Vision Boarding: creative art to identify and communicate one’s passions


I’ve been reminded of elements of my “personal brand” recently. These aren’t unique or even original. But, I knitted together my own thoughts and truths into a framework of living…a brand.  So far, in its second year, much hasn’t changed – which tells me it’s at the right level.

Large Corporations might need to create new objectives each year to keep their puppets motivated and focused on making shareholders money. But, my life isn’t that complicated. While change is a constant, I believe it makes sense to have some fundamental truths and beliefs which, while open to discussion and learning that might evolve or eradicate them, are nonetheless relatively constant compared to other daily activities or ongoing challenges.

When I first created my “brand,” I printed them and tacked them to the wall in my home office.  I then surrounded my wall clock and creative space with quotes, cards, photographs, letters, or other knick-knacks that meant something special to me. A letter from a friend during a tough time in my recent past; a birthday card from my mom, who died in 2013; a motivating front bulletin cover from Broadway UMC. These kept me grounded, motivated me, and called me to be myself and live fully.

While change is a constant, I also believe being flexible and “living in the grey” of life means changing things up a little, even if just to tell a story a little differently to keep things interesting. (I think I learned this at Broadway UMC, where we are often playing with certain elements of the service or their flow together…)

Turning that soft belief into action is something I owe to my partner Brandon. As a couple getting married in September, we have a lot of change going on – along with continuing to get to know each other and build a life together as a couple. I’m learning more about myself through the process, and at times, this process of living in harmony with someone tests my belief systems or lenses through which I see the world.

And that is a good and healthy thing, in my opinion.

So, being a little more right brained and creative, instead of finding more cards, letters, photos to tell my story or communication a vision…we went with magazine and newsprint clippings. Words, phrases, advertisements, tag lines, photos…all is fair game.  We kept things very high level, without timeframes or project plans.  It’s more conceptual, more spirit-led perhaps, and open to more interpretation and depth or difference of perception.

And it’s pretty fun to put together.

These are the three panels in my vision board.  It’s less “social justice” focused, and more personal – about passions, hobbies, high level motivation with some directional goals.  So, it’s “home” now at the office for a couple years until we shake it up again sometime…

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Now, I think Brandon should teach “Vision Boarding” as a hands-on workshop at Trade School Indianapolis.  If you agree, please comment on this post so we can encourage Brandon to give it some consideration!

VULNERABILITY SUCKS…but it’s also the “birthplace of innovation, creativity and change”


Over the past two weeks, we’ve had a friend staying with us who is in early recovery from addiction. It’s been refreshing to talk with him about his new pair of glasses through which he sees himself. It’s also been challenging and rewarding because it’s caused me to look in the mirror and reflect on where I am today, vs. my own early days of recovery. And it’s been reenergizing to learn some fresh perspectives on addiction and recovery. For all of this I’m grateful.

One of the best insights he has given me is how he spends his free time. He doesn’t watch much TV. He plays some games on his iphone for fun. But he also listens to inspirational and motivational speakers from TedTalks and other sources, including audio books. He fills his mind with positive, sometimes game changing ways of thinking about self, community, and the world.

One of the speakers and authors he introduced us too is Brené Brown. Her insights into fear, shame and vulnerability are nothing short of game changing, particular how she ties them to addiction, depression, anxiety and other ills that plague our world today…ills that plague me today.

I’ve included two of her powerful TedTalks. Please, take time to listen to these…

Where these have touched me today have to do with being an entrepreneur – a small business person. Because for me, much of this is new… I was raised by parents who “worked for the man” in large corporations or universities…being a small business owner is new for me… Making a living as a creative photographer and technical consultant is all about change and innovation as I figure out my brand, my unique niche…  Honestly, it’s scary as hell…  (there’s my vulnerability for today…)

I have so much fear of failure, and fear of success, that sometimes I’m paralyzed. And I have failed. Many times. Just today, I was frustrated with a project that has been full of challenges, mistakes, and research…and also one from which I’m learning a lot. If I had been counting, I’ve had at least 27 bumps in the road… But my reaction too often is “I’ve failed…” or worse, “I’m a failure.” (there’s my shame for today…”

This afternoon, I threw up my hands in frustration and said “I quit.”

Then, I was reminded of her TedTalk on shame that I had just watched last night. (Oh, how soon we forget…) Brené reminds me of some truths I’m wrestling with as I throw my hands up and quit...(ok, so I won’t quit…)  

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.”

“To create is to make something that has never existed before. There’s nothing more vulnerable than that.“

“You know why [TedTalks] is amazing? Because very few people here are afraid to fail. And no one who gets on the stage, so far that I’ve seen, has not failed. I’ve failed miserably, many times. I don’t think the world understands that, because of shame.”

Brené Brown

So, I guess it’s time for me to put on my big girl panties, put this Edison quote up on my wall, and get back to that damn project. Because I haven’t failed 27 times… This is just a “creative process with 27+ steps…”

As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Here are the two TedTalks I mentioned.  Enjoy…you’ll be uncomfortable and may even want to stop midway through.  But, I promise you – she has powerful (and funny!) insights to share. So please make some time to listen to her…

When asked “What are you good at?” the prostitute told the pastor “I’m really good with people…”


Sometimes I’m surprised by the dumb things people say.  Sometimes those things come out of my mouth.

This woman came to see me because she had to do community service for the court system. I asked her what her crime was and she told me “prostitution.”  Because I wanted to figure out what we could have her do around the church, before I could stop myself I found myself asking her “so, what are you good at?”  Her reply: “I’m really good with people.”

We put her to work providing hospitality to people who came to the building.  And she was really good at it!

Mike Mather

I love the way Mike tells stories – particularly when they help drive a point home with listeners. I wish I had 20% of his long-term memory and recall of details. But, I digress…

Mike gets some great questions. And some surprisingly dumb ones. But he generally finds a way to bring the story back around…

I love when he tells this story. Because it’s my story. But more importantly, it demonstrates in action how people I’ve come to call “neighbors” practice seeing people for who they really are – behind the stereotypes, labels and preconceptions we might put on those same people.

“Everybody has gift, yea sure. But what do you do with people who are mentally ill or who are drug addicted?”

Question from a visitor to Broadway

To hear the surprising response, I invite you to listen to Mike’s message. The juicy relevant pieces are in the beginning 4:33 minutes…

I probably would have lost my identity struggle with addiction as well as my identity as a contributing member of society had it not been for the simple acts of compassion I was shown – the friendships, the walks around the neighborhood talking, the new lens through which I’ve started to see myself and the world around me…

For that, I’m humbled and grateful. Thank you Mike, Rachel, Cathy, Karen, Kathy, Mike, Ann, Seana, Fran, Scott, Diane, Amy, MaryAnn, Cindy, Scott, Bill, Sue Ann, Mike, Mark, Chris, Holly, De’Amon, Terri, Greg, John, Sandya and many others…