Before the Whiteboard Session I was avoiding going after my "big idea" because I was paralyzed with doubt and fear and stuck in bad habits. I didn't believe in myself enough to try and I was feeling a lot of anxiety and discontent around it.

This coaching partnership seemed to be exactly what I was looking for, a chance to lay everything out on the table and get someone's feedback and support.

I was concerned about where the money would come from but felt that it would be worth the investment to pull myself out of my head and take action. I thought to myself, “if you don't take this opportunity now... will I have the guts to do it later? If not now, when? It's just money.”

My biggest insights during our session and the week of coaching:

1. My idea isn’t stupid. Having validation and excitement from someone else was a game changer for me. I was too stuck in my own head.

2. Rest is as essential as my work - I must take care of myself, show myself grace, and take a pause regularly in order to thrive.

3. Shining a light on my fears is sometimes enough to make them go away, or transform them into a strength

4. This is not the hardest thing I've had to do, and that what was the hardest thing should be put on my shelf as a trophy. I can achieve the impossible.

As a result of this work I created a week of productivity, excitement, focus, nourishing down time, and proved to myself that I could abstain from habits which decrease my energy and productivity. I also have a tangible action plan on where I am going and what steps I need to take to get there.

I’m experiencing clarity and focus, belief in myself and my dreams, less anxiety, confidence, power, and strength.

The most important positive outcome of the Whiteboard Session was having someone in my corner who believes in me and my dreams and offered a hand to hold while I make the transition from talking about it to taking action. This partnership is a powerful tool in helping people like me who need a little extra support to go after their dreams.

-Nicki Viera

Before my Whiteboard Session, my day-to-day tasks were taking priority and I wasn't setting aside the time to step back, reflect and do big picture planning.  Plus, it felt overwhelming to think about and I didn't know where to start.

I wasn't sure what to expect out of the session especially because I've never done this kind of work with someone before. I wasn't clear on what project/idea I'd be working on so wasn't sure what the result would be. What I did know was that it probably wouldn't be clear until I tried it and that I needed help. Ultimately the timing was right - I had it in mind to find someone to work with to help me get some outside perspective.

The biggest insights came as a result of small shifts in how I see things. Something as simple as thinking “I’m not a morning person” and having Allegra suggest reframing how I'm not a “practiced” morning person opened up the possibility to try. Another example is taking a moment for self care, something as simple as taking a walk for ten minutes, and seeing it as a part of my 'work' day, not something I just do for myself in my own time. Yet another thing I think about but hadn’t been making time for - reading. It was my self care activity I chose to do for the week. There is a small stack of books I’m interested in reading but never seem to get around to it. I happened to pick up Good Morning, Beautiful Business by Judy Wick right before our WBS. Reading this particular book couldn’t have come at a better time and it definitely helped having accountability with Allegra to make sure I would start.

I began to look at my work and financial goals as a whole and knock down the compartments I've put them in. Allegra was able to take a birds eye view on my work scope then simplify the list. Recognizing my love for snacks, she sent me home with a ‘snack platter’ of tasks in the form of a handful of post-its with prompts written on them. Looking at the tasks as ‘snacks’ made them less intimidating and throughout the week, I was putting all my lists and journaling in one place (they are usually in multiple places) and referring back to them. The small post-its are now subject tabs in the notebook (I love being able to repurpose things!).

Being a freelancer and small business operator for most of my career, I’ve been moving in a continual forward motion from project to project. I was trying to do an audit of my skills and past work experience when I hit a wall. Allegra suggested I reach out to a small group of people that I have worked with in the past. I put together a quick email with a few questions and amazed at what I received in return. Getting the feedback from past clients has been extremely eye opening and surprising. It was a great reminder that I am my own most harsh critic and helped me speak to what I do by borrowing the words of people I’ve worked with.

Taking time to reflect created space for me to acknowledge my accomplishments, celebrate them and how I got to this point in time. I realized the work I had done was waiting to be acknowledged so it could activate my confidence. The most notable learning from this experience is that I can stand in the confidence of my experiences. I feel more empowered to move in the direction that I'm going in.

Whiteboard Sessions put ideas in your mind into existence on the board - it's not permanent, but it’s a starting point where you can see them in front of you. Allegra is the guide through this process where she hands you the chisel or the hammer in the form of prompts, questions, and reminders to help give shape to the ideas.

-Stella Yoon

Before signing up for a Whiteboard Session I was feeling anxious- I knew things were good, but they didn't "feel" good. I was not really sure what to expect to be honest and both time and finances kept me from signing on earlier. I finally took the leap when the financial piece was no longer an issue for me.

My ahh haaa as a result of this work was truly that everything IS GOOD- I just need to take moments and recognize it and wrap my head around "life". My biggest takeaway is allowing time for reflection. When I feel anxious- I am able to recognize it and take a moment.

I am in control of my life - like, really in control.

The Whiteboard Session is awesome. Those two hours went by so fast!  I loved seeing everything unfold in front of me. It also amazed me how changing just one word in my commitments meant SO much when said out loud.

-Kara Chase

Before my Whiteboard Session with Allegra I was either doing my work or not doing it (having fun, seeing friends, enjoying my summer etc.) I wasn't feeling terrible, but I was feeling like I was reaching this steady point with work and friends where it felt important, safe and scary to include art back into my life in a similar way that it had been when I was in graduate school and committed to my artwork -- it felt like an activity as important (if not more so) than the activity of making money and surviving.

I worried that I didn’t have enough time for it but ultimately decided that I want to be able to fit things besides work into my life even when I am busy and that this would be good practice.

