, and it was a hundred
dollars more than what I hadspent for these.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
So amazing, like seriously, I just love that.
I love that, like you put it.
I believe you put things out inthe universe that you really
want and desire and they cantotally happen, which is what
you, you manifested, thatmanifest.
It was amazing, so amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
So and we did have like literally the best time.
It was the trip of a lifetime.
I got my pictures by a big Ben,which it ended up like raining
at the end of our photo sessionand like part of my brain was
like, oh shoot, this is going toruin everything.
Those are some of my favoritepictures of us like dancing in
the rain on this bridge right byBig Ben, like it was magical,
it was super fun, that's soawesome.
Anyway, you just never know.
(16:47):
You know like what can happen.
Yeah, it was like why wait?
It's so true, there weredefinitely things that were, you
know, not very pleasant.
We ended up in Paris, too, andwe went to Montmartre and I had
no idea there could be that manystairs in one place.
Yes, and she was asleep in herstroller, so we had like one
(17:10):
person carrying the front, oneperson carrying the back, and we
literally carried this littleprincess up like a bajillion
flights of stairs to get towhere we needed to be.
But you know, it was just likewe're exhausted but we're
laughing and we're having funand like now it's like those are
like the best memories.
It's just our little princessthat just gets carried wherever
she is, as is your princess.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
So what is on your list for 2025?
Like, have you made?
Have you made your list yet, orso I haven't yet.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Um, so I've got my 24 list that I'm working on, but
little, I guess.
Tip.
Um, it doesn't have to beJanuary, so my year actually
goes like February to Februaryoh, that's when my retreat is.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Okay, so do you go on retreat every February?
Do you do this every?
Speaker 2 (17:58):
February yeah, so I'm going to go back on the retreat
.
So last year we were in Mexicoand then this year we're back in
Punta Cana.
But I've just decided thatthat's my new year, because I
can decide right.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
Yeah, I love that Because sometimes people feel so
much pressure January one rightthat we've got to, we've got to
do these goals.
But I do love that because thenit just gives you some time and
space.
You get to decide, which isgreat.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I love it.
January is great and if youwant to do January, awesome,
like so fun.
But I will say most peopledon't set new years resolutions.
They set new January, yes.
Yes, they're trying to cram allof their goals into like two or
three weeks and then you getfrustrated because you didn't
(18:52):
lose 30 pounds in two weeks oryou didn't, you know, book the
travel that you wanted in thatfirst two days that you looked,
and then you give up and thenyou're like, well, I'll just
wait till next year, yeah, so,um, I really feel like when
we're setting a new year'sresolution, whenever you decide
your year starts right, I don'tcare, make sure that you're it's
(19:14):
for the whole year and liketime it appropriately.
So, yeah, lose 30 pounds.
Don't try to lose all 30 poundsin the first two weeks, like,
yeah, all year.
Yeah, be flexible If you lose25.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Awesome, yeah.
Celebrate the wins instead offocus on what you didn't do.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, yeah, I did want to say one thing about.
I know your audience is moms,and so I just wanted to say, um,
one of the goals was to take mydaughter on a 12 trip and it
was one day.
Right, this was not like lifechanging or like life altering,
okay, but we decided that I wasgoing to do this with her and I
(19:55):
was like my husband was workingthat day, so I was like, shoot,
what am I going to do with theother kids?
So I had to get childcare formy other kids I have three other
kids and, um, and then myhusband was at work.
So, anyway, I just want to saythat, like when I made a
decision to do something formyself, well, and my daughter,
we went to an amusement park andwe had a fabulous time.
(20:18):
My other three kids went withNana and Papa.
They went to a.
It was pie day, like you know,like oh yeah, and they had a
church function where theybrought like a gazillion pies
and they ate pie and they got togo to their cousin's soccer
game and it was just like anormal day but to them.
They got to spend the day withtheir cousins and with Nana and
(20:38):
Papa and they ate pie.
It was the best day ever forthem.
Yeah, my husband got doneworking early and he didn't have
any other responsibilities, sohe got to go to a superhero
movie that he had really wantedto see.
So, and everybody, when we camehome that night, everyone was
so happy and like we had allthese stories to tell each other
and like it was just likeawesome, like when you do
(21:01):
something for yourself, you liftyour mood, but then you also
lift everybody around you.
Yeah, I just, I just, mom, godo something for yourself,
because everybody with you.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
And I love that you didn't let that day deter.
You like, oh, now I have to asksomeone, even if you have to
hire a babysitter, or which I'mguessing you would have done
like you were dedicated.
