“What you plant now, you will harvest later.” — Og Mandino

Last week, my 15-year-old son used my old laptop to work on a school project. As he opened it, I looked over and saw the desktop image: a vision board collage I made 18 months ago to represent the type of work I wanted to do after leaving law.

I made the vision board a year after giving notice to my firm. I spent that year developing my coaching skills, investing in additional training, building an audience on social media, networking, and clarifying my niche, or the people I was best suited to serve and the problems I was best suited to help them solve.

Everything on the vision board had come true.

There was an image of a woman in a suit facilitating a corporate workshop, representing the paid speaking opportunities I wanted to do.

I’ve since facilitated two paid workshops, one for a law firm and one for a corporate legal department, in addition to unpaid opportunities that have led to paying coaching clients.

There was an image of a woman playing sound healing instruments, representing the sound baths I wanted to offer.

I’ve since been paid to offer over a dozen sound baths and have been hired for retreats and events.

There was an image of a woman on her computer, talking with someone in a virtual meeting, representing how I wanted to grow my remote coaching business.

I’ve since coached numerous lawyers and other professionals, received testimonials describing my clients’ profound transformations, and have quadrupled my coaching income as I’ve gained more training and experience.

There was an image of a woman meditating in nature and an image of a woman touching a tree, representing my desire to strengthen my meditation practice and spend more time in nature.

I’ve since become a certified forest bathing guide, meditation teacher, and breath work facilitator and have spent many hours in meditation and nature, both in solitude and in guiding others.

There was an image of a nature-based retreat venue and an image of a group of women sitting outside in a circle, laughing, representing my desire to host transformational nature-based women’s retreats.

Since then, I’ve co-facilitated several day-long and half-day women’s retreats and am solo-facilitating a sold-out four-day women’s retreat in Sedona next month. The image of the retreat venue on the vision board looks nearly identical to the outdoor wooden sauna at the Sedona venue.

And it’s not just that I get to facilitate a retreat in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

It’s hearing from one of the attendees that she recently lost her husband, became an empty-nester, and chose this retreat as her “gift to herself” for the year. It’s hearing that another attendee is using her last few days of PTO to attend the retreat because, for her, it is a “full-body yes.” It’s hearing from two overwhelmed and overworked women that this is the highlight of their year.

With damp eyes, I find myself saying “thank you, thank you, thank you” to the Universe again and again.

“Thought is the seed; action is the harvest.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Seeing this vision board caused me to pause and reflect on all that’s transpired in the past 18 months. Then, I immediately told my son the story. By showing my kids they can accomplish whatever their hearts desire through intention, visualization, and consistent, committed action, I seek to plant seeds of possibility and potential in their fertile minds.

This week, the harvest continued.

Through prayer and visualization, I’ve been seeking to manifest more of the type of coaching clients I love serving and more speaking opportunities. I imagine the smiling faces of those I serve. I picture myself speaking with confidence. I feel myself deeply connecting with others.

I also bought two new suits. In preparing for the speaking opportunities I’ve had in the past year, I struggled to find something in my closet that was professional, fit well, and felt good. I had donated my old lawyer suits years ago because they no longer fit. I bought the new suits before I had the speaking opportunities, trusting the opportunities would come.

Signaling to the Universe my trust and readiness.

In the past week, I’ve signed two new coaching clients, both of whom I’m honored and excited to serve, and received two new speaking opportunities.

In the past month, I’ve also been seeking to manifest more friendships with empowered women who are living courageously and following their hearts. I’ve made two new friends, both lawyers I met through LinkedIn. Both just booked flights to Phoenix, where I live.

I also discovered that some long-time friends are on their own journeys of transformation. Our conversations have gotten deeper and more meaningful.

While I know the reality of the Buddhist concept of the eight worldly winds (that life is an ever-changing experience of gain and loss, pleasure and pain, praise and blame, and fame and disrepute), this time of harvest feels so good I could cry. And I have several times this week.

Tears of gratitude and joy that this is my life.

I’ve been through dark nights of the soul and times that felt like death. I’ve been lost and confused. I’ve been overwhelmed and burned out. I’ve lost people I love to death and addiction. I nearly lost my marriage.

And, since the nature of life is impermanence and everything changes and ends, I know hard times will come.

But today, this week, this season, I am celebrating the harvest.