In this episode, Betsy McClellan Hall & Victoria Whitfield share the power of vision boards, how they can help you organize your thoughts, clarify what you want, and bring them into fruition.
Resources mentioned
Visionary Shaman Circles
Free Meditations (Register at mastermindstoday.com and you will get access to all the free gifts)
Authors Profit Incubator Masterminds
3 Key Points
Vision boards can help you create the future you want.
Vision boards help you figure out what you want.
Vision boards are not static, you can continue to work on them and change them as your needs change.
Transcript
Ellen: Hi everybody and welcome to Episode 61. Today, my guests are Betsy McClellan Hall and Victoria Whitfield. Betsy McClellan Hall is a Certified Coach with the Network of Community Entrepreneurs. She’s also one of my co-authors in our bestselling book, How to Crush it in Business Without Crushing Your Spirit, How Entrepreneurs can Overcome Depression and Find Success, which is on Amazon. Betsy and I have also led four Author’s Profit Incubator Masterminds together, helping authors to make progress and/or finish various writing projects.
I asked Betsy to come on because Betsy talks about and helps people create vision boards. And she does these workshops during these times, “safer from home” and she’s invited her friend, Victoria Whitfield who leads Visionary Shaman Circles. And she’s joining us in the conversation. So, welcome both of you.
Betsy: Thank you.
Ellen: Okay, well, let me tell you about Victoria, now. Victoria is the world’s first business Reiki master. As a successful six-figure energy healer, she has toured the world showing heart-centered and growth-minded leaders how to get connected to their natural intuition and truly be visionary, so that they can work less and increase their impact. She’s the author of two books, and she’ll be telling you more about that at the end of our call. Okay. So, welcome ladies.
Betsy: Thank you, Ellen. So, good to be together.
Ellen: Yeah, this is exciting. I mean, I’ve been doing this over a year. I can’t believe I hadn’t had you on yet.
Betsy: Oh, we did one at the holidays when we were . . .
Ellen: We did, but that was a group one, that was a group one, not what you do. So, let’s jump right in. So, you want to tell a little bit about your story Betsy, and then Victoria, you can tell yours, but since there’s two of you, let’s keep it kind of short, ’cause we got a lot to cover.
[03:00]: Betsy: Well, I was thinking about: How are visions helpful? One of the things that visions have done for me is to keep me going on a certain path. So, for example, one time I had an idea to be an author and be a speaker, and immediately dismissed it because I don’t do that. And I come from manufacturing and advertising. But I kept it in my back of my head, and then when I met you online, Ellen, I remembered that. I came to you and I said, “Do you need any help making phone calls or anything?” Cause I wanted to learn about how to do books with you, and that’s how we became friends.
Ellen: Good friends!
Betsy: Very good friends!
Ellen: Very good friends.
Betsy: Yeah, it’s been awesome. And that’s because of a vision. And then, I have this little ring and that’s a reminder to me of another vision of making a really big step in my life.
[03:54] And it was needed for me to have a daily reminder to myself of the commitment I made to myself. Then, I was thinking about how I relate it to books. Like the most recent vision book that I made online versus cutting out magazines and pasting them on a board was about a book. And I imagined my audience and my message. And I’m thinking later I’m going to add different panels about how I want the design to be for the cover, how I want the illustrations to be, and who I want to come in and help me with the writing, with the marketing.
04:33 Ellen: Who do mean you want to help?!! ME . . .
[04:38]Betsy: I might have somebody else help me too . . . of course, you’d be involved, but I do have your picture. I have your picture on my vision board already.
Ellen: Yeah?
Betsy: Yeah, definitely.
[04:51] Ellen: Well, I have to say you have changed so much since I first met you. It’s an amazing transformation. So, vision boards must be working!
[05:02] Betsy: Thank you. And friendship with good, strong women entrepreneurs.
Ellen: Yeah, and also getting good coaching. Yes
Betsy: Yep. And I have to say, “Giving good coaching,” ’cause I’m learning a lot from what I have to teach.
Ellen: Yeah, right! Absolutely, you definitely learn when you teach.
Betsy: Both of the women I was teaching yesterday — I had to teach them at and learn some more about how that helps with the body and helps with the careers and all that.
Ellen: Right.
Betsy: I’m learning right along with them.
[05:36] Ellen: Right. Yeah. No, that’s, it’s powerful. And what about you, Victoria? It’s so nice to meet you. This is our first meeting.
Victoria: Oh my goodness. Yes. I’m so excited to meet you and even before we started recording, getting to know you better, it’s just incredible to get to hear your story and how much wonderful, juicy history you and Betsy have had. I’m just, I feel like, I’m being treated here. Like yeah.