This is your birthday, this iswhat I'm doing, you're not going
to let anything get in your way, right?
Which I think we sometimes werelike oh, that feels too hard.
(21:36):
I find if I plan ahead of timeand commit ahead of time, like
walk, anything, that I'm morelikely to do it.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Well, and then also getting back to that, why so,
instead of like it's a goal, youknow, like what?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
was my dream.
What was your?
Why with your?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
dream was that I wanted to celebrate her birthday
.
Like turning 12 is like a bigdeal.
I know 13 is like normal formaybe a girl, but for for our
family, like turning 12 is a bigdeal.
So, like she's turning 12 and Ireally wanted to do something
to mark that and celebrate thatwith her.
And I wanted it to be just thetwo of us, because we don't
(22:16):
often get a lot of time withjust the two of us.
So that was my why, like Ireally wanted to celebrate with
her and so it's like okay.
Well then, yeah, I'm going tohave to find childcare, I might
have to pay for childcare, Imight have to like swap, so like
I'm sacrificing another weekendday so I can swap with the kids
for somebody else.
(22:37):
But it was on my vision board.
I had that little picture of uscelebrating at this amusement
park and so like I have sixflags.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Oh, so much fun.
Is that you live in California,right?
Yeah, I'm in NorthernCalifornia.
We don't have six flags here,but that's so much fun.
What do you think some of yourlife lessons like by doing this?
What has it taught you about somany?
Or what have you learned aboutyourself?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
What have I learned?
Okay, so I think the number onetakeaway is to do a vision
board mm-hmm.
Get your dreams down on paper,get really clear on what you
want, and I know sometimes, likewe talked about being a lost
mom and I know your audiencemight have some like trauma or
you know, like some things thatare going on that you don't want
(23:29):
, and it's really easy to focuson like what you don't want, yes
, but especially when things arelike going not the way you want
, it's really important to getclear on what you do want and
what you can control, and so Iwent through my goals and
decided what can I control, whatcan I do, and get really clear
(23:53):
on it.
And when you're envisioningyourself on a roller coaster
with your daughter with yourhands up in the air, screaming
and having the greatest time,it's not very easy to let that
go Like.
Now I'm like really into it.
I have smelled the funnel cakeand I have seen how much fun
you're going to have.
I know I am committed now andonce you've been able to get
(24:17):
really clear on what you do want, what does that look like?
What does it smell like, whatdoes it feel like?
And when you can like, whatdoes it?
What does it look like?
It looks like this rollercoaster and funnel cake and a
smiling kid.
Now I know exactly what I'mputting on my vision board, the
roller coaster, the funnel cakeand the smiling kid Right.
(24:39):
And now I'm like super committed, I'm super there and I'm going
to make it happen.
It doesn't have to happen thisweek or this month, but sometime
this year.
We're going to make that happen, right, yeah, so I think making
a vision board cause in orderto make it, you have to be clear
on what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And having specific goals, likeI've had some business goals
and it's like no, actually picka number right, like you need to
choose a number how manyclients do you want, or how many
followers, or whatever and picka number and it gives you
something to work for RightDuring that.
Just like how many followers,or whatever, and pick a number
and it gives you something towork for Right During that year.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
It's not to say that you can't be flexible with it.
Yeah, yeah, you put the number12 on your vision board, like I
want to have 12 clients, andlike you come to the end of the
year and you've got five.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Well, okay, you can like take a Sharpie and mark.
You didn't.
You had zero at the beginning.
So then it's like, wow, I havefive new clients and yeah, I, I
totally agree.
I think, I think, just thinkthis is so amazing.
So, jessica, if someone wantsto hire you like, how, how do
you help people?
Like, if you're like, if any ofmy listeners are thinking like,
oh, I want a vision board, butI just need a little bit of
(25:52):
extra help, how could they getahold of you?
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Okay, well, number one I'm going to view like just
a couple of things that youcould do on your own, okay, okay
, so I would number one downloadCanva.
If you are familiar with Canvalike it is so easy, you can
learn it in like a couple hours.
Okay, I feel like a lot oftimes when people hear the word
vision board, they're thinking Ihave to go buy a ton of
magazines, I have to get thescissors and the glue and like,
(26:22):
if you're not super crafty, likethat is like a barrier in and
of itself, like I do not want towaste all this money and time.
And then for me, I was having ahard time because we what?
I'm going to spend $5 on thismagazine because I want one
picture and it's not even theright size.
