Blog – Page 6 – Cultivate Connection

September 1, 2018April 13, 2019

Unmet Expectations

Expectations can be such a driving force in my life. I paint a picture in my mind of how things should go and often times reality comes out in a very different way. When we bought our van I expected we would be hitting the road, off on adventures and exploring the world right away. Turns out we spent the first two months of our adventure parked mostly at my parents place. Don’t feel sorry for me, my parents live in a little piece of paradise. A house right on the lake, and not just any spot on the lake but I dare say it is the most beautiful spot. Complete with beach access, a private bay for swimming, paddle boards, kayaks and stunning views. I grew up here every summer and might take it for granted sometimes.

August 19, 2018April 13, 2019

Is everyone saying the same thing?

A podcast microphone — Photo credit: Kelly

I’m going to plant a seed in your mind; one that asks why and will forever change the way you think about professional development. Are you ready?

Over the past 15 years or so I’ve been passionate about personal development. This is ironic because I feel like I’m nowhere near as personally developed as I would expect to be given all the books, podcasts, and videos consumed over nearly two decades. Reminds me of a quote I’ve tweeted: “If more information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.” – Derek Sivers.

August 8, 2018April 13, 2019

Pursuing Your Dream

April 2 2018, it was Easter Monday and we were driving from Creston back to Abbotsford, British Columbia. While listening to an audio book along that drive, something awakened inside of us. A dream turned reality can be traced back to a seed planted that day. We didn’t know it at the time, but in 82 days our lives would look very different.

Maybe you have heard of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Lee and I have never met them, but their book The Magnolia Story impacted our lives in a significant way. In it, the HGTV stars share their journey together, including all the ups and downs leading up to their hit TV show The Fixer Upper. The thing that really resonated with us was Chip and Joanna’s desire to work together. This has been a strong desire of mine and Lee’s for many years, but for whatever reason we talked more about that dream than actually pursuing it.

August 1, 2018April 13, 2019

More than enough

Lately I’ve noticed I spend a lot of time disqualifying myself from the very things that are in my heart to do. I have compiled a long list in my head a of “not enough.” I am not good enough for this. I don’t have enough money for that. These are the comfortable excuses I used to shut down things before they even start. What happens when this list gets long? I start to forget the dreams in my heart all together. I tend to hide. Hide the struggle, get lost in busyness, binge watch Netflix, or find comfort in food. Choosing activities that numb and in doing so lose connection to myself in the process. Letting my dreams and possibilities fade into the background.

January 26, 2018April 13, 2019

Warning! You may be sabotaging your life and not even know it.

How to cultivate seeds that bear fruit, not thorns.

Cultivate

By definition cultivate is to prepare, get ready, begin, or tend to. The breaking up of soil to prepare earth for planting or sowing. It also means to acquire or develop a quality, sentiment or skill. To foster growth, to improve, care, study, refine, or elevate.

Connection

Connection can be defined as a relationship in which a person, thing or idea is linked with something else. To become joined.

January 22, 2018April 13, 2019

What’s in a seed?

Three years ago today Cultivate Connection found it’s genesis. As I look back now, and if I am honest there really wasn’t any forethought to start a guided bible based meditation podcast. In fact, I stumbled my way into this. It is still a little surreal that once a week I record myself meditating on scripture and hanging out with Jesus and then post it online for people I have never met to listen to. That is normal, right? So if I didn’t dream it up how did we get from there to here?