Projects & Organizations I dig

this is how two vermonters celebrated today

Ben & Jerry’s FREE CONE DAY! I had to get a photo of the 40th Annual poster on the window as we waited in line:

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day

Not surprisingly, the place was packed, but the line moved fast. The wait gave me just enough time to play around with a magnet board meant for the kiddos:

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day

Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz and Chocolate Therapy, please!

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day

(See what we did with the cone wrappers there?:)

It’s nearly 8PM now, so this glorious ice cream give back event will be over by the time I press publish, but don’t worry, it’ll be be back again. In the meantime, grab yourself a pint of your favorite flavor at the grocery store. You can cozy on up with your buttercup, and listen to the great story of Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield, and how they started their delicious frozen empire on NPR’s How I Built This.

We love you, Ben & Jerry! Thanks for loving us back and showing it.

#DoGood #GiveBack #CelebrateEveryday

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still celebrating everyday? Heck, yes!

And just like that…poof! There goes another month. Time flies too fast.

I spent the first month of 2018 celebrating and sharing here, and the second, not sharing here. Don’t fret my loves, I’ve still been having a lots of fun! I’ve been celebrating things like helping to get client donations to women and children coming out of domestic violence situations:

Donations for Domestic Violence Victims

(Doing good feels so good! Thank you to so many people who volunteer their time to help others!)

…waking up in beautiful places and sipping coffee on balconies:

Kiawah Mornings

…uber windy chilly afternoons on the beach:

Beach Girl

…breathtaking sunsets:

Beach Sunset

Beach Sunset

…purging and packing for cross country client moves:

Moving

(Remember, PURGE BEFORE YOU RELOCATE! Why in the world would you want to spend your hard earned money on moving a bunch of stuff you no longer need/use/want? There are so many more fun ways to spend your cash, like on cheese, the waterpark with your kids, coffee, a concert with your lover, or that mani/pedi you need to take a few minutes to yourself, for:)

Now let’s continue the celebrating with throwing a surprise birthday party for a friend:

Party Cocktails

(Like bubbly? Fill a flute 80% Prosecco or Cava, and the rest with grapefruit. Fresh grapefruit is best, but bottled will do, too. Yum!)

…onto events that promote inclusion, diversity, health, wellness, and human rights!

All Gender Restrooms

Condom Couture Charlotte

Equality now and forever! (You do you, girl, boy, or whatever word/term/name/thing that suits you/you feel like you want to rock out.)

…a little bit of road trippin’ for Carolina Blue basketball:

He's Not Here

…and food! Oh how I love cooking and feasting with amazing people…one of the best ways to spend time:

Chimichurri Cauliflower

Chimichurri cauliflower!

Crunchy French Toast

Crunchy french toast! Roll your egg-battered bread through corn flakes and voila…french toast kicked up a notch. Especially with Schoolhouse Maple syrup, made by my friends. It doesn’t get better than this, and sugaring season now. Mmm. (Yes! You can order some here.)

2 months down in 2018, 10 more to go, and some really fantastic things are on the horizon. This Blue Lollipop Road party isn’t going anywhere, so be prepared to keep those sunglasses on, because the light is shining bright, baby. Whether you celebrate in quiet or out loud and proud, it’s all about taking a minute to appreciate simple things…every…single…day.

Today is the day. What are you waiting for?

#EverydayAdventures #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #RememberCelebrateLive 

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man, that girl parties a lot

2.1.18

Hi there. If you haven’t been here before, welcome to the celebration. This is day 32. For the year 2018, anyway.

I’m Diane. This is me goofing around at Domaine Carneros a couple of weeks ago:

Diane Peacock at Domain Carneros

I love the bubbles there. They’re extra special with good company, too. Life is about celebrating everyday, right? And the people. Yes. The ones you love and those who make you laugh.

I don’t think we celebrate enough. I think we wait until it’s often too late. I think we’ve made a bad habit out of “saving up” for the perfect time or chance to live like we are actually alive. 

The clock is ticking. When will we learn?

I do my best to work and practice what I preach by getting all fired up and excited about small, silly, insignificant things everyday, and taking anyone who let’s me, along for the ride. Kid in a candy store baby, it’s the only way to be while all the sweetness is there for the taking. When we practice having more gratitude, we have less attitude, and a helluva lot more fun.

