Bill Hamilton, Sava and me- photo Susan Honnell

From Sarah ~  The Jazz the Glass Retreat in Kauai Hawaii that I created with Susan Honnell and Tami McCall turned out to be an absolutely amazing experience for me!  We set out to take visionary Women-   Mavericks, the Bad Asses and Honey Badgers on this trip to connect to Nature, Spirit and (of course)  to bend the rules,  and play outsde of the fences of our ordinary lives.   Boy did it deliver, for me.

To be in Hanalei on Kauai is to be in a Bohemian Wonderland where the most clothes that people seem to be sporting are a bathing suit and maybe a shirt or sundress.  We even spotted a guy pumping gas on the highway in his Speedo.   Shoes are optional, tattoos are def. recommended.    Breakfast consisted of green smoothies at the local co-op and we packed up lunch in the cooler and headed for the beach.

We had planned to do Stand up Paddle boarding-  which we did up the Hanalei River and it was fabulous.  One of the unexpected (those are the best, right?) peaks, for me,  was learning to surf.

That very first day, it seemed daunting to paddle out on these large long boards to the place where the waves were breaking.  One of my co-hosts, Susan Honnell,  was an awesome guide and assured me that I could handle it.  Once we got out there were these small waves breaking perfect for a novice.  So I got into position as Susan had taught me and waited for the waves.  The first one I decided to go for I threw myself on the board and then (as instructed) paddled like a bat out of hell-  but missed it.  Then Susan pushed me onto the next one.  It felt different.   Instead of  feeling the wave sink and crumble beneath me….all of a sudden it was like this huge surge of power right under me and I stopped paddling and was hurtling along with no effort at all.  The, I leaped up,  into my karate stance,  (again- thanks Susan!) and I was up – flying along the water and I cannot even really explain how fun it was.  When it petered out-  I flopped into the water and could not wait to get back in the line up to catch another.

I surfed and tried to surf so many waves in the ensuing  6 days.    My leg and hip got so badly bruised (from slamming myself onto the board to get ready) that I looked a bit of a wreck.   I could not have cared less.  I even had a heck of a hematoma going on my right hand.  It was so much fun,  I was not going to let it stop me.  My body (at night) was like-  oh wow-  all over body workout and exhaustion-  yet as soon as I had stretched and had a cup of coffee I was like-  gotta get out and Jazz some glass!

What I noticed was the second day its started getting more difficult to catch a wave. It think beginners luck has something to do with “non-attachment’  because I didn’t really know if I would ever be able to catch a wave on that first day.  By the second day (knowing what it felt like to “catch” a wave) I was greedy for waves.   I wanted to CATCH them all.  When I tried to do that what I found out is my “paddling arms” got so exhausted and I didn’t catch as many.

By the third day, I had an awesome chance to hang out and surf with Sava (see her vid below) , queen of the waves who’s owner Bill Hamilton (Yes-  Laird is his son, lol!) taught me a few things.  I told him my dilemma— it seems like I am not getting up on as many.  He said-  “you gotta cherry pick”.  Bill explained that you have to be patient and wait for the cherry to grow on the tree  and then only pick the ones that are ripe and sweet.  I was laughing out loud at the sexual and surfing metaphor in all of this.

Sure enough, as I began to really wait for the waves that looked ideal….I sort of thought they looked “crispy fried” and seemed to have a bit of a CRACKLE to them….if I got into position and paddled like a mad woman into it-  I caught them and oh man what a feeling it was.  There is nothing quite like catching a wave, we all agreed and now, I know I am not the only one who is addicted.

What a great metaphor for my business, my life (sexual and otherwise, lol) and  in general….to wait for the best wave- the one that is ripe for my picking .  That way, I conserve energy and if I do succeed-  WOW what a treat I am in for.    You don’t catch every opportunity you paddle out to but, looking for the crispy delicious ones sure increases your chances.  What does your ideal wave look like in your life?

