Sarah Fejfar
Did you know Fiji isn't easy? 10 hour direct plane ride from SFO or LA X. They serve you dinner, you go to sleep for the night you wake up, they serve your breakfast and you land in paradise that intrigues me. So does quantum surfing and lucky behaviors. I'm so excited for this conversation with Monica today because we're gonna get into all of that. Let's paddle out.
Sarah Fejfar
Inquiring minds want to know, how are entrepreneurs like us daring bravely to build a stage ditch the sweat pants and step up to them? Like, how do we create our own transformative events? So we can get our message out into the world in a bigger way that's not only profitable, but it's actually something we can be proud. That's the question. And the answers are inside this podcast. My name is Sarah Fejfar. Welcome to Green Room Central.
Sarah Fejfar
Hey, it Sarah, I have an invitation for you right now. You can join entrepreneurs from across the globe who share a passion for hosting their own events become part of the community that inspires and cheers you on over at greenroom central.com.
Sarah Fejfar
Today I brought into greenroom central studios Monica Lawrence, a serial entrepreneur and conscious explorer with a passion for life. After decades as a leader in global enterprises, Hollywood entertainment and Silicon Valley technology startups. Monika launched into hospitality with tavola Fiji, her Lux private villa and inspiring venue for her stillness retreats for executives and visionaries. Monica is also the creator of quantum surfing, a creation mesh method that teaches purpose driven entrepreneurs and innovators to combine neuroscience applied enlightenment and quantum mechanics to predictably create lucky outcomes and accelerate venture impact.
Sarah Fejfar
Monica welcome to Green Room central studios say hello to linchpin nation.
Monica Laurence
Ah, thank you so much for having me, Sarah, and hello linchpin nation. Great to be here.
Sarah Fejfar
I'm thrilled to have you. I've been so excited for this conversation first, because I know you're in Fiji right now. And second, because you host some pretty cool retreats there. And I'm just dying to know the details like what kind of experience are you creating for your guests that you bring to Fiji?
Monica Laurence
Thank you so much for asking that. Yeah, I am in Fiji right now. And finally, our borders have reopened. We were closed for nearly two years with the pandemic. And on December 1, we started allowing tourists to come back in and it's been a true joy. I hosted guests here over both Christmas and New Years and just said goodbye to the last of those guests yesterday and have more guests coming in in a week. So it's always a pleasure to share this very special place with people. This is a private boutique hotel, really a private villa consisting of seven different structures on eight acres of jungle if you can see a little bit of that behind me.
Sarah Fejfar
Oh wow. Yeah, I'm seeing a little peek.
Monica Laurence
The whole property cascades to the sea and we're on the shore of Savusavu bay here in the North of Fiji. So it's a it's a tranquil and exceptionally special place to be. I think it's kind of signature quality is this immersion in nature. And you can't help but unravel and relax here behind the place you can even hear my roosters.
Sarah Fejfar
Yeah so you're you're making me so jealous right now. I have to add this to my list of places to go.
Monica Laurence
This place has a way of just not just speaking to the soul, which is why I was called to be here but really connecting drawing you in. And so the retreats I offer here, I call them stillness. They're an extension of the quantum surfing techniques that I teach and share on quantum surfing calm. But it's a unique experience here in Fiji. The purpose of this stillness retreat is to welcome onto printers home. That was my motivation for buying this place, which is called to vola. I wanted to give the best and brightest, the visionaries among us the people who are excited to create something that doesn't exist right now. I wanted to give them a place to come home, a place to be with others who are similarly motivated. A place to get reconnected to themselves and what matters in life. And as a result, to be able to reimagine what that next path is looking like for them and the steps to get there. So the stillness retreats are really designed for the entrepreneurs among us who are crafting the next reality that we'll all experience.
Sarah Fejfar
So you're really opening up space for them to be creative, by giving them this outlet to escape from the everyday if you will.