So about this whole “celebration” thing?

Since meeting Noah Scalin years ago at an event where he shared his Skull-A-Day art project, I’ve been a little obsessed with doing my own 365 project. I attempted one in 2014 and it lasted for a bit over two months. This year I’m determined to go all the way for 2018, filling your inboxes with funny, strange, head-scratching things each day that I’m having a little party (celebration) about. I hope you will continue to follow along, and think a little more about feeling the thrill of at least one little ridiculous awesome thing everyday, too. (Scroll down to the bottom of my webpage and sign up for daily email notifications if you haven’t already.)

When we do things that make us happy, we stay unstuck, when we are not stuck, we are more badass, when we are badass, we take life by the you know what’s and don’t wait for damn permission from anyone to do whatever the heck we want.

Did you know you have the choice to do whatever the heck you want?

Bingo!

CELEBRATE! DO IT UP! TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE.

This Blue Lollipop Road was inspired by a couple of crazy joyful girls who didn’t care what day it was, they lived like they meant it. I will always be inspired to do the same. Today I celebrate making the choice to celebrate. Staying happy is a practice. Lace up, buttercup, and get in the game. The whistle just blew and it’s go time…

How are you going to start celebrating more?

#StartDriving #LifeUnstuck #TodayIsTheDay

*Feeling stuck as a pig in a pit? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

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celebrate everyday: day 27

1.27.18

Today I celebrate friends who start their own travel companies:

The Vagabond Monkey

Check out this trip to Ireland in May! A great deal and opportunity for off the beaten path adventure with a couple of experienced and talented hosts. It’s pretty awesome when people find their super passions and want to share them with others.

Maybe it’s time for you to fly away, little birdie?

#Wanderlust #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #ExperiencesNotThings

*Ready to take a trip but don’t know where to start? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

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celebrate everyday: day 24

1.24.18

Today I celebrate entrepreneurs, because it takes a lot to keep the hustle going when you work for yourself:

Advent Coworking F*ck Up Night

Advent Coworking F*ck Up Night

I went to F*ck Up Night a Advent Coworking tonight. F*ck Up Night is, you guessed it…an event where a panel of entrepreneurs share their stories about how they got to where they are, and all their f*ck ups along the way.

The kind of passion, drive, and hustle it takes to work for yourself is not for the weak or tired, to say the least. There’s a whole lot of regular “Why don’t you just go get a real job?” and other ridiculous opinions we’ve all heard, as we scrape the last penny out of the bank account, put in another late night, and wake up early to pound the pavement again. Those things would make most people break down and cry like babies. (And we have at times.) But! Figuring out ways to navigate this crazy world and make a living doing what you love and believe in so hard core, even your hero couldn’t talk you out of doing it? That, is pretty f*cking awesome. And totally worth the expenditure of those blood, sweat, and tears days.

NEVER GIVE UP!

Does something you overhear in a conversation at a cocktail party make you want to jump over the appetizer table, knocking over the hostess as you spill your martini, just so you can be talking about it, too? I think you’ve found your thing, baby. Go for it.

You know what you love to do. It’s ok to feel like you want to punch someone in the face next time they tell you you’re nuts to chase the life you want. You don’t have to punch them, just keep looking straight ahead, and let all that bs outside noise fall far behind you.

What lights your fire?

#LoveYourWork #StartDriving #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone

*Ready to join the hustler club, but don’t know where to start? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

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celebrate everyday: day 5

1.5.18

I went to booty shaking (technical term) class this morning, as usual (have to support the bread, cheese, and chocolate habit), and as soon as I got out, I saw a voicemail on my phone from a client. My initial uh-oh thought was because I knew this was a day I had set up a vendor to work with this client and I wasn’t going to be there. Did I forget to do something?! I played her voicemail with a slight cringe, hoping not:

“Diane! Hey it’s (name), I just wanted to tell you that the guys from Junkluggers are the nicest people I’ve ever met. They’re unbelievable! I just wanted to let you know, I love these guys!”