**We plan to Jazz the Glass Again in 2012-  so send me an email if you would like to hear more when we launch!  ~Sarah

Thank You Susan for sharing so generously and letting us all in on your SHINE!!  ~Sarah and Suzi

Describe your style in 2 words:

Beach Shine

Describe your Interior Sensibility:

I BOUGHT MY LITTLE BEACH SHACK WHEN I WAS STILL IN COLLEGE BUT HADN’T LIVED HERE FOR 20 YEARS. I LANDED BACK FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A FEW MONTHS MAX TO CLEAN IT UP AND RE-RENT. THE FRONT YARD WAS NOTHING BUT DEAD GRASS, THE INSIDE WAS DARK, DINGY … AND SAD. I CRIED FOR DAYS THAT I HAD ACTUALLY CHOSEN TO BE HERE. I REMEMBER THAT SO CLEARLY… I WANTED TO BE ANYWHERE BUT HERE.

I ALSO HAD INTENDED TO JUST CLEAN … NO BIG EXPENDITURES.  I OVERSTEPPED THAT BOUNDARY … JUST A LITTLE. RIPPED OUT CARPET, OLD BLINDS, OLD KITCHEN FLOORING. STARTED WITH A CLEAN PALETTE. PAINTED EVERYTHING WHITE, PUT IN AN ENGINEERED WOOD FLOOR, WHITE WOODEN SHUTTERS. STARTED ADDING LITTLE PIECES OF FURNITURE FROM ESTATE SALES, POTTERY BARN, Z GALLERIE. BOUGHT AN ENTIRE SET OF WILLIAMS SONOMA (WHITE) DISHES AND BEAUTIFUL TABLE WARE FROM PAMELA ANDERSON’S GARAGE SALE!

WHAT I ENDED UP WITH WAS A PERFECT PLACE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT JUST CAME OUT OF A POTTERY BARN CATALOG.  BUT IT WASN’T ME. AND THAT’S WHEN MY HOUSE STARTED TO COME ALIVE. WHEN I PUT ME IN IT. LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. AND MY HOUSE TRANSFORMED INTO A WARM, INVITING, COLORFUL, RAY OF SUNSHINE. BEACHY. AND SHINY! KIND OF LIKE ME.

I WAS THERE ALL ALONG. BUT MY THOUGHTS WERE THAT I WANTED TO BE ANYWHERE BUT WHERE I WAS. CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS … CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

If you were (for some odd reason)) forced to start over and could only keep one object in your home- what would it be?  Why is this object so dear- what does it mean or represent to you?

VINTAGE FAMILY BEACH PHOTOS

MEMORIES OF SUMMERS AT THE BEACH GROWING UP. ENDLESS CAREFREE SUMMER DAYS.  FREEDOM. SPONTANEITY. BEACH. SAND. WARMTH. LOVE.

What do people frequently say when they visit your home?

“WOW … I LOVE YOUR HOUSE … SO FULL OF LIGHT! AND THEN THEY START WANDERING AROUND AND LOOKING AT STUFF. I LOVE THAT.

How does your home style make you feel (when it’s all working)?

HAPPY! LIKE I WANT TO DANCE … WHICH I OFTEN DO (WITH ACCOMPANYING CRANKED UP MUSIC)!

What or where are your 3 absolute favorite sources for shopping?

VINTAGE 2^ND HAND STORES, SMALL BOUTIQUE STORES (PLANET BLUE MALIBU), POTTERY BARN. BETTER YET … THE BEACH.

What are your favorite sources for design and style (media sources, designers, artists, musicians ,  places, objects, movies, plays, visual displays etc -  sky is not even the limit here…)  and why are they so perfect for you?

THE BEACH, THE OCEAN, THE SEA … DEFINES SOURCE FOR ME. THE COLORS OF DRIFTWOOD, SAND, BEACH GLASS, THE MANY COLORS OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. JOHN ROBSHAW FABRICS.  MY OWN PHOTOS FROM PLACES I’VE TRAVELED TO. LOVE MY MIKE DOYLE PAINTING.

What do you do in your home to  engage the senses (smell, touch, sight, hear, taste)?

LOTS OF BEACH TREASURES. BEACH GLASS, JAPANESE GLASS FLOATS, SEA SHELLS. MAGIC ROCKS. BOWLS OF DRIED LAVENDAR STASHED AROUND THE HOUSE.  CANDLES AND TWINKLE LIGHTS. CROSS TOP BOTTLES. DRIFTWOOD PIECES I’VE COLLECTED FROM THE BEACH.  SCENTED OILS FROM RESTORATION HARDWARE AND POTTERY BARN (“OCEAN”). BEACH PICTURES (MY OWN)! PLANTS IN BASKETS. FRESH FRUIT ALWAYS IN A BOWL IN THE KITCHEN. LOTS OF MUSIC! BEST MUSIC? KEEPING EVERY DOOR AND WINDOW OPEN AND HEARING THE ROAR OF THE OCEAN AND SINGING BIRDS. NOTHING BETTER. OH YEAH … AND GRACE. THE KITTY. SHE’S THE BEST.