Monica Laurence
Yeah. Yeah, very much. So. Yes. What
Sarah Fejfar
what do you kind of what's a typical guest to say, coming away from one of your stillness retreats? Like what are they most surprised about?
Monica Laurence
They're surprised how much you can make happen by ostensibly doing nothing. Wow. And these are techniques that I actually teach in quantum surfing I, I teach in the first course how to be predictably lucky. And it's by adopting traits and practices that I just joyful and fun and serendipitous and easygoing, but that have real outcomes. So in the early days, when I first got here, and I had people coming for the stillness retreats, they weren't retreat so much at that point in time as kind of work parties with a playlist,
Sarah Fejfar
we had a lot of work to do.
Monica Laurence
And so these beautiful people would come and hang out, and we'd have meals together and a lot of fun. And invariably, after some period of time together, they would say, Monica, what's what's what's going on? Like, well, what do you mean, what's going on? They're like, Well, look, I am spending every day with you. I know exactly what you're doing. I know, how you're spending your time. And yet, whenever we need something for this project, it just happens to appear. Whenever we go into town, you just happen to run into the people that you need to see in order to move us forward. You know, and, like so. So what's going on? That, I guess that, like, oh, that's quantum surfing. That,
Sarah Fejfar
wow, energy
Monica Laurence
flow. And I think that's what surprises people the most is how you can accomplish things that you intend, but without doing it in the way that we're trained to do it, which is I make lists, I make my phone calls, I carve out time to do it. And it's much more like a style of play. So that's what strikes people the most if they if they hang out here for any length of time.
Sarah Fejfar
So what what caught me there Monica was this, this whole concept of, of Lucky behaviors and and serendipity. And I want to pause on that for a bit and dig in a little bit more because to someone like me who's like deeply practical type A that's that's a hard one to wrap your brain around. And I've you know, read books like, like Gabi Bernstein's. The universe has your back in such like that. And I'm wondering if that's if that's a little bit of what this is, can you help me out with this lucky behaviors business? Because I think I want to make them I want to take those lucky behaviors on a regular basis.
Monica Laurence
To put you at ease sir, I will tell you that the real power and magic is in the combination of the two. So the fact that you have mastered the the driving as you would call it, the type a model can only serve you well, right. But there is another model. I stumbled upon it over the course of a decade. And I became very interested in very various spiritual practices. And I remember Gabby Bernstein was one of the people I stumbled on really Early on, in fact, I went to one of her, like the first reading of one of her first books there in San Francisco. And all of these kind of revelations appeared when I was on this spiritual path of exploring these, these ideas. And after a period of years, however, I was like, Okay, this is cool. And I'm an entrepreneur. So what can I do with it? Because I like to apply it right. And so that I started experimenting in other ways. And I had also run across an article that talked about lucky traits of Lucky behaviors, like people who are lucky and what are they doing, and believe it or not being lucky as a result of those behaviors, which if you really trace it back as a result of what you think was the result of what you believe. So if you simply adopt the belief that, hey, I can be lucky, then things start to shift. And that's a neuroscience principle, that the lucky behaviors, just to put it simply, there's four of them. And then I add an accelerator. So those four behaviors are curiosity, just curiosity and openness. And the next one is resilience.
Sarah Fejfar
I'm writing this down, feverishly.
Monica Laurence
Read his intuition. Okay. The fourth is positive expectations. And then the fifth is playfulness. Just having fun. With everything that's coming your way. Oh,
Sarah Fejfar
you probably are seeing the React that my my face right now. It's just like, crunching up. Because the fifth one, like gives me anxiety as someone who's like very driven, you know, it, I know, it's something that needs to come into my life more. But gosh, that's a hard one. And the rest of them, I'm feeling very good about my various sense of openness do. And I've been reading a lot about money mindset, and especially the the the mindset of exceptionally wealthy people and like commonalities, and I'm, I'm noticing a lot of similarities there.
Monica Laurence
That's fascinating. What do you what are you pulling away from the reading that you've been doing? What are your top takeaways?