One of my biggest insights during the Whiteboard Session week was dealing with my idea of what commitment means -- how it really has such a negative context in my brain and relates to being afraid to be bored or fear of not knowing what to do when I’m not working on money making projects. Confronting fear of working on project where I am the boss (art boss) and that it may fail in some way.

Tangibly, I made some real connections with people, added images of my art to instagram, talked more confidently about my own art practice, read more, purchased art books and materials (investment!). I spent more time looking out the window instead of looking at youtube.

As I result of this work I have much more clarity and permission to take space for non work related activities.

I loved the vox messages so much and they really were helpful in a way I think I wasn't expecting. I’m not super great at accepting help or asking for it and it was really a perfect tool in addition to the content.

Before my Whiteboard Session with Allegra I was overwhelmed with the possibilities of my work, distracted by options and unclear about  how to proceed. It felt like everything was top priority, so I couldn't move forward with anything.

I experienced many insights as a result of our partnership:  1.) Thinking about what I am a commitment to was a real breakthrough, 2.) Imagining what my life would look like when I stop saying yes to "yeah, sure" choices as opposed to "hell yes" ones 3.) I have Got To Slow Down. In addition I sent a letter that could really move this project forward, read and researched my new project, and practiced moving forward on one thing at a time.

The Whiteboard experience underscored for me that I do so much better (emotionally, personally, professionally) when I slow down and commit to one thing.

It definitely helped increase clarity about my desire to do work that has significance beyond the corporate circles where I primarily work now. I'm much clearer now about what I'm looking for.

I'm not very visual, so I was surprised that the whiteboard itself was so powerful. It was amazing to get it all out of my head and to see it in front of me.

-Angie Flynn-McIver

My biggest insight was that the ideas I uncovered during the session could evolve and change as I continued to discover and uncover along my journey. I walked away feeling like I was absolutely moving towards building a company of some sort, and what I ended up uncovering was that I was free to explore that option while also exploring other corporate world options at the same time. There is no right answer.

As a result of our conversation I made a decision NOT to take an opportunity for advancement at my current company and created  an 'ingredient list' that will be a filter for me as I explore career opportunities moving forward. 

I really got to a place of deeply understanding that when I truly want something, I'm quick to act on it and don't spend too much time debating whether it's right. When I have trouble deciding, it's usually because I actually don't want that thing to begin with. 

The Whiteboard Session was a 10 out of 10. It really got me thinking about just how many opportunities are out there for me.

-Katie Brown

I signed up for the Whiteboard Session with Allegra because it was key to step back and look at the big picture of where I want to go in my business.

As a result of our work together I realized that part of my mission is to meet people on two different levels...the information gathering level and the meaning/synthesizing level.  I created some visuals to help me understand different aspects of my business and the levels I want to reach people at and was able to share this vision with different people related to my rebranding process.

My biggest insight is that my business is a living, breathing thing because it's an extension of me...and I'm a living, breathing thing. It's dynamic and organic, and to be truly healthy it must evolve and grow. To stay fixed or stuck to "what was" may appear "safe" on the surface, but that's precisely how my creativity will get stifled.

I definitely walked away with more clarity and feeling less overwhelmed about how to "make sense" out of everything going on in my head. It was really amazing to see it take shape on Allegra's whiteboard.

The Whiteboard Session was a 10 out of 10. Allegra is the only coach I have continued to come back to year after year. That says something.

-Steph Gaudreau // stupideasypaleo.com

Before my Whiteboard Session with Allegra, I felt stuck in my life, overcommitted in every way, and not feeling quite as productive as I felt I should be. There were so many options, (gratefully!) however I was not choosing or sticking to any and was carrying a story that retirement means I am old and non-productive. I have always wanted to travel, see new places, meet new people,  to jump in the RV and go west -- but that seemed impossible because there seemed to be too many responsibilities and concerns. I have always felt a sense of family obligations and needing to be available just in case; I am also involved with several organizations and volunteering opportunities.

Through Allegra’s coaching and our Whiteboard Session workbook, I was able to delve into realizing what it would look and BE like making honest decisions, decisions that I could make for myself. I have recognized that I really do want an adventurous life of meeting new people and places. I felt passionate and alive just creating the possibility of adventure and travel. I want to seek out and  gain wisdom by wondering how wisdom occurs and being open to it. Traveling alone and BEING by myself is scary and intimidating, which in and of itself is invigorating. Using the word "Could" as opposed to "Should" (which I come to understand, I have lived in the SHOULD world). I have realized that anything is possible!

As  a result of our work together -- WOW! I really created an adventure. .I have been very busy exploring ALL the wonderful possibilities and adventures to come. After the Whiteboard Session, I truly considered what was possible and identified  the supposed barriers. I slowed down to evaluate what I would like the adventure to look like and spent time researching where I might want to visit and explore. Within the adventure, the infamous RV trip...(leaving NY on July 7th 9am sharp!) I have planned to meet up with many friends in multiple states. Between visits it is all ME and my wisdom books until Washington State.

During this journey I want to create understanding within myself about how I want to be in the world and reinvent what it is like to be a healer again without sacrificing myself. I have addressed many of the barriers, such as who will check on the house when I am gone and water the plants, who will cut the grass, how I will obtain mail and important correspondences, properly conditioning RV to be road worthy, meeting with financial advisor, and - the most concerning barrier - sharing the news with my family.

I have created space during the trip to become more mindful of the balance I need in my life. Regular meals and exercise will be part of this adventure.

I joined a Class C RV group and feel a connection and a great resource if I have questions on the road...Connecting with people and  I haven't even left yet!

I have acknowledged how fear can stop you from being true to yourself. It is clear that I have made decisions in life because they were easier to deal with and not in my best interest or at times others. This is where I want to create honesty in life decisions. I also realize I don’t really