The Junkluggers are a vendor of mine. I send them to clients often, to do moves or junk removal. Since the first time I met the owners, they have been nothing but friendly, efficient, communicative, timely, and helpful. So incredibly professional.

Customer service seems pretty terrible these days. It’s a total bummer. It’s hard to go to a restaurant and get a smiley server, and too often the check out clerk is just plain miserable. I wonder why so many people look like they’d rather be doing anything else other than their job, and then I think of the fact that even though I’m 39 years old, my mother would smack me if I put in any less that A+ effort in my work life/with a client. You treat people with respect and hospitality, right? And keep cranking until things are done appropriately, right? Always. That’s what these guys do, and never fail.

My client thought the Junkluggers crew were some of the nicest people on planet, because they are. They’re nice, they get the job done, and best of all, I never have to worry in a bit that their service will be anything less than impeccable. It feels fantastic to be able to have that level of confidence in a vendor. I’m so thankful for this crew! The Junkluggers

Moving and junk removal are not glamorous, so extra high-fives to these guys for doing the “dirty” work, and smiling every minute along the way.

Today I celebrate good customer service, and being able to take comfort in the people I trust most to go into the homes of my clients during big life transitions.

Thanks, guys!

Who are you choosing to work with?

#LoveYourWork #KeepSmiling #LessStuffMoreFreedomHappyLife

*Need some help during your big life transition? Call me! (804.339.6514) I can help.

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let my people go surfing

A week ago yesterday, I woke up in warm, peaceful, palm tree riddled Nicaragua:

Nicaragua Palm Trees

It was glorious. That day was my travel home day from a leadership development program I participated in called LeaderSurf. By the time planes, trains, and automobiles got me to my place in Charlotte around midnight and I opened my windows and balcony door, the city had shut down, and all was quiet and dark. Late night Sunday night transition was lucky timing for me as I was already feeling overwhelmed by the ding, ding, dings on my phone after choosing to be unplugged for 10 days. I woke up Monday morning to get my run in and was met on the streets with screeching, honking, red-light running cars…and before it was even 7:30AM. This morning was exactly the same. Cement city, a mad dash rush before the business day even started, and drivers looking fired up. (I’m not sure this fired up meant anything excited or happy about where they were going, either.)

You could say I miss the Nica Life.

Back to my stint in learning paradise:

LeaderSurf is based on experiential learning. It focuses on enhancing leadership capability by taking business leaders out of their comfort zones to teach them more about themselves. My time in Nicaragua and in this program was one of the best times in my adult life. I learned a ton:

Business Challenge

That’s me presenting my business challenge looking very serious. Being in the hot seat isn’t easy! OK, that’s a fib, because this is where the hot seat is:

Tiki Classroom

Tiki Classroom

…now that’s what I call a classroom!

Founder Brian, the Buena Onda Resort staff, and the surf instructors were all wonderful hosts and teachers:

Buena Onda Staff

Brian LeaderSurf

LeaderSurf Instructors

Surf Lessons

…the views were gorgeous:

Mag Rock

Buena Onda Resort

Buena Onda Resort

Buena Onda Resort

Buena Onda Resort

Nicaragua Sunset

…and I had a total blast, surfing, and wiping out:

Surfing Nicaragua

Surfing Nicaragua

Surfing Nicaragua

This one is my oh my god I just learned how to surf and I have no idea how to control this board yet, so please don’t make me run into my new friend, look:

Surfing Nicaragua

Later in the day we were both so excited we were up we didn’t realize we were heading right towards each other until the last second. Abandon ship!

Surfing Nicaragua

We didn’t event come close to hitting each other, but our faces?! No matter how many times I look at some of our group photos I cannot stop laughing. Donald, the photographer who was with us all week really knows how to capture a moment.