Sarah Fejfar
Honestly, a lot of the the fourth one you said, so the positive expectations a lot of a a lot in that space of worth of self worth, like being worthy of a of a high net worth. Also, thoughts around, like, gratitude, for, you know, what you have, but also what's coming, that first one in curiosity and that openness of like being open to like how money could come from anywhere, and from anyone at any time, like being really open to how it's coming into your life and not stopping, like income streams, because you have like these blocks, and like in these like set ways on how things have to happen. Getting Exactly, exactly. So those are the things like immediately that are jumping out. And also this is openness to both giving and receiving. That's been a big one for me is that I very good at blocking of like receiving like not receiving help. And they said that's kind of like a no, no, because that also blocks the attraction of wealth.
Monica Laurence
It's absolutely true. So we spend time on that in quantum surfing too, which is the second course
Sarah Fejfar
have like kind of it's a multi level system that you created.
Monica Laurence
Yeah, so there's quantum surfing one, which is called getting up on the board. It's all about how to be predictably lucky. Essentially, you're catching a quantum wave. And then quantum surfing too, is balancing on the board. Like once you're up on that board, how do you stay on it and one of the concepts is absolutely this cycle of giving and receiving. And then just this morning Pisarra I start to surf shopping, we won't call it work, right? So surf shopping, quantum surfing three, which is surfing towards your target, and how to make sure that you're actually getting to where you intend to go, of course, in the most joyous and delightful way. But this idea that you're bringing forth of giving and receiving is so very important because it's like a cycle, just like nature has cycles. And, you know, you give, and then you receive, give and you receive. And when we're people who are generous, yeah, we're tend to be givers. And we're blocking the receiving. It's an, it's an energetic break, that we're applying, because we're not comfortable receiving and one of the best places to start to be more comfortable, is simply by accepting compliments. When someone says to you, oh, sorry, I love the color of that shirt you have on that blue is just perfect, you know, with your coloring in your eyes, and to be able to say
Monica Laurence
so often, we don't do that Sarah, you know, kind of deflect. So that's just like a really tiny place to even start to keep that cycle going, rather than breaking the cycle all the time. So I absolutely love
Sarah Fejfar
that. Monica, it's so true. I've noticed that in my own life, just as soon as I became aware that that was a thing, like the blocking of, of receiving, I was noticing it in so many places in my life, because I'm like not to be like boastful, but I'm really good at giving. I'm really good at offering help and helping without being asked for others. And then, and I think this is this is not uncommon for them to be like, Oh, no, but I don't need any help. Or like the, like you said, blocking of accomplishments. Like that's very easy for me to do. And so really been trying to challenge myself on that one. Where Am I blocking? Receiving? And and how can I kind of like, and now I love that picture that you're painting for me of it being like cyclical that circle.
Monica Laurence
Yeah, so good.
Sarah Fejfar
I got about it. I like I'm really, I'm dying to dive more into these lucky behaviors. But I have to pause on that for a moment because I want to, I want to circle back a little bit to Fiji, if you don't mind, because you're there. And because you have this. You host these retreats exclusively in Fiji and I have a hunch that was intentional. And I know we talked a bit about how that has a lot to do with your worldview on, like, people needing to get away from the everyday. But I wonder if we could just pause on that for a moment. And you could share a few more thoughts on that for those of us who are still a little bit stuck on. Like, you know, being where we're at, in to do lists and all the things right.
