What's It Like to Work with a Remote Graphic Recorder?

Okay, so you’ve decided you want to partner with a remote graphic recorder for your online meeting. Does that mean you’ve signed yourself up for hours of extra prep and planning? The answer is a big, tall glass of “nope”!

Here’s a look at how easy it is to bring in a remote scribe.

The short version:

Send me your agenda, and I’ll prepare as needed. You research mycelium? I figure out how to draw mycelium. You lead an innovation team? I sketch ideas for how to visualize the intangible ideas.

Then I hop on the meeting platform about 20 minutes early to test screen sharing, and make sure we’re on the same page about transitions. You do your thing, I do mine, and you get a gorgeous summary of key content to share and leverage moving forward!

The more complex version:

If we’re collaborating on a series of meetings or a longer event, there’s typically at least two planning calls per meeting where we get clear about purpose, how the visuals will best serve your goals, and brainstorm creative ways to leverage the visuals.

Do you want to create a cohesive brand around a series of meetings and the visual outputs? Let’s design it!

Will custom templates support breakout groups’ discussions and facilitate a concise and focused report back? Let’s make them!

How will visuals be shared and used long-term? Let’s design a communication strategy to keep participants involved!

In addition, there’s often 1-2 hours of practicing tech and transitions before the event to make sure everything runs smoothly, and we have backup plans if Murphy’s Law strikes.

After an event, it’s also really useful to do a 15 minute debrief with the core planning team and make sure next steps and who’s responsible are clear, as well as how visuals will be shared and if there’s any follow-up drawing that needs to happen to achieve your goals.

What do you get in return? Here’s what Deborah Gilburg said this week:

“Karina is creating a lot of opportunity for people to think differently by creating these drawings.”

This is our time to think differently! To create opportunities for what we believe in, and to let go of what’s not serving us.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Digital World is ConverSketch?

Infrastructure Masons’ Global Member Summit: Industry leaders focused on sustainability and innovation in the world of data centers. I was honored to capture the keynotes with Kate Brandt; Chief Sustainability Officer at Google, and Noelle Walsh; Chief Sustainability Officer at Microsoft. Hearing their visions, backed by action, intelligent teams, and big hearts reinvigorated my hope for our planet’s future!

ShapingEDU: Applying AI to the Student Debt Crisis. This launch introduced the grassroots approach to leveraging AI to solve massively complex problems like convincing policymakers the need for solar infrastructure in Nigeria, and now focusing on student debt. Anyone is invited to join this global AI hackathon until June 30th!

YOU Can Prevent Your Coworkers from Becoming Zoom Zombies!

Alright folks, time for some real talk.

We’re likely all experiencing the mixed blessing that is remote video meeting platforms. I mean, according to the company, Zoom’s daily users grew to more than 200 million in March from a previous maximum total of 10 million!

Here’s a personal example: One of my friends who happens to be a bosswoman told me she had 34 meetings scheduled last week. That’s pretty much 7 meetings a day for 5 days!

Let’s let that sink in.

On top of the other stresses each of us is figuring out how to navigate (I’m looking at you, Uncertainty!), all of a sudden, our days are filled with video calls which are exhausting. Tell me they’re less exhausting than a normal meeting. Go on.

Jocelyn K. Glei frames a solution in a simple mindset shift: If we think of the time in our calendar that is scheduled as the productive time, we find our calendars filled up with meetings and calls. HOWEVER, to do the creative, meaningful work we want to, we must preserve time outside of meetings. She calls this applying white space to the calendar. And here’s my take on how to practice inviting in white space in various ways.

White Space in Your Calendar to Get Stuff Done: Simple in concept, difficult in practice.

So, what tools do we have to create space and help us avoid Meeting Overload, and these days, Zoom Zombiedom? In classic facilitator fashion, have I got some questions for you!

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to help you decide if you REALLY do need a meeting:

• Is there a key person I can call to have this conversation/make a decision instead of holding a meeting?

• Does the meeting have clear goals? If not, create them or don’t have it! Clear goals allows for more action, and more time between follow-up meetings.

• Do your goals require real-time conversation to achieve? What other tools could you use to share or receive the same information?

And for those of you who have cancelled or rescheduled a larger event, here are some process questions(from So You Want to Host a Web Meeting to help your planning team make the best decision about whether to take your event online.

