On My Way…Necker Island #CMRB2017

As soon as I got back from Necker Island last year and the email from Fiona came out asking if any of us were interested in returning in June 2017, I immediately replied with ‘hell yes!”. My experience in 2016 was so impactful that I wanted more.

I’ve spent the last 11 months looking forward to returning to Necker Island and now the time has finally come. With this anticipation came some nervousness which I shared with my daughter, Rachel.

· What if it wasn’t as good as last year?

· What if it wasn’t as transformative as last year?

· What if the weather is terrible?

Rachel’s response was in the form of a question: “What if it is better?” What a perfect response and powerful words of wisdom from my amazing daughter.

So, I let go of my concerns and worries and set my intentions to make sure I had/have the best possible mindset for the adventure:

· Be open

· Be flexible

· Be in the moment

· Just be

I caught myself thinking about the return journey while we were on leg 2 of the journey from Miami to San Juan and quickly set aside that thought and returned to the moment. This year is already different in that I am traveling with a friend and colleague, Debra, and I already know about 10 of the people attending. Last year I knew no one. Last year I had no idea what to expect and arrived feeling like an outsider. This year I am moderating a panel on start-up investing, have had multiple conversations with Fiona, Billy and some other CMRB members in advance of the trip, and know who I am rooming with.

Still, this is a new adventure full of opportunities including my resolution to try kite surfing and, while I plan to play tennis, I will be stepping outside the comfort zone of the tennis court to explore other options. Rumor has it Fiona and Billy have a few surprises for us.

I can’t help but be excited and I am more than grateful for the opportunity to head back to Necker Island to find ways to be more expansive and more courageous and benefit from the amazing energy on the island made even more so by the CMRB folks attending.

My buddy Adam from last year joined us on the flight from Miami to San Juan and I know that there are a few more folks that we will be adding to our troop on the next leg from San Juan to Tortola. It is a completely different feeling to be collecting people as we get closer and closer. I can’t really articulate why but it’s already better than last year. Thanks for the shift in perspective, Rachel. I needed it.