Surfing NicaraguaSurfing Nicaragua

Best? We got to give back:

LeaderSurf Community Project

The community we visited doesn’t have a source of clean drinking water. We brought 16 water filtration systems that we helped show these community members how to use. One of the filters can provide 100 gallons of clean drinking water per day:

Community Project: LeaderSurf

LeaderSurf Community Project

I won’t ever look at or drink a glass of water the same again. Here’s a portion of an email I wrote to my fellow LeaderSurfers the morning after I got home:

Late last night after getting back, the last thing I unpacked was my backpack and in the very last pocket I found the tiny round piece of a bucket that one of you had taken out to install one of the water filtration systems and handed to me on the community project day. That piece now has a home on my desk. Right after I found that piece I poured myself a glass of water out of the refrigerator on my way to bed and had an unexpected moment seeing that clean water flow out so easily. I will never forget it. After that I couldn’t sleep all night. Needless to say, lots more perspective than I ever imagined after this trip. I am so incredibly thankful!

LeaderSurf Community Project

2 days after getting back, I had a meeting at a local brewery. I swear when I saw this on the wall behind the bar, the world went silent for a minute and my jaw dropped to the floor as if I had never laid eyes on anything like it before:

Water on Tap

A water tap. Bottomless. Just hanging out, free-flowing, clear, and safe, for all to enjoy. I’ve been to that brewery before, but had never noticed this. Oh how eyes are so much more wide open after traveling to a new place that doesn’t have the everyday amenities I do.

We all brought school supplies for the kids:LeaderSurf Community Project

One of my most favorite parts, was handing out blue lollipops. It was like sharing a piece of myself. To me they always represent a small moment of magic. Smiles all around:

Giving blue lollipops

LeaderSurf Community Project

Wish I/we could’ve done more? Yes. Motivated to give and appreciate now more than ever. Yes. Living even more consciously than I was before? Absolutely.

I made what I hope will be some lifelong friendships with the other participants.

Sunset Reflections

When you have an adventure like this and all cards go on the table, the playing field equals. It’s the perfect way to step outside yourself and let others in. There’s an instant perspective shift that happens that’s like a new window to every part of your life. It’s as if you bond in an instant with the people around you even if they were perfect strangers the day before. You realize (especially in the silent moments alone) that the world is so much bigger than you ever imagined:

Great learning environment

Sunset Reflections

Sunset Reflections

Our Sunset Reflection times were in a beautiful spot for us to share what we learned each day. It felt so good to actually be IN the moments. I’m so glad I committed to going unplugged. I need to do that more!

Coming right off this LeaderSurf program and into my 6th annual Play It Forward event is like riding this totally indescribable wave (no pun intended) of positive energy. A serious force to be reckoned with! The passion I had before, coupled with the buckets of life and work lessons I learned during my week surfing, will help me be a better leader moving forward. I feel like I already am!

In case it’s not completely obvious, I’m a huge fan of LeaderSurf. The experience I had goes unmatched. I wish there were more programs out there like it, I’d be signing up left and right! Maybe I’ll have to create my own?! (Wink.)

Staying active and challenging yourself to anything outside of the environment you’re used to, is the fastest route to your truth. Be open to alternative ways of learning. Be vulnerable. Encourage the people around you to do things that light them on fire. Stay on fire yourself. Share. Be selfless. Always try new things, and never stop having fun…even when you’re working!

#ExperientialLearning #LifeOutsideTheDroneZone #ServantLeadership

*If you don’t recognize the reference in my title, it’s to this this great book I’d recommend to anyone. Here’s the Author Yvon Chouinard on NPR‘s How I Built This, too. So good!

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paying forward and getting so much back

I just returned from this amazing LeaderSurf program in Nicaragua where I learned a ton and was able to give back and share the blue lollipop Strong Mojo magic:

Blue Lollipop Road in Nicaragua

As I arrived home and plugged in, I discovered that Team Awesome (I just made that up) who includes my family, some alumni friends, and other perfect strangers from my hometown have been rocking and rolling with plans & construction on our community donation project for the 6th Annual BLR Play It Forward to be revealed on Saturday July 8th:

BLR construction project

People coming together, spending time doing good things for, or in honor of others feels incredible. My heart could explode!

I am 1,000 times more determined than ever to keep educating myself on everything I can, do work I’m passionate about, and to help lead others to do the same. This above is the stuff a full life is made of my friends! I am so thankful, inspired, and motivated by all this collaboration right now…happiness!

How are you sharing things that fire you up today?

#ServantLeadership #FollowYourPassion #RememberCelebrateLive

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