Larger Event (or smaller one too if you’

• The meeting is important to the work, life, and interests of the people interested. We know this because ______. (Give evidence. Is it important because it’s mission critical? Because someone in charge said so? Be specific and concrete! Take participants’ perspectives into account)

• By the end of the meeting we (conveners and participants) will have ______. (Describe what will have happened in as much detail as possible, using STRONG action verbs - “heard” is not one!)

• The reasons this meeting should be held online is ______. (Probably because of COVID-19. Be clear why it is a good or not so good option.)

• If we didn’t have this meeting, _______ will happen. (If there isn’t a good reason for the meeting, don’t have it!)

My final bonus recommendation for those meetings you DO decide are absolutely necessary: Take pauses regularly to breathe, even if it’s just for 30 seconds.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch? At home! I hope you are too :)

This digital real-time graphic is from Arizona State University’s Public Service Academy’s Virtual Design Conference last week. Leadership shared how the program prepares the next generation of public service professionals for real-world solution seeking.

I’m partnering with USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on a series of virtual meetings leading up to an in-person event. This diverse team of researchers is co-creating a vision for agricultural water resources for the next 30 years.

I got to collaborate with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in February on their social science summit, and the folks I worked with liked my Work From Home tips so much, they asked to share them on their internal site! Can you spot the ConverSketches above?

If you’re also finding yourself on more video calls than ever before and need a way to keep participants focused and anchored to their shared story, let’s explore how to leverage digital graphic recording or remote facilitation for you!

How to Manage Uncertainty and Adapt on the Fly: Five Remote Meeting Strategies You Can Implement Today

How are you all doing? I hope this email finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy, and making time for a few deep breaths. Be gentle with yourselves, have as much fun as you can, and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you as we navigate this wild time.

Speaking of wild, it’s hard to imagine that a month ago, I was at the third annual ShapingEDU Unconference at Arizona State University. We all know how rapidly the COVID situation has been evolving, and though we had initially expected over 200 invite-only participants to join us at ASU, around 50 folks made it in person with many more joining remotely from around the world.

Karina graphic recording in person at Arizona State University - ShapingEDU Day 1

However, after first full day the organizing team made some difficult decisions. Ultimately, they decided to shift to a fully remote meeting for the final half day of the Unconference.  

That’s right: On Thursday the Unconference was blended in-person and online, and on Friday morning, all participants were fully remote. Without missing a beat, this remarkable group kept co-creating together – we weren’t going to lose the opportunity!

Screen sharing in Zoom, graphic recording on my iPad (behind my shoulder) - ShapingEDU Day 2

So, what made it possible for this group to pivot and adapt so quickly? How can your team learn from ShapingEDU?

Here are five observations as to what enabled this agile Unconference to remain successful despite unprecedented hurdles, that you can learn from and implement today!

1. The group was already used to blended learning – we meet regularly for webinars throughout the year between Unconferences to keep the work going.

   What you can do: Take some time to make sure your people are comfortable with the platform you’re using and make support accessible. Practice often!

2. We had a killer tech team supporting the whole event – streaming multiple cameras to Zoom, using mics so remote participants could hear, and a team of people monitoring the chat and Slack channels to answer questions and help with technical issues.

   What you can do: Have someone designated to help you run your remote meeting and be clear on expectations and roles for the two of you. Who will guide the conversation? Keep time? Monitor the chat? Even if it’s just you, think about how you can set expectations and build in time during the call to check on the chat, answer questions, and provide support.

3. Organizers communicated changes clearly and transparently – they were swift to share updates and how to continue participating. They leveraged multiple avenues for sharing how and when to stay involved, and kept it simple.

   What you can do: Have templates prepared ahead of time for various scenarios that might emerge. Post language for different outlets in a Google Doc that’s shared so your team all has the same info, and have a plan for who will make sure it’s shared where.

4. Graphic facilitation was leveraged in-person and remotely to provide continuity and engagement – at ASU, we created towers with boards on-site and live-streamed visuals to remote participants, and when we moved remotely, we shifted to screen sharing digitally created graphic notes. Watching the literal shape of the report outs emerge kept participants interested and helps catch people back up on the most important ideas, even if they do need to step away for a bit.