So, for me, oh my goodness . . . where my story with vision especially begins is in my relationship with my intuition. So, personally, I’m a naturally sensitive person. I’m very, what’s called empathic. Like I pick up other people’s emotions. And so, for me, I would have a hard time distinguishing between my own emotions and creativity and others’. So, that for me, I would go and learn more about meditation to cultivate myself and also personal growth and development, so that I could really heal my heart.
[06:53] I’m a recovering codependent, quite honestly. Right? So, for me, the gift of honing my visioning skills has really given me more clarity around what’s the right next direction for me to go in personally. And I used to do it only personally, but then, when I started applying vision to the coaching that I had been receiving of my own inner visioning practice, I was able to move through writer’s block. I was able to move through that information overload that can come sometimes when you’re receiving a lot of fabulous coaching, being able to see a way forward. I’m a very creative person. And so, even the process of creating vision boards in particular, is a way of clearing and organizing my mind. And I’ve had wonderful results with it. You mentioned in my bio that I toured the world. That came from a vision board, actually.
[8:00] Ellen: Oh . . .
Victoria: Yeah. So, I didn’t know that it was going to synthesize in the way that it could, but there’s real magic in being able to see a way forward or to dream bigger, and visioning and having those images to accompany what your desires may be, that for me really helped me take things to the next level.
[08:25] Ellen: Wow. So, as you guys are telling your story, you’re also telling us kind of how you’re using vision boards, right?
Victoria: Yes, indeed.
[08:34] Ellen: Yeah. So, let me ask you, let’s say somebody is just starting out thinking about doing a vision board, what would you tell them to do? How to start?
Betsy: First thing I would say is there’s no right way to do a vision board. I think what Victoria is reflecting is you get into this creative mode and you find connections you weren’t expecting, and you may set intentions you weren’t expecting; and, especially the way that we’re going to be doing a vision board online experience together, it’s going to be very multiple- like lots of different elements in it to get people into a really good, receptive and creative space.
Ellen: Nice. Anything you would add, Victoria?
[9:25] Victoria: Absolutely. Betsy said that so well. And what I would add is that, for me, with getting started with vision boards or visioning in the first place . . . for me, it starts in desire. For me, when I’m connecting to what I desire or clarifying, “What do I want?” —again, my past, as a codependent, it was very difficult to clarify, “What do I want?”
[09:55] And so, when I would try to go for an artistic project, or another article or essay that I was writing there was a lot of internal turmoil that would stop me. And so, connecting to desire is a sensual experience: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. I mean, like the somatosensorial experience to stimulate that really helps clarify: this is what I like, this is what I don’t like. And so, when you’re coming to a vision boarding practice, connecting to your senses, and connecting to your desires, to things that you really want is the best place to start, in my opinion.
[10:40] Ellen: Well, let me ask you another question. What if you don’t really know what you want or you’re not sure what you want?
Victoria: Yeah, yeah. So, that is THE work.
Ellen: Yeah, exactly!
Victoria: Big time! And, as I was saying, that was something I would struggle a lot with!
[10:58] Ellen: And I did too. I did too for a while there. Yeah. And it changes over time. I mean, I’ve been, you know, in my business for sixteen years, and I can’t even tell you to count the times now, how many times I’ve changed direction or decided, “Okay, I did that. Nah, I don’t want to do that again.” Or, “Don’t want to do that for a while,” or “Okay I’m getting into a rut doing this too much.” “How do I get beyond that?” So yeah. I mean, that’s been huge. That’s why I asked because I’m sure other people have that too.
[11:29] Victoria: Sister speaks for me. Absolutely. The hacks that I’ve found for discovering what I want is getting around inspirational people, and art, and events. When I witness an amazing song, right? Or, I read a really deliciously written poem, right? Or, if I am watching someone who is creating magnificent art or is openly communicating their desires, that inspires me.
And, what happens is that the experience of witnessing brilliance, right? Witnessing art and beauty and magnificence, or even like real pain, like, the strong emotions, that outwardly I witnessed personally and begin an internal dialogue. And the more that I can listen to my internal dialogue as inspired by that event or person or piece of art, the more I can begin to connect to, “Okay, what do I have to say? What do I desire? If that person wants that . . . but, ooh, I don’t want that. I want this. Oh, oh my gosh, I want something!”
[12:43] Ellen: Right. And I find a lot of times it’s by doing something that I find what I don’t want and it pushes me more towards what I do want. Right?
[12:51] Betsy: Yep, really good point. And you know what else helps me is when I’m in the monthly Abundant Business Circle with Victoria, she starts with meditation. And so, when you want to be inspired, getting in touch with Spirit is a way to become inspired. I think she’s going to offer everybody one of her meditations, so that’s exciting. Music is another way to connect . . .
Ellen: That’s my way. Yeah.