Do you do anything special in your closet to organize it/  make it fun to get dressed?  (Picures are lovely if you are willing to share(J

WINDOWS AND DOORS OPEN DURING THE DAY, CANDLES AND TWINKLE LIGHTS AT NIGHT. MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC.

What do you want your look to communicate or tell people who see you in it?

THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO MY HAPPY HOME!

How did you figure out your own personal style-  or when did you begin to recognize you had your own viewpoint?

WHEN I LOOKED INSIDE INSTEAD OF OUT TO WHAT LIT ME UP … AND KNEW IF I REFLECTED THAT IN MY SURROUNDINGS … I WOULD WALK INTO A HOME THAT LIT ME UP TOO!

List any resources of the items in your home you’d like to share (brand or catalog or website etc)

BIGGEST INSPIRATION IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET (PACIFIC OCEAN) … WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM IKEA, POTTERY BARN, RESTORATION HARDWARE, AND SECOND HAND STORES. ESTATE SALES HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF SOME GREAT TREASURES! WORLD MARKET FOR GRASSCLOTH FLOORING PANELS, CANDLES, AND TWINKLE LIGHTS. BOUGHT A GREAT RATTAN CHAIR FROM MY VERY FAVORITE STORE H.D. BUTTERCUP.

Susan’s House is  a fresh Indigo charged Sea Retreat with JOY and LIGHT abounding!!!  Thank you for sharing it so generously!!!

If you are interested in sharing your home here-  please contact Suzi or Sarah via email.  Suzi@joyjunket.com  or sarah@joyjunket.com

Well, this is Sarah,  its time for me to do a bit of Q and A about Life Coaching.   (No that is not me floating in the pool- but more on that later…)    Just to set the record straight and clarify what it is and what it is not.   I first hired a life coach when I was in my late 30’s and feeling like- “wow I thought I would do my one job and be a doctor for 40 years and then retire”-  and then one day , I realized I felt extremely trapped.  Now, I am a doctor 2 days,  coach 2 days and a Joy Junket Designer 1 day-  its wacky but it works for me. 

Often people seek coaching when their former identity is blown to smithereens,  a divorce, a job loss, a baby is born, a baby heads to college……when something changes and all of a sudden you find yourself in a very uncomfortable place.   Coaching is also extremely helpful when you are attempting something new and very challenging-  launching a business, winning an Olympic medal, raising a mess of kids, taking care of an aging parent, writing a best selling book etc.     

After being coached a few times, I began to really start to see the world in a different way and had an “AWAKENING” one day when the very first TRACY PORTER catalog showed up in my mail box.  Sort of like when Eckhart Tolle woke up on the park bench and realized that “He was not his thoughts”-    except that I realized-  OMG-  I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT THIS CATALOG IS SHOWING ME.      I noticed that I was magnetised to this Bohemian , artsy, gypsy lady who was crafting away on her farm with 4 little boys.   But, I do digress.   That’s part of the reason we started Joy Junket……because Suzi and I realized how powerful style and design is——when you begin to transform inside-  often your hairstyle and throw pillows (outside)  are not far behind.   Its just another portal. 

   One thing I know FOR sure is that Coaching is NOT about giving advice (advice=consulting).   Its about helping people find their own best advice (listening to their soul speak if you want to get all technical and WOO WOO on me).    Coaching is NOT therapy-  therapy typically focuses a lot on the past-  and is ETREMEMLY helpful especially where there has been (or still is)  trauma, and loss.   In fact-  I would highly recommend therapy for many things and especially for dealing with unresolved grief and trauma.     It’s really quite difficult to explain unless you have experienced it-  so allow me to explain through a series of vignettes-  these are all coaching clients I have been  working with in the last month.  I think that it helps to see how it works. 

