One Crazy Summer -- so far

Part of me feels guilty for not writing so much on this blog, trying to capture the amazing moments I've been blessed to experience, but then the other part of me is having too much fun to slow down and more experiences keep coming. We're barely in mid-July and I already feel like I've had a full summer. Alas, I know there's more to come.

Since leaving my job back in April, it's been just a whirlwind of work. I once read a saying that the definition of an entrepreneur is someone who avoids working 40 hours a week for someone else by working 80 hours a week for himself, and I've certainly learned that to be true. Thankfully, all (or most, at least) of those hours consist of work I love doing.

Aside from the coaching and consulting work, photography, of all things has taken off like wildflowers. I've always loved taking pictures, but it wasn't until January, in fact, New Year's Day, that I broke down and purchased a good camera. While I have already been blessed with an amazing nation-wide clientele, and I haven't even started marketing my work yet. And even though the reality of the field is setting in (the costs and the hours of work outside of the actual event), I still love it and am grateful for the opportunities that have arisen.

Top 10 Summer 2012 Experiences . . . SO FAR (in no particular order):

- Getting to watch Pete Souza in action up close may have been an experience unto itself, but when I got to meet with President Obama, discussing our love for Pete's work, while Pete was actually taking our picture.



- Witnessing Carol & Jim exchange vows on a beach in Tulum (one of my favorite places in the world), when a rainbow magically appeared in the background.



- Experiencing the toils of life as a jet-setter, with a 24-hour travel day through 4 countries & 4 languages.

- Surviving the streets of Paris behind the wheel, including various circles like around the legendary Arc du Triomphe.

- Visiting Monet's Gardens in Giverny, France

- Hugging Amma

- Walking the labyrinth at National Cathedral

- Unexpected visit to Amsterdam

- Being wined and dined on La Barge Luciole while sailing through the canals of Burgundy, France

- Co-hosting a reception for Senator Daniel Akaka, retiring after 22 years of service, to thank him for his tireless work for the Filipino community including obtaining benefits for World War II veterans, including my grandfather. 

Feeding my Dreams

Note from my Facebook page:

Most of you have known me for straddling a few professional careers, all with the general theme of helping other people be more successful in their lives and/or their professions. Back in 2006, I established a burgeoning business as a life coach and holistic healer, focused specifically on helping to empower people to overcome their obstacles and find true success within themselves. It thrived, and as my (now ex-) husband witnessed the transformation of my clients, he naturally desired the same for himself and decided to leave the military and go to school full-time. Due to a recent health diagnosis, I made the practical decision to return to steady employment in order to maintain health benefits (no semblance of Obamacare at the time) and took a job with the largest privately-funded non-profit.

I felt blessed every day to be a part of an organization whose primary purpose is to help people lead healthy and productive lives, and yet I struggled every day in a job that had little to do with my natural gifts and talents while opportunities for me to exercise them dwindled further and further.

On the side, I maintained my business to a small degree and expanded my repertoire to (mostly food) writing and recently, photography. Every once in a while, I would get asked to participate in some interesting projects, most notably giving a couple of workshops at Emergence Creativespace's 11.11.11 Gathering in Sedona. I was my Self, unfiltered, and I had never felt more authentic and thus more successful. 

Since returning home to DC, I've been figuring out how to reconcile this newly bared mystical side of myself with my practical side and decided to hang up my security blanket and in January, I tendered my resignation with the day job. Tomorrow begins my final week -- can you say HOLY COW!??!!?

So what will I be doing? Living (and working) a life of Taste, Travel and Transcendence. In addition to focusing on my business, I'll be head of community and philanthropic partnerships at Operation:Eatery, a consulting firm that specializes in the culinary industry. I'm also working on a number of interesting projects that all in all, help people "Feed their Dreams." And while I intend to stay here, my work is not exclusive to DC, so I hope that we may have an opportunity to connect in person in the near future.

If you'd like to learn more, you can visit my website at http://www.daphnedomingo.com or OE's at http://www.operationeatery.com.