Monica Laurence
You know, there in the Western world, we live in a hyperdrive society. And it's really something to be grateful for. We're so productive, the rate of change. And if you want to even say manifestation is so rapid. You know, people are easily creators where they have the resources to be creators. There's a model that is being used in order to create in that way. So for myself, I started going back and forth between Fiji and the US. I want to say almost 30 years ago now. My uncle had moved here in 1972. And so as a teenager, I started visiting. And then about 10 years ago, I found myself here more frequently. And what I was discovering Sarah, is that mixing the energies of this place, with my driving focused ways in Silicon Valley was making me more creative. It was making me more open It was giving me a broader perspective on what was possible. And it was taking me to a place that gave me joy. That made me happy. And so hit up like everything started firing on all cylinders, if you will, as a result of mixing the two energies. So it was for that reason that I actually bought my place my own place here, because I was wanting to share this experience with other entrepreneurs. As a way to get off the grid. I put it you know, to come home and be present to yourself and to the surroundings in such a way that it allows you to be that much more effective and focused and even keeled, if you will, back in, in our hyperdrive, Western societies. There's a few things that are going on here in Fiji that I believe have that effect. You can hear them like, honestly, literally sitting in the jungle. So there's, there's the roosters, and the birds. And there's the companionship of the wind, which is fascinating. You know, when I found myself back in the US last fall, after having been here for two years, the thing that I missed the most was the wind, because I had become accustomed to living in an environment in which the wind is always present with me that even when I'm indoors, the wind is coming through the louvers, there's no separation between me in the wind. And yet, there's a distinct separation, when you're back into any sort of environment where the buildings are, you know, reinforced and well structured, and you have your air conditioning and your climate control. And, you know, you're not exposed to the wind. But being exposed to the wind, as an example, being integrated with nature in that way. It has a different effect on how you feel on how you breathe. And when you start to shift those fundamentals, then you come to a place of peace and well being that allows you to have new insights and creativity. So the nature here is so pervasive, that it you can't shut it out the way we're accustomed to shutting it out. In our in our modern world. Right. Yeah, separate that
Sarah Fejfar
I'm tracking with you. And I'm imagining, so usually once a month, sometimes more often, we drive about an hour, hour and a half west and we go to the Oregon coast because I'm in Portland, Oregon. And we'll spend the whole day there. There's even beaches where we can drive on and so we'll just like set up camp for the day with a fire and just hang out and everything you just described, I can imagine. I feel like I can imagine it because that's how I feel when I go there. Like there is this constant sense of wind and a different smell in the air and this like constant like sound from the ocean of, you know, like, it's like rhythmic and I come away from every single day that we do. They're feeling a sense of like calm and restoration and like openness and I love it like like my husband and I joke like there's just never a bad day on the Oregon coast. It could even be you know, like pounding rain and we're soaked through but like we come away with just like a sense of relaxation and big smiles and everyone in the family's face. And you know, we talk about Portland not being our forever home. But we would have if that was ever the case we would have a very hard time giving up access to that sense of like, release a few well at the ocean.
Monica Laurence
I grew up in Bellevue Washington that's where I was born. Okay and my grandparents had a small property in Long Beach, Washington there on the Washington Post, right? So not so far from where we've been there. We
Sarah Fejfar
did a little. I remember it finally, because we went as the only time we've ever gone horseback riding on the beach. And we did it. Long Beach. Long view. Yeah,
Monica Laurence
yeah, well, there Yes, I think you have to, you're right, you have to drive down to Longview to that ranch, where they have the horses for beach riding, which was one of my favorite favorite memories as a child. So thank you for that reminder. Completely a weekend spent in that environment as you've just shared, it makes all the difference. And so, you know, here in Fiji, it's, it's similar to that. What you also have here is a culture, the Fijian culture, which is village based, it's community based, and it's, it's based on happiness. There's a real caring that connects everyone here, you wouldn't walk down the street without saying hello to everyone, which, of course, is the, you know, the big Bula smile. And that's just not the case when you walk through even a town in the US. So there's this natural interconnection not only with the environment, with the, in this case, the jungle and the sea, but also with the people. And, and this is very, very special. And I found it extraordinarily nourishing during the pandemic in particular. Because you may not know these people intimately, but you know them. Because you were all have a sense of shared values of your way of existing in the