Sometimes procrastination doesn't look like procrastination. It looks like *intellectual tinkering*. You've got this idea for something you wanna try in your workshop — a somatic exercise, an unusual game, a framework that feels a little "out there." And instead of just... trying it, you refine it. Spend an hour in Canva perfecting the layout of a slide you might not even use. Rewrite the intro. Wait until you feel ready. But the feeling doesn't come. Because readiness doesn't come from just thinking. It comes from doing. My rugby coach used to say: "The only way to get into rugby shape is by playing rugby." (That was like, a decade ago. I still think about this line.) I recently baked my own 40th birthday cake, because of course. It was a peanut butter & jelly cake, which I was veryyyyy pleased with. My best friend asked if I'd make any variations next time and here's my response: haha, you know me well. The peanut butter cake itself was pretty perfect. But I'd strain the jam to get the seeds out of the icing, spread some straight jelly on top of the layers since the berry flavour was very faint. Maybe some crumbles for a crunchy layer in between. Not straight peanuts though. Too chewy. But I had to *actually make the cake* to know any of that. You can plan and imagine and refine all you want. The useful feedback only comes after you've actually attempted doing the thing. Dream - Design - Do - Discern It works for workshops, and for life. 😉 What's something you've been sitting on... wanting to try but keep perfecting instead? I'm curious.

Escapism gets a bad rap. It’s often framed as weakness. For the lazy, or avoidant. But honestly? From time to time, we all need a break: Take a vacation. Read a juicy novel. Marathon-watch something mindless. The world is heavy, and sometimes you HAVE to put it down. (If you're on your 5th full watch-through of Heated Rivalry, I do not judge you. I've listened to 60+hours of an D&D improv podcast this month. Do what you must.) Escapism lets us restore ourselves. It also gives us perspective. And hopefully it's fun? (That's why designing a workshop that *feels like a break* from the status quo isn’t frivolous.) But that's not ALL worldbuilding is. From what I've seen, I think worldbuilding (at its best) weaves together *three* powerful threads: Escapism. Activism. And Art. Curious? I say worldbuilding is activism because it's visionary. It gives a direction for action. "This is the world we want." But the world that is built is often the site where actions happen. Because people feel empowered to challenge the status quo. (Maybe because they feel shielded from those in power? Or because they're surrounded by comrades? Or maybe they just learned a new skill they wanna try, or a new perspective's got them fired up?) It catalyzes action. And finally, I see worldbuilding as art. It's an act of creation. Something intentionally created for an audience to experience. The experience could be designed to comfort people, or make them uncomfortable. Either way, it's intended to make you feel *something*. Escapism. Activism. Art. I'm still thinking it through, but when I think about worldbuilding, this trifecta keeps coming up for me.

Imagination is a (potential) bottleneck for change. If we can't *imagine* a better alternative, it's reeeally hard to create something new. Without imagination, we'll keep reproducing the same systems... even while we critique them.

Ready for more? Those three things are necessary, NOT sufficient... (Although they *will* do you wonders. I'm sure any experienced facilitator, trainer, or people-gatherer will agree.) But the type of entrepreneurs I work with aren’t *just* looking for the chat to pop off. They’re looking to develop a workshop that reflects their values. Something community-focused, non-hierarchical, and, I dunno... interesting. If “better engagement” has always felt like a shallow fix for something deeper you can’t quite describe… I wrote something that unpacks this (layer-by-layer). It starts with the awkward surface level symptoms, and moves down to the foundational aspects that *actually* shape engagement. If you wanna explore what’s *really* going on beneath the surface (and what you can do about it), the full essay’s on my site, available through clicking on my bīo. @thehellocode (And you can message me your thoughts directly from the page, if you want.) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the read. It’s a good one. ✨

Engagement is something we earn. (Low engagement is a symptom of something deeper!) The kind of participation and interaction we're hoping for comes a lot more naturally when we invite people into a world where they are our EQUALS, rather than our audience. Enter: Worldbuilding. 😉 There are tons of directions we could go from here. Let me know your thoughts, questions, etc. and we'll go wherever you wanna.

Took a work break to make scones and have tea with my parents. (Mulberries and currants were picked from a friend's garden!) Reminders I needed: ✨ Use the good china. ✨ Love on your people. ✨ Slow down. What are some of the (small) ways you've done those 👆🏽 things recently? Crowdsourcing ideas!