A few weeks ago, Henrieta and I held an in-person journaling workshop. It was the first in-person event that we have had since February of 2020. That is not to say that we have not had events, it was just the first one, in a long time, with everyone in the same room. This event came with a lot of discussion, some extra planning, and faith.
We started Intentional Energy 3 around November of 2012 and have been leading workshops, retreats, seminars, and other events since. We never could have imagined the events of 2020 and how they would change the way we work, and the many opportunities that would become available to us.
In the past 18 months we have had to learn a lot of different and new technology, tap into our creative sides to think outside of the boxes we have created in our lives. Ones that we were comfortable working and living in. We needed to open our minds and hearts to new and different directions and opportunities. To accomplish all of this we had to rely on one very important constant in our life, our faith.
Faith in our God, and faith in ourselves is the foundation that all else is built on. It guided us in the realization that we can adapt, grow, and even embrace new and different ways to live and work. It is what helped us navigate the difficulties that we experienced and the ever-changing world that we are living in.
I was nervous about our first in person event. I was not sure of how it would work and if we would be able to meet the expectations of those attending. We had to think about the space and the number of people that could attend. We had to discuss how to handle the topics of masks and vaccinations with grace and compassion while keeping in mind safety and health. We had to practice some self-care and take time to examine our own feelings and emotions that came with gathering people together and leading the workshop.
In the last few months Henrieta and I have been learning and using new and different ways to bring people together. We have attended workshops, read books and articles, and been part of multiple group discussions. We researched many ways to keep the connections between people open. Some of the connections are virtual, some are in person, and some are a combination of the two. These connections are our chance to create community. In our next few blogs we will be sharing some of the things that we have learned and used.
As for our journaling event, I have to say that everything turned out wonderful. The people who hired us were wonderful, the facility that we were presenting in was really wonderful, the participants were wonderful, the workshop flowed wonderfully, and we all had a wonderful time. It can sometimes be… A Wonderful Life.
Reflections:
· What gatherings have you missed being a part of?
· How have your gatherings changed?
· What are some new ways that you have considered to get friends and family together?
· Where has your faith helped you in the ever changing world that we are living in?