   What you can do: Partner with a graphic recorder before your remote meeting to brainstorm ways to leverage visuals to minimize the temptation of multi-tasking, keep track of many ideas, and build a shared picture of the conversation.

5. There was continuity throughout and after the Unconference -- from live to online sessions to continuing to work remotely between Unconferences, the ShapingEDU team knows that the visuals provide a solid foundation for building on ideas over time. They were sure to make the most of the graphics created during the Unconference in a follow up email (see below) with a clear call to action for next steps sparked memories and kept the community engaged even afterwards.

   What you can do: Create a communication strategy with a clear summary of the event and next steps for action from participants. Work with your graphic recorder so you’ve got visually engaging content that helps transport participants back to the ideas shared during the meeting, and carries the key ideas forward.

The follow up email after ShapingEDU 2020.

While meeting online often means lowering expectations for what is doable, you don’t have to sacrifice everything. Let’s explore how to leverage digital graphic recording or remote facilitation for you!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Staying Home Even though live events have been cancelled for the next few weeks, I’m always impressed with how my clients adapt and innovate on the fly, and I’ve been digital graphic recording live for remote meetings.

How Can I Use the Graphics After an Event? In January I supported the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) during their annual conference in DC. They’ve just released the conference re-cap website packed with videos, Tweets, and highlighting interactive pieces of the conference. You can see how they wove in the graphics in multiple ways – here are the Sights and Sounds of NCSE, the Experience Wall in Engagement with Purpose, and a full Graphic Recording Gallery.

For another perspective on how ShapingEDU pivoted on the fly and a couple of shots of me working at ASU, you can read the one and only Paul Signorelli’s blog about it here.

A Freelancer’s Favorites: Illustrated Tips for Working From Home

First of all, I want to say the last two weeks have been surreal, and we all deserve a deep breath.

I’ve been delighted by the intentional way people are being good to each other and despite massive shifts and challenges, I am holding the energy that we will come through COVID better than we were before.

As I’ve been hearing stories of the challenges of shifting to working from home, I wanted to share a few of the tips I’ve learned from other entrepreneurs, as well as through trial and error over the past 6 years of owning my business and working out of a home office.

Without further ado — I give you: llustrated Tips for Working From Home!

Click through on each to see the different tips!

If you need a daily dose of uplifting stories, I love @Upworthy on Instagram. And of course for mellow snippets of the garden, chickens, and bees, come on over to my feed too!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

At Home! I hope you are too :) Even though live events have been cancelled for the next few weeks, I’m always impressed with how my clients adapt and innovate on the fly, and I’ve been live digital graphic recording for a few projects on Zoom.

Phoenix, AZ At the third annual ShapingEDU Unconference. This group in particular is on the cutting edge of technology and learning, and there’s no other group I’d rather adjust on the fly with. We went from a hybrid in-person and remote meeting on the first day to fully remote on the second — more on that in the next newsletter!

If you’re finding yourself on more video calls than ever before and need a way to keep participants focused and anchoring participants to a common story (theirs!), let’s explore how to leverage digital graphic recording or remote facilitation for you!

Concerned About COVID-19? Instead of Canceling Your Event, Consider This

If you’re planning an event, you’ve probably been following the news around COVID-19 very closely, weighing options, and building backup plans. First and foremost, I hope you are healthy, and I’m sending strength to those who have loved ones who are sick. For a list of resources for updates and guidelines for gatherings from the WHO and CDC, scroll on down to the bottom.

Working with planning teams and event organizers as a graphic recorder, I first want to say YOU’VE GOT THIS! The amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to pull ANY event or meeting off is immense, and adding uncertainty of any kind creates more work and potentially more stress.

With shifting travel advisories and varying individual risk tolerances for travel, should you postpone or even cancel your event?

NOT NECESSARILY!

Let’s be clear. I’m NOT advocating for unsafe travel or putting people at risk.

Instead, consider holding the meeting remotely to ensure your participants are safe and healthy! Here’s an excellent resource for tips and tools for remote meetings and events as well.

You might be thinking at this point “Sounds great on paper, Karina, but we all know how easy it can be to get distracted while working or convening remotely.” I agree – it’s wildly tempting to be multi-tasking on a video call.

So, how to keep participants glued to their screens and following what’s going on?