world. And it said, it's just a shift from our model of independence and separation. There's a natural sense of connection and interdependence here. And I will also add, some of that is born from the fact that it's a dramatic environment. Right now we're in our summer. And so that means, you know, we, we get our cyclones and we get our thunderstorms. And that's just the nature of the, you know, the natural cycle heal here. It was kind of a shock last Saturday, when we also got front row seats to volcanic eruption out of Tonga, which is 400 miles from us, that's not usual. What you do come to experience here is this, this sense that you live in, in a live environment, and that you are interconnected with the people here who are all experiencing that. There's real beauty and living that way. And so this is, these are the kinds of things that I really make a point to share with people who were coming here. And then we do in the retreats, we sprinkle in a lot of playfulness, like people always ask me, Are we going to be journaling every day? And we're going to be meditating, where's my yoga? Like, where's my structure? Where's my structure, I have this in my head, I relax. I need my structure to know that, yeah, this is what's going to be happening. And we can always do all those things. That's totally fine. But what's interesting, and what I've come to discover and learn over time is that playing coconut, bocce ball is not structured. Especially because coconuts roll in all different directions. But it's funny, and it's playful. And it's connecting you to the people who are around you. And through the laughter that you're sharing. You're coming to know them in a way that is deeper, is more appreciative than how you would know someone otherwise. And as a result, you're reflecting that back into yourself. And so you're coming alive in a way that is more free. So this, this emphasis on playfulness is actually something I incorporate into the retreats. And I know from a Western standpoint, that sounds like so we're not doing something right. So like so we're doing that we're not, we're not achieving an objective. But in fact, it can be the fastest way to break through to an entirely new target. Objectory because it's a, it's a high energy, it's a very high energy that nourishes each and every one of us so that we're engaged over longer periods of time, because we're having fun.
Monica Laurence
Just like that sense of the shared experiences that you just described on the Oregon coast. How it's so restoring,
Sarah Fejfar
hey, I don't want you to miss out, did you know that this conversation always continues inside the linchpin nation community, it's a free modern discussion forum exclusively for green room, central listeners, that will have a profound impact on the way you look at events in your business, get answers to your biggest questions here behind the scenes nuggets from event leaders, and get access to helpful templates, guides and checklists. As you start in scale events in your business, be part of the daily discussion with entrepreneurs just like you, you can join for free over at Green Room central.com. I'll see you inside. So what I'm wanting linchpin nation to take away from that is that adding playfulness to your events might just extend the engagement of your guests, like you're talking about a longer attention span when people are, like giving and receiving that, like circle of joy there, and how it extends engagement. And I think everyone has been asking throughout this pandemic, like, gosh, how do I extend people's like, attention span on my, you know, virtual event, and I think you've just given us one of the clues right there. But I'm gonna go back to two things that you just said there. And again, I think it's a lesson that I want linchpin nation to take away here is first, that creating the these destination retreats that you're creating, are giving entrepreneurs a vessel an excuse to escape, like you're giving them like the permission to, to do what they need to do by by creating this, this, this space, this retreat for them. And that that's something that all of us have the power to do, as entrepreneurs, as leaders, as linchpins in our communities is to create these, these, these live experiences that allow people to escape from their every day and, and have experiences that open, open them up in in ways that they need to be opened up, right. And so I think that's super important to for folks to be taking away. And then the second thing is I'm hearing such intention coming from you, in community building, and how, you know, when you, when you create these retreats, and you gather people together, you're naturally you're naturally creating, like a community, which all of us have this permission to do as leaders in our businesses, and how it's such a powerful thing, because when you're starting a new community, so you get to set up new rules and ways of belonging and ways of, you know, like everyone, when they enter community, they want to know, like, how do I fit in, and you are bringing them to Fiji. And showing this this brand new way of fitting in, which is more smiles and more connecting and, and knowing what your neighbors name is and how they're doing and with this, I'm seeing a big, more lot more circle of like giving and receiving happening there. I'm sure that's my design. But I love that all of us get that permission to create a community with a brand new rules when we create events. And and then hopefully, people love it so much that they take pieces back with them to their real life. And and I'm guessing that that happens for the entrepreneurs who choose to come in and stay with you.