I have one lovely client in the Central US  that initially hired me as a weight loss coach.   We started out with a few weight loss tools and she was having many A-Ha moments.   In one conversation,  I asked her how much joy she was getting out of food versus other stuff in her life.   Later, she said she realized that she realized that much of her joy was coming from food.  So then I asked-  “what sort of stuff (non-food stuff) really brings you joy?”  The questions was a bit challenging to answer for her.   She was a bit stumped.  She is  a busy Mom working in  a high level job managing many other people- and I find its not unusual for busy busy working moms to be stumped on that one.  It’s like we (temporarily) have lost touch with what rocks our world. 

 The next week she was so psyched to report that she had realized she found true joy for a period of time on afternoon.  I said-  what did you DO????  (Coaches get very excited and giddy when clients discover things than bring them joy)-  and she said,  “ I was home alone and I just went and laid in my daughters summer pool on a raft in the sun, “It was absolute and PURE Heaven”.   Simple,  right? It wasn’t like she bought a Gucci scarf, or took a trip to Tahiti or had an affair with a Tango dancer-  just a sweet visit to the backyard pool.   My guess is when she starts logging more hours in the pool-  and finding more stuff that makes her feel the same way t  hat her life is just going to get that much sweeter (and the weight will come off and stay off effortlessly).  Not to simplify it-  there is more to it than just lying in the pool-  but its PAYING attention to what feels really good-  and allowing yourself to do those things.    We often will do the thought work (www.thework.com) to work on finding thoughts that might better serve us -  and that is a whole other blog post and VERY POTENT stuff if you are looking to change your life.    But, you can use Byron Katie’s 800 number to check it out for yourself if you are so inclined! 

So, one of the first things I teach my clients are some tools to help them clarify which  things/people/activities and places do or (DO NOT) serve their essential self (your soul, you North Star, your inner compass, GOD…etc etc.) .  Your own body and its reactions are a wonderful place to start….more on that later!

Ok that is all for now-  I am going to do more stories on clients-  and what Coaching is all about-  stay tuned-  and meanwhile-  find your own “raft in the pool” and spend as much time as you can there-  its a great place to start creating a  LIFE You LOVE!  Sarah

We have learned through our experiences to pay attention to WHAT FEELS RIGHT…One of the benefits of having a website is to host a fabulous website launch party!  However, everytime we started to talk about the idea of walking the proverbial website launch RED CARPET we became overwhelmed and exhausted. 

Then we started tossing around an idea for a party we have had for awhile.. why not invite all our friends, customers and fans to an evening of wonderful food, drink and excitement.  Oh, and lets have everyone bring a new or gently used handbag…  Then lets fill them with amazing trinkets… lipstick, perfume and makeup (THANK YOU YOUNKERS and Bryan Brown!!)  and donate it all to our local women’s shelter, Safe Haven and our local Lake Superior Regional Family Justice Center.  Oh, and by the way, we will have our computers up and running with our new website, Joyjunket.com.   

We are happy to report that the fantastic women of the Duluth Superior area not only showed up, but showed up with many a handbag in tow!  We never imagined the bounty of Coach, Dooney & Bourke, le Sak and wonderful evening bags that would be deposited into our humble antique wooden crate.  THANK you to all who came and to all who donated!  Now tell me, who DOESN’T feel like she can conquer the world with the right makeup, perfume and perfect handbag? 

Our virtual world provides us with many opportunities to reach people everywhere, but how wonderful to also connect with people in our own community who are willing, able and ready to make a difference to a woman who may be in need.  It makes us all feel like we can join the party, and come as who we are… THANKS to all who came!  For the fulll PHOTO GALLERY CLICK HERE

Suzi and Sarah

People will often ask us… how do you guys work together without having lots of conflict or problems?  Well, we are very blessed to work well together.  But we’ve found that having some common goals are really important.  One thing we’re really good at is checking in with each other about how we really feel about certain issues or projects.  In other words, emotional honesty.  The book “Partnership Charter” was suggested to us by  friend and life/business coach Jen of Moxy Coaching.  We both read it and found that we were already doing a lot of what was suggested.  But the essence of the book is that many times businesses find themselves on auto pilot about how to make the widgets.  Sometimes, we find that we just tend to do what comes easily to us and not what we really WANT to do.  To be joyful we need to do what we LOVE.  So, try a little emotional honesty!  Not just in your business partnership but in ALL your partnerships!

The Partnership Charter; a book to help you work best with your business partner or fix a broken partnership!