Yeah, how do you do that?
So, um, but because I've been aphotographer for you know, 13
(26:45):
years, I have designed tons ofstuff, um, in like Photoshop and
and other.
Um, but I love Canva, it's soeasy to design stuff in Canva
and other.
But I love Canva, it's so easyto design stuff in Canva.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Yeah, and I can do it too, and I'm not a professional
, so yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
So when you think about a digital vision board,
like, well, now I don't have togo buy a bunch of stuff, like, I
can download Canva.
There's, you know, free Canva.
I can pull any picture I wantfrom the internet and I can.
There's a zillion fonts, I cando whatever color I choose, like
.
So it just opens up this worldof possibilities.
(27:24):
So there's even in Canva youcan, you can type in like vision
board, and there's templatesalready there.
So they've made it really easyto go and do that.
So, number one download Canvaand I would absolutely like pick
some, some words and visionsthat they are really going to be
(27:48):
meaningful to you.
Anyway, so you can use Canva.
It's awesome.
I also have, if you want to goto my website,
jessicaericksonphotographycomslash gift.
I have the top three thingsthat you should have on your
vision board.
It's going to be, it's fun, andin that document I also have
(28:11):
the top three resources.
Number one is to download Canvaand I'll tell you whether you do
a physical vision board or adigital vision board.
I would love it if you hadmultiple sizes of it and in
different places.
Okay, yeah, like on yourcomputer.
Yeah, yeah, here's my magic,magic tip, okay, Okay.
(28:34):
So if you have your big visionboard somewhere where you see it
the most for me it's in mybathroom.
I know I'm going to pee atleast 10 times today, right, so
I have it in my bathroom.
I also have a copy in my officeand I have a small four by six
in my car on the visor.
(28:58):
Oh yeah, what a great idea.
So seeing it in differentplaces at different times will
give you different results.
So I remember one time that Iwas like oh hey, my, I hold it
onto my visor with my garagedoor opener.
So I was like, oh well, wealready went on that 12 trips,
so I'm going to just move thegarage door opener over.
(29:20):
And then I realized like, oh,on the bottom right of my vision
board it says that I want tostart dancing again.
I have five minutes until myson is done with practice.
What can I do in the next fiveminutes?
That would get me one stepcloser to that.
And I was like well, I can callmy coach and ask when auditions
(29:41):
are and tell her I'm coming toauditions.
So I did it, and that then gaveme some accountability, because
I know she's not letting me offthe hook Right.
I put it in my calendar whenthe auditions were so.
Anyway, it just helped me takelike a step towards that, and I
had seen that every morning.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
And you have lots of time in your car.
You're sitting there.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Yeah, yeah, so you'll .
You'll find different times,you'll have different things pop
in your head based on, like,where you're seeing it too, so,
anyway, okay.
So if you want to work with me,like I, I think everybody
should have a vision board, evenif it's just like a couple of
words and a picture.
But if you are like I need someextra help I don't want to do
(30:21):
this myself, cause that'sanother thing people tell me
like, oh yeah, I would totallydo that.
I just never get around to it.
Yeah, yeah, that's me.
So I do have a done for youvision board where, if you'll
jump on a call with me, if youalready know what your goals are
and you know what you want todo, I will design that like with
(30:41):
you on a zoom call and then Iwill ship it right to your door
so you literally don't have todo anything.
Wow, that's all done for youand it will come in all the
sizes I recommend and it's done.
And if you want to do a deepdive, where you want to go
through that whole program thatI did to accomplish that 13 out
(31:03):
of 16 of my goals, I do that aswell, and the done for you
vision board is included in that12 week program, so oh, that's
so awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
So I'm going to put all of Jessica's information in
the show notes.
So if you're interested in this, go to the show notes and you
can check it out.
Jessica, thanks so much forcoming on to my podcast.
I just think this is, in myopinion, such a valuable work to
help us, like find the bestversions of ourselves when we're
creating dreams creating ourdreams right, I'm not going to
(31:34):
say goals.
Thanks so much for coming on.
I appreciate you and I'm justso grateful.
Anyway, thanks everyone forlistening today.
If you like this podcast,please share it with your
friends and family and leave areview so other people can find
it.
Have a beautiful day and I willtalk to you next week.
(31:56):
If you want to learn how tolive happily even after, sign up
for my email at hello at lifecoach Jen, with one ncom.
Follow me on Instagram andFacebook at happily even after.
Coach.
Let's work together to createyour happily even after.
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