Monica Laurence
And these are beautiful recaps. I'm impressed that you're able to do that on the fly to tell you the truth, Sarah,
Sarah Fejfar
you're Monica.
Monica Laurence
But that's actually one of the things I really tried to do here is to make those experiences simple enough that people do take them with them. Yeah, It's so often in this simple experiences that the connections are formed. And I really have to give my mother credit on this one, and she's, you know, no longer here. So hopefully Her ears are tuned in from another place. Because she would love to know. When I was growing up, she made every moment magic.
Sarah Fejfar
Oh, you had one of those very special mamas, huh? I did yeah.
Monica Laurence
She could take something really simple and mundane. and transform it. So when we spent our time there on the west coast up in Long Beach, we would go down to the beach, and we didn't even take toys, you know. And then we would, she'd make it a whole adventure, we'd go and collect clam shells. And so we'd run around the beach, and you find our clam shells. And then she would take our clam shells, and she would make lily pads. So we go down to the harder sand and she would draw these circles. And then she would number the circles, and we'd have to jump from one lily pad to the next. And sometimes we'd have to twirl in between. Sometimes we would do it like a hopscotch like, you'd have to like toss a little shell and it would land on a lily pad. And you had to like figure out how you were going to make your way there is everything was a kind of a game. And I think there's so many opportunities for us in life to, to make things that need to be done a game. Like I remember when I first had some of my early jobs, and they were in administration, like like they're filing there weren't interesting. They're kind of boring jobs. And she would say, Monica, make it a game. Think of a game, like how fast are you going to file or, you know, like, but it wasn't even always have to be like a time to sort of thing was like, just this way of navigating through tasks that would allow you to be in an energy that was more creative, more joyful. When I was raising my children, and they're all in their early 20s Now, and my middle son needed some language therapy did not articulate well. And so he was working with a speech pathologist. And she employed one of these techniques, that's exactly the style that my mother used to use. So my son would go to his speech courses, and he was bored. Uh, he didn't really want to be there. And she knew it. So how is she going to engage him to accomplish the goal of articulating. So she after watching him for a while, she gave him a little bowl of paperclips. And so she said, every time that you articulate this, well, you get to make a basket. So take like a paperclip out of here and toss it over there. And you may not make the basket every time. But once you get to three, then we have like a special little celebration and you know, like run around the room and do something fun that he would much rather prefer to be doing. Yeah, that these seem like small moments, they seem like they're not even worthy of us even taking the time to design them. But a really well designed, playful orientation can get you to an end goal that you never would have reached otherwise. So this is something that's revealed, really, in that approach. So I have to I credit my mother in my life that so many people are able to do that.
Sarah Fejfar
That's so beautiful. And I I first learned that concept from my one of my favorite mentors is Brendon Burchard. And his one of his mottos is bring the joy and describes doing things very similar to what you just described with your money. And I didn't grow up that way. And so it's been very hard for me to learn this as an adult. But I can see the value behind it and working towards it so I, I know that you have purchased a space in, in in Fiji that allows, like any one of us entrepreneurs to be able to host an event events and experiences right there. And I would love for you to tell us about it because I'm super curious.
Monica Laurence
Yeah, well, you can, you can find my place on to vola Fiji calm, that's t A V o la has a dual meaning the toboa tree is native to Fiji is kind of a grand dam of trees here in Fiji. And I think she kind of wanted to be important. So her name is here. But also to bola means table in Italian and we gather around a family table. So I am passionate about great food. And we have a garden here and we pull fish from the sea and we eat hyper local, even the beef that we have come from the island itself. So that food experience and breaking bread, so to speak together is really core to the experience here. So to Viola is available to anyone who would like to come and stay or who would like to host their own retreats or events here. And it's an intimate place. So if you want to host a larger event, we have partner properties nearby where your guests can stay and then make the trek over to tavola for the yoga classes or the you know, transformational retreat that you're offering the business planning and strategy sessions that you're putting together. Here we have three separate suites, or five bedrooms with three baths. So it's a really flexible space that can be configured in lots of different ways. And we custom configure them based on the needs of any particular group. So it's small, it's intimate, great place to gather for, you know, up to 10 people. And if your event is 20 or 25, then there's options to stay nearby and then just pop on over to toboa for the various events.
