If you chance to meet Charlie Gilkey (gill + key) and Angela Wheeler, your life may just transform.

I have used their planners a few years back for organizing my head. I was excited for the book, Start Finishing, to help me fill in the gaps. Somewhere in between, I started joining their Monthly Momentum Calls. Those calls are free coaching calls they hold once a month, they have been doing Zoom before it was a thing. This one day, I was 'multitasking' and I pushed a button by mistake and heard them calling my name.
I didn't figure out how to unmute, but they were there and they noticed me. That made me want to join the next call and be ready with a question. The next month I was prepared, but oh so nervous. I asked a business question. They listened, challenged me, and ask what I was afraid of? mmm, everything!
The challenge they gave me was to post 1 item into my empty Etsy shop, which snowballed into an abundance of opportunities in my creative life. For those that have been reading for a while, you have witnessed many of the things that I have been trying.

This year as I followed them closely and was more aware of what they are doing, they launched the Productive Flourishing Academy. I wanted in, although I didn’t know if I could carve the time as I was enrolled in another class. The community with no FB group caught my attention, the monthly workshops and frequent check-ins sounded like the right accountability I was looking for. I signed up!

I have met WONDERFUL people there. I feel I have found the right tribe for Cristina right now. And the consistency of the workshops, classes, and varied accountability groups paired up with a gentle system of awareness has made my growth tangible and exponential. I am ever so grateful for the space and time for learning and implementation that I have experienced there.

If you are curious, check it out. Ask the questions and ask yourself if it feels right. Their annual price will increase come January, so I had to let you know before then. I greatly recommend it!

This drawing above was a collaboration with a PFA fellow member, Kari Gormley. She had a vision of new branding for Charlie back in March and when we got talking we thought we could present it in a different way. Oshey, their amazing team member, help us conspire to make this a community gift. She gave us the words from our community survey to fill in the background.

In the illustrated portrait, both Charlie and Angela are both with their typical celebratory poses, woot woot arms and victory fist, as they are always helping us celebrate our accomplishments. The lime green mimics the book, Start Finishing, and there really wasn’t enough space in the background for all the wonderful things we heard.

At first, we were going for an EPIC success, a multimedia video, and a written tribute. But as great as that would have been. We simplified and got the essence of the idea into words.

With 30 minutes to the last group gathering of 2020, I got the list of words. My hands were shaking and my heart beating fast. That was some fast problem solving, I painted the background erased the figure area and I wrote as many words as I could fit, and sent the final to Kari with 2 minutes to spare.

It has its’ rough edges and imperfections, but it was out when it needed to be.   And those imperfections make it even more meaningful and beautiful.

We started, we finished, we collaborated, and we celebrated together. Pretty epic nonetheless.

Merry Christmas this week and Happy Holidays to all!

-Cristina

ps.  try your hand at drawing, here is a simple project for all ages. Click on the fox to play the video.