Partner with a graphic recorder.

We can work digitally and share screens to show the visual notes unfolding in real-time on the remote meeting platform, or set up a camera on paper and boards to build colorful walls that can be sent to the convening organization after the event to display in your office and share with people at the next in-person meeting.

AND WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

Resources and Updates on COVID-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Huge thanks to the International Forum of Visual Practitioners for compiling the great resources!

• A live-tracker of the spread of the disease from Johns Hopkins University

• WHO: World Health Organization:  

  • Planning recommendations for Mass Gatherings

  • Basic protective measures 

  • WHO's rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

• CDC: The Center for Disease Control

  • COVID-19 information page

  • The CDC’s recommendations for traveling

  • The CDC's interim guidance for planning mass gatherings or large community events

• A Joint Statement on Tourism and COVID-19 - UNWTO and WHO Call for Responsibility and Coordination

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Phoenix & Tucson, AZ: Working with the State of Arizona’s HIV Prevention Program to capture ideas and stories on how to end the HIV epidemic. To say I was humbled is an understatement – from LGBTQ youth to trans communities to African American communities, it was an honor to listen and be part of these listening sessions.

Fort Collins, CO: Facilitating collaborative discussions around river health across departments within our City’s government. This is our backyard river, and one I love dearly, so I’m looking forward to seeing how different departments can work together!

Phoenix, AZ: I’m headed back to Arizona this week for the Third ShapingEDU Unconference hosted by Arizona State University. I am so excited to be part of this dynamic, innovative community building better learning futures for students. Here’s the Summary Illustration of the 10 Actions and Areas the community has developed guiding this work.

5 Surprising Ways to Partner with a GR to Create Ripples of Impact Before, During and After Your Event

One of the things I love about partnering with you, my stunning clients, is helping create customized experiences at events beyond visual notes. Here are some ideas for how to make the most out of working with your graphic recorder before, during, and after your next event!

Prior to the Event

Take some time to talk with your graphic recorder about ways to brand the event. While I DO NOT consider myself a logo designer, I do enjoy creating fun sketches that can be used for name tags and posters. A few new ideas I co-developed with the Fish and Wildlife Service last week included printing the sketch on the covers of notebooks, as well as the Powerpoint template for the event. AND T-SHIRTS!

You can also work with your graphic recorder to design custom illustrated worksheets for participants. These are especially useful in breakouts, or as an accountability tool for everyone to walk away with.

During the Event

If your graphic recorder is comfortable, make the most of their unique perspective by having them walk the group through the graphics they’ve created. I love doing this at the end of each day, or just before a final synthesis session so everyone refreshes themselves on the massive amount of work done, key ideas, and can use the charts as references to build on. V important - ask them ahead of time so they are mentally prepared to do this well!

Even better, co-present WITH your graphic recorder – last week one of the core team members developed a beautiful PowerPoint summary of their key takeaways while participants were in breakout groups. We tag-teamed walking the group through my charts each sharing themes we observed, and the participants got to soak in our different perspectives (and wacky humor) to reflect and build on the ideas.

Post Event

Ask your graphic recorder how you might continue leveraging the work they created moving forward. This might include simply sharing the digitized charts with participants, or could be a thoughtful follow-up email or social media campaign.

Another excellent add-on service is a summary illustration to distill the work into a communication tool that leadership or participants can share with people who didn’t attend, share online, and use in future meetings to spark memories of key ideas.

Are you ready to partner with a graphic recorder to make your event extra special?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Shepherdstown, WV: With the US Fish and Wildlife Service at the National Conservation Training Center creating a strategy to support their conservation work with effective social science. With a master’s degree in environmental communication, it was fun to have a deep understanding of content and connection with participants.

Minneapolis, MN: With chiropractors at Northwestern Health Sciences University’s Homecoming event. Not only did I learn about the history and future of chiropractic, I also got to graphic record in the Sea Life Aquarium next to the stingrays!

Loveland, CO: At Bill Reed Middle School infusing visual notes into classrooms! These 8th Graders rocked at visualizing the Bill of Rights!

I Just Can’t Wait: Eight Great Ideas to Celebrate!

Hey mate, ConverSketch is 8! Building my business as a graphic recorder has felt like fate, and I want to state a few of the most influential ideas I’ve been reflecting on as of late.