Sarah Fejfar
That sounds magical. I can't wait to check it out. Online, I want to shift us into a rapid fire segment. And I will put the link to your the venue in the show notes. I'm going to ship to a few rapid fire questions for you if you don't mind before we wrap up what I say to yourself backstage and onstage and what I mean is mindset is a big thing for people who host things that are live, you know, with with people, you know, in real life and I wonder what do you say to yourself to give yourself the bravery and boldness to go make it happen.
Monica Laurence
And I say it's not about me it's about the people who have come here and I'm the best I can do is to deliver on whatever motivated them to be here now.
Sarah Fejfar
I love that. I love it. What's your best tip for filling events. So getting registrants for for your retreats?
Monica Laurence
Well, this is actually something that I feel like I could be better at to tell you the truth. And also to Volvo is fairly new. I purchased it and then I had a about a year of bringing it up to the level that I really desired. There's always plenty of work in maintenance to be done in the tropics. And then I had a two year pandemic so, um, you know, just kind of getting back online. And there's lots of different ways to do that. But the way that I've selected is to trust that awesome people will learn about this special place. And it has been growing by word of mouth. And that has brought the most incredible people here, people who feel like extended family. So that really suits me. I'm sure for so many of your listeners in linchpin nation, you know, they need 1000 people to be in those seats. And that's a different challenge. For me, I'm trusting that the people who are ready will show up. And it's these kinds of conversations that give me an opportunity to share the stories and the experience of being here in Fiji,
Sarah Fejfar
Oh, I love that. Because, you know, all of us all, all of our events are for somebody or not for a whole lot of other people, right. And when we trust and I'm hearing that from you, like, place a lot of trust, that when you attract the right people, the serendipity of the room is going to be magical. And so allow, allow the right people to, to find you, is what I'm hearing. And I love that. What's your favorite moment, at events that you host
Monica Laurence
probably when the music comes on,
Sarah Fejfar
I would really not
Monica Laurence
slip into some, like ridiculous dance moves that, you know, you would never pull out because you would be self conscious about what you might look like. But you can't help but just dance and and when that happens with other people, and you happen to be in the kitchen doing something together or out there on the field playing a game. And those are my favorite moments. It's like there's this, I guess it's this like childlike abandon that you've come to a place in that moment, where you get to be truly and wholly who you are this complete sense of self expression. That's, that's instantaneous, that's unrestrained, that there's no reason to hold back on on who you truly are. This is one of the reasons that I'm I really love this place is because it cultivates that kind of self expression. And that this is also why I call it a home in the sense that you get to be who you are, and you get to be honored for who you are more than that you get to be loved, for who you are. And there's not always that many spaces in our day to day lives where we feel that way. So often we're toeing the line of what we perceive is required of us in terms of our conduct and behavior. So my favorite moments here when i i myself and when I see others simply slip into that authentic self expression. That pure abandoned freedom of delighting in the moment
Sarah Fejfar
that's the word for me right there freedom. That's a that's it's magical when you can be in a place that allows you to get to that place. Because so often, we're not there, especially as driven entrepreneurs. Yeah. What's the best thing about hosting your own events?
Monica Laurence
I enjoy the camaraderie. I really do Sarah. I'm, I'm learning from others just as much as they're enjoying and learning by being here. That ko collaboration, that that connection, that interdependence sick, it has so many mysteries to yield. So I, it's I had to really think about that question when you asked it because I, I know I'm hosting, but I rarely think of it that way I am more enjoying the beauty of the people who have gathered. That's the That's what I really appreciate.