Betsy: . . . with spiritual. You’re going to have music, and then Victoria does an interesting exercise called speed writing, automatic writing. And there’s ways of getting, I’ll just call them downloads, getting information that comes in when you’re not in your head, but it can utilize your head to . . . be inspired.
[13:53] Ellen: Well, let me ask you… I’m curious about this. How do you do, I mean, I understand doing a vision board offline. How do you even get started doing those online?
Betsy: There are two options because I’ve already created an online vision board. The one I was telling you that I have your picture.
Ellen: Right, right.
Betsy: So, I can send the example of what I’ve done and what the instructions of how I did it. And I’m happy to offer that for free. And then, we are going to be having an event where people can do it together, and they can come together, and share our music and our energy and our. . .
[14:30] Ellen: Do you have to have certain software? Do you do it on Word?
Betsy: I’m using a free type of software that’s already in there, but it’s free software that everybody has access to.
Ellen: Okay. when are you doing it?
[15:00] Betsy: On September 17, we’re going to be having a workshop.
Ellen: Okay, great.
Betsy: So, September 17, 2020, we’ll be having a 2020 vision workshop. And that will be an online group where people can build their tool, and then they can also share around what they’ve learned and be encouraged by the group.
[15:24] Ellen: Okay. So, do you, are there certain times that you’re impressed to go to your vision board or to create a new one?
Victoria: I love this question. So, for me, when I want to start a new project, or if I want to strategize for a new initiative, say even a new year especially, that’s when I feel like, “Oh, it’s time to create a new vision board.” Like I want — the way that vision boards really helped me personally, is that it organizes my mind, see getting it all out in front of me, like that I feel is very concrete. So, when I’m feeling like I need more of what are the themes of my next book and the things that I want to say and communicate, that is a new project, right? So, a vision board can really help bring together and synthesize different themes in that creative work. You know, it’s almost as if a visual outline, like when we sit down…
[16:41] Ellen: Yeah. that’s what I was thinking. I’m not that much of a visual person. I mean, like, I’ll go on YouTube to learn certain technical things, but if I’m outlining a book or I’m thinking about what my vision is, I’m journaling; I’m writing it. Yeah. So, I mean, you know, different people are different, but it’s interesting because I’m definitely open to trying a different way and seeing if that adds something to my experience.
[17:06] Also, the other thing I just wanted to say is I’m empathic also, so I really get what you were saying before. It makes it sometimes very hard to be in business because when you’re working with clients or even you’re talking to prospects and you start to take on their emotions, it can be really exhausting. And that’s one of the problems that I’m running into right now, because I’m in the middle of a book launch, and I’m reaching out to a lot of people. And I find that it makes me tired. Right? And I used to think that that was just, there was something in me that I’m doing, you know, there’s something wrong with me because I’m getting tired and I didn’t realize it’s because I’m empathic and that you really have to manage it.
[17:50] Victoria: Yeah. So, being empathic actually makes you a master communicator.
Ellen: Yes.
Victoria: You are not just communicating, like with words or hand motions, et cetera. You are also communicating energetically, like emotionally, energetically. And so, for us, when we’re born as heart-centered entrepreneurs, deeply caring, committed, creative, open-hearted, what happens is we can be emotional sponges, and no one really teaches us what to do with that. Right?
Ellen: Exactly.
[18:29] Victoria: So that’s exactly why I do what I do as the world’s first business Reiki master because entrepreneurs like us have unique needs.
Ellen: MmmHmm.
Victoria: Right?
[18:40] Ellen: Yeah. Boy, I wish I’d known that like 10 years ago. And I say that only because like I said, if I had learned how to master it earlier, I could have taken on more clients a lot sooner, and I could have made a lot more money, you know? But I couldn’t, I couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t handle it emotionally. So, yeah. So what surprises you during a visioning process? Anything that comes up that you don’t expect? Or, what do you think?
[19:10] Betsy: I’ll answer the question you asked before, which is, “When do I do a vision board?” I would like to say I do it when I’m cogitating about something, but I have to admit it’s usually when I’ve set up an event with other people, and I’m there to do it, and they’re going to make sure that I get it done . . .
Ellen: So, accountability, accountability!
Betsy: Yeah, putting it on the calendar, group support, accountability. Yeah. And the first one I went to, I just went because I wanted to learn how to do it. There’s no one right way to do it. But that’s how it is for me, it has to be on my calendar.
[19:53] Ellen: Well, I love that you’re willing to be honest about it. Some people would not be, you know. Okay. So, is there anything else you guys would like to share about doing vision boards that I haven’t asked?
[20:10] Victoria: Sure. Well, about what’s surprises in the process like, oh my goodness, I’m so surprised what images will stand out to me and capture my attention. I really love interacting with images. And it’s like, I come from a family of musicians. So, like when we’re talking . . .
Ellen: Oh, my people! My people.