Okay, okay, I’ll quit with the rhyming…for now. Here are eight of my top insights over eight years in business that can be applied to creative work, or living in a fulfilling way no matter what you do.

1.       Follow what feels right: Do what feels right to you, not because everyone says that's what you should do.  And listen to that intuition (this is a biggie for me)!

2.       Say Yes: To new opportunities to learn, co-create, and feel a little uncomfortable. Those moments are often the most memorable or lead to bigger shifts. For me, this has meant investing in professional development toward digital graphic recording, marketing, video editing, and deepening my scribing practice. It’s also okay and very important to say No to some things.

3.       Focus on what you want: I love the saying “Energy flows where attention goes”. Focus your energy on what you want to accomplish, develop, or nurture, and watch how those ripples of energy come back to you!

4.       Have fun! Need I say more?

5.       It’s okay to do “nothing”: More and more I’m seeing research on how important it is to walk, stare, let your mind wander, doodle, and do “nothing”. This unscripted time is sometimes challenging for me to wrap my head around, but taking time away from a project often leads to breakthroughs or a different, more creative approach.

6.       Also working at it every day: No matter what your “it” is, build time to practice something you want to improve or cultivate. Marie Forleo calls it “hugging the slog”, and Hugh McLeod says “Creativity is not a talent, creativity is a drive.”

7.       Authenticity shines: We all know the Comparison Game is deadly, however I’ve found surrounding myself with a Brain Trust of colleague-friends I can ask for advice or look to for inspiration has been a game-changer! I’ve also practiced knowing my value…and over-delivering!

8.       Find Your Passion: Figuring out what you’re most excited about can help set you apart from other people who offer similar services. I am LOVING building creative partnerships with my clients where we can learn, reflect, iterate, and improve how visuals support processes and outcomes before, during, and after events.

BONUS: The more you give, the more you get: Be generous, over-deliver, and share. Blue oceans are more fun than red ones.

If you’ve been here a while, some of these might seem familiar. There are beautiful patterns in life and having the privilege of being in business for a longer period means some of those patterns are beginning to reveal themselves. If you want to dig into the archives, here are links to…

7th Anniversary

6th Anniversary

5th Anniversary

4th Anniversary

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place. Woo-diggity!

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch? Here’s what I have on my plate while turning eight:

New Video Release! The Drawing Connections series for the National Park Service is back! This time, let’s take a trip down to Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserve in the bayous of Louisiana to get a taste of the culture, landscapes, and proud history of the area!

Dallas, Texas: With a corporate leadership group redefining their future and roadmap! I can’t share the full drawings with you, so here’s a closeup of a little friend on the journey.

The San Juan Mountains: We just got back from a couple nights in the backcountry with great friends, some powder snow, and lots of laughs. Here’s to wild places, wild friends, and keeping a little balance (literally and figuratively, when you’re on a splitboard!).

Sustainability Research 2.0: How They’re Using Graphics After Workshops. Here’s what Future Earth did with visuals and photos from our systems thinking workshops last year focusing on the future of sustainability science and research!

A Finished Watercolor Commission! Now that it’s with its new owner, I can share this watercolor painting I’ve been working on over the past few months. Redwood Magic | 16x20 inches

Rooted in Green Practices: ConverSketch’s Sustainability Philosophy

Since I was a child, natural places have always been a core piece of who I am and what I value. It’s only natural (heh) that sustainability and environmentally-conscious decisions have permeated ConverSketch since it’s business childhood. Since the business was born while I was finishing my master’s degree in environmental communication focusing on climate change, I love that many of my clients are in the sustainability and natural resource field, with work that makes the world a better place.

So, I figured its high time I shared a few of the ways that I embody my value of sustainability in the work as a graphic recorder and facilitator. Workshops can be resource-intensive, and I’ve made some intentional choices about materials, medium, and travel to align with my values.

• Carbon Offsets: Each trip is calculated through Native Energy, a carbon offset company that’s approved of by the Sierra Club.

• Refillable Markers from Neuland mean I’ve had the same marker bodies since 2012 when ConverSketch began. You can even replace the tips to keep them fresh!

• Digital Graphic Recording: An option that means no paper products nor markers used – all drawings are captured via iPad and projected up on screens for participants to enjoy!