Sarah Fejfar
And I think Monica, why that's happening for you is because you have you, you've decided to show up as authentically you and to present your retreats as authentically as what the experience is. And you know, we'll be in your marketing. And when we do that, as event hosts as as leaders. That is when we're so very authentically us. It really paints a picture for our potential guests, our prospects of who this event is for and who it's not for. And that authenticity, then in our marketing allows the right people to show up and, and create that serendipitous room. And you're feeling that you like that's what you're feeling is that that cannot camaraderie and connection and interdependence that's happening, that magic is happening, because of how authentic you are being on the front end. It's, it's attracting your people. And so and I think that's my favorite thing to hear from event leaders is is that because then there tells me they're doing all of the things right on the front end of of like getting getting people in the door, and it pays off in spades because your people show up. And because they're showing up for you and then nothing like it makes your job so much easier and just feel so natural, then as you are hosting, because it's like the right people are there is I guess I could describe it. I love that. I want to know what you're reading right now.
Monica Laurence
Oh, I just What a great question. I just read into the magic shop by James Doty been on my shelf for probably five years now. friend had recommended it to me. And it's his journey from poverty to great success. He learns meditation and visioning techniques from a woman that he stumbles upon as a 12 year old boy by entering a magic shop. And now he runs a an organization who became a neurosurgeon, and he runs an organization at Stanford, around the science of compassion. So I truly enjoyed that book. And then I just started as I was sharing, I'm teaching quantum surfing three this morning and the book that I wanted people to read. And so I reread it myself is the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which is, he's one of my most favorite authors. And the reason that I chose that book is that it's a hero's journey, which we talk about in quantum surfing to how each of us is on a hero's journey. And what we're doing in quantum surfing three is really where the alchemist ends, where the boy discovers his treasure in his own home, and then what's next? And so that's what quantum surfing three is all about. How to Set what's next in a way that integrates all the learnings, all the experiences that have been harvested over the course of living the hero's journey. Both of those books been I've been reading I've read both of them this month.
Sarah Fejfar
I have Are the magic shop one but I have read The Alchemist and absolutely loved it was so surprised that I loved it. But yeah, magical I highly recommend that one and a hero's journey. I think that's the name of, of Donald Miller's brand new book that just came out. Interestingly enough, fantastic. Monica, this has been an absolute joy today talking with you. And I want to make sure that linchpin nation knows what you've got going on and where they can find you. So do you would you share it with us?
Monica Laurence
Yes, yeah. So I've three different websites. For the retreats, it is stillness fiji.com, For Bookings at the hotel, the private villa, it's to vola ug.com. And for quantum surfing, it is quantum surfing.com.
Sarah Fejfar
Excellent. I will make sure that we link all that up in the show notes for folks.
Monica Laurence
All right, best to your entire community and all of linchpin nation, best to you and your family. Best wishes for spectacular 2022.
Sarah Fejfar
Thank you for listening to the greenroom central podcast today. If you love this episode, then please take a screenshot on your phone and post it on Instagram. And be sure to tag at therapy for and let me know why you liked it and what you'd like to hear or who you'd like to hear from in the future. That'll help me know what to create for you.
Sarah Fejfar
Also, I've been hearing a lot of business owners say people are tired of virtual events. And it's just not true. Which is why I created a brand new five day challenge called the virtual event lab. I want to show you how to make your next virtual, profitable, engaging, and most importantly, how to make it happen. And the best part is this five day challenge is absolutely free. To register right now. Simply visit green room central.com And we can get started today.
Sarah Fejfar
On average, I spend about an hour a day reading every month of every year. If you love learning on the go as much as I do go to green room central.com to get a free audiobook and a free 30 day trial of Audible. My audiobook platform of choice and a sponsor of greenroom Central, perhaps grab a copy of into the magic shop by James Dodi because Monica recommended today or one of my favorites, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I appreciate your commitment to leveling up and learning the mindset and strategy of live events.
Sarah Fejfar
Keep going, keep learning. If you want more, head over to greenroom central.com For show notes and all the links from today's episode.