Victoria: Yeah, yeah. So, one instrument talks to another and that’s how you know people are really jamming with music. And so, for me, I find that I really start to jam with the images, right? Words and stories, or things about myself, or new concepts. Right. New titles will come up from the most unexpected images. I would have no idea that that would be the thing that would inspire the new insight in me. So that’s something that surprises me about the vision board and visioning process. I love that.
Ellen: Interesting. Okay. Anything for you, Betsy?
Betsy: I would say, one of the people that attended a workshop I did at a conference in the mountains (and we had to do it in half an hour–usually I allow much more time beginning to end). So, he just put a bunch of pictures together on a board. And then, he was so surprised at all the interconnections between all the images he thought they were completely unrelated.
[21:41] Ellen: Well, how long do you usually take to do one?
[21:45] Betsy: The one we’re going to do next is going to be two hours. So, it’ll be a half-hour of some setup with some music, meditation, some writing. And then, we’ll do this online version of the vision board. And then, we’ll still have time for everybody to share what their takeaways are and what their next steps . . .
[22:07] Ellen: Because you’re doing it online, they don’t need to worry about going and getting supplies or anything, right? Because it’s all online.
[22:13] Betsy: They should never be worried and it can be an ongoing project. It doesn’t have to be something that’s complete and set in stone just because you started it at a certain time.
Ellen: Okay.
Betsy: I actually encourage journaling and interacting with it daily. One of my clients puts it on her bed when she makes her bed and she sees it in the morning. And then, when she goes back to bed, she sees it at night again.
[22:41] Ellen: Yeah, I mean, it’s really important, the whole idea of repetition and continuing to feed your brain the things that you want, the things that you want to focus on and get rid of the things you don’t want to focus on.
[22:53] Betsy: And that can be a rule too, you know, I’ve written intentions and put them in a drawer. And two months later, I’d look at it, and oh, I did exactly–I filled 160 square inches of advertising space–who knew I was going to hit that exact number that I wanted?!
Ellen: Right.
Betsy: So, you know, repetition is good. It doesn’t have to be the rule though and it can work in other ways.
[23:17] Ellen: But I will say, especially when you live with other people, I mean, it really has to be intentional because sometimes, they’re not in the space you’re in, and you’re trying to keep your world, positively focused. And sometimes I know sometimes my husband can go off the rails and it’s like, I don’t want to hear, you know?
[23:36] Victoria: That happens naturally because we’re all on our own journeys. So, as creatives, like I see what you’re saying, Ellen, that having your own sacred space, even if it’s just a repeating activity that you do, and that’s your own sacred space for nourishing, your energy is powerful. But at the same time, I also agree with Betsy and that the shift can come boom, like that. It literally can, if you’re open and flowing and connected, the shift can come as fast as you’re ready.
I understand, though also as an empath, living with people that I love who aren’t exactly empaths, but they got a whole lotta energy and emotion and comments from the peanut gallery.
Ellen: They don’t understand. Like sometimes he just doesn’t understand. Like the other night, he got really upset about something, but he started screaming at me and I just completely freaked out. And I said, you don’t understand how that affects me. It doesn’t affect me the way it would have affected him if I did the same thing to him, you know?
[24:45] And it wasn’t directed at me. He was just frustrated ’cause I couldn’t hear him about something he was trying to tell me. But anyway, well this has been really enlightening. I mean, I definitely want to try vision boards. So, you guys have done a good job. So why don’t you tell people what you have for them for free to start, and how they can reach you.
Betsy: I’m offering the tool I created that will be on mastermindstoday.com and we’ll have information about signing up if you want to come out and hang out with us and do some online vision boarding and vision journeying. And then, Victoria, what do you have today?
Victoria: Yeah. So, I’m going to be offering some grounding and clearing meditations to really help open your mind and relax your body, so that you can get into the energy of visiting. So, it’s the energy behind it. So, I’ll be offering two guided meditation MP3s in support of what Betsy and I are offering. Awesome.
[25:49] So, thank you guys so much for coming on. It was great to meet you, Victoria. Always fun to hang out with my buddy, Betsy. And that’s it for today. To get the transcript, go to books businessabundance.com/podcast.
You’re also welcome to join our Facebook group, which is also listed on the podcast page.
[26:16] Beyond that, don’t forget to get your Book Planning Secrets, A Simple 4-Step Plan to Writing a Bestseller, which is also on the podcast page. Even if you’ve already written books, you can learn how to write them faster and better. So, be sure to pick that up.
[26:34] ‘Til next time, Bye-bye.
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
To share your thoughts and comments:
- Join us in our Facebook Group!
- Share this show on social media!
To help out the show:
- Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one.
- Subscribe on iTunes.
Join us again next week when my guest will be The Amazon Guy, Steven Pope, and we’ll be discussing how to make more book sales from Amazon.
0 Comments