• Falconboard: Recyclable alternative to foam boards, these mean I can still provide “analog” graphic recording with markers and boards or responsibly-sourced paper.

• Reusable Wooden Stands (or Easels): To prop the boards up to be free-standing and easy to move.

• Everyday Lifestyle Choices: I always keep a set of reusable wooden utensils in my purse to avoid single-use plastic utensils, and when I can, I ride my bike to local meetings and events, as well as growing veggies in the summer and raising hens for fresh eggs. Boy, those birds are happy!

Want more tips on plastic-free living and good environmental news? Check out the wildly talented Sarah Uhl and sign up for her monthly newsletter for quality content!

Ready for some evergreen drawings to keep your ideas and planning sustainable long-term?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Fort Worth, Texas: At an eye care digital summit. We spent the week building relationships across a global team, clarifying goals, strategies, and how to differentiate in the market. Although I can’t share specific content, I was able to work in some sea life with extra-special vision.

Nail these 2020 Event Trends by Partnering with a Graphic Facilitator

Many of you amazing people know what it takes to put on an event, and I tip my hat to every single one of you!

When I read this list of trends for events in 2020 from top event planners, I couldn’t help but come back to how graphic facilitation fits and enhances almost every one!

For example, an Experience Wall where the graphic recorder is gathering stories and responses to key questions over the course of the event provides “Experiential, focused not only on traditional objectives such as education and networking, but also on making attendees part of the event and providing them with unique activities to participate in and share on social media.”

As a graphic facilitator partnering with my client to co-design processes for meetings, another trend matches: “Events will make greater use of non-traditional meeting formats, flexible seating arrangements and the innovative use of space, in order to provide more opportunities to connect and interact (not just “network”).”

One of my favorite things about making meetings visual is the deeper connections across seemingly different­­ people. This human hunger to find connection ripples through another trend that can be achieved through graphic recording -- “Greater diversity, building bridges between cultures and sparking new ideas.”

And of course, when leveraged to their full potential, graphics can provide “Value and content before, during, and after events”.

Are you making the most of your next event? Let’s brainstorm how to set yours above and beyond!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Washington, DC: With the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) annual conference. Over 600 professionals working on using science to promote sound policy decision-making gathered and I got to work digitally AND create a massive Experience Wall based on participants’ ideas, synthesizing while everyone was in breakout sessions.

A digital graphic recording of a panel on diversity and climate change from NCSE 2020

Looks Like Your Vision is 2020!

Happy New Year!

It’s officially 2020, the start of a new decade (!), which means it’s a phenomenally powerful time to reflect, appreciate, and take a moment to think intentionally about what you want to create in your life.

One of my goals for 2020 (which has been on my mind for a while) is creating videos for my newsletters. Today, I’m delighted to share my 2020 Vision Board with you via video — to see it and hear my tips on manifesting for a new year, click below to watch the video!

As mentioned in the video, here are a couple of other fantastic resources for intentional visioning for a new year:

My personal favorite way to focus my energy is to create a Vision Board for the upcoming year. Because 2020 is the start of a new decade, I made this one more expansive and focused on long-term ideas. They are fun to look at and can sometimes last a long time – here’s my board from 2016 which has been an anchor for the past 5 years! Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect, just go for it!

The 2020’s vision board I briefly shared in the video.

A few key questions can help focus thoughts and align synapses for new patterns. So, I’ve taken last year’s Vision for a New Year template and given it a little update love for us for this year:

Please download and fill this out on paper or in your favorite drawing app!

Marie Forleo has created a 3-part Decade in Review series to help you look back to leap ahead. It’s excellent, and has brought new perspective to my annual reflection.

Brandy Agerbeck’s Draw in Your New Year. All of Brandy’s online courses and videos are thoughtful, authentic, and brimming with value. I am especially keen on the exercise she shares to draw the year as a cycle to think creatively and strategically ahead!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place. Here’s to a New Year filled with joy, abundance, and creativity!

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

At home taking some time off to recharge and reflect before heading to DC in a few days. I’ve been planning ways to continue to improve the services I offer to my amazing clients, and I’m excited to get cracking!

A note on 2020 fee structure changes: This year my rates will reflect travel time when working out of state and internationally. As before, all rates are communicated and approved by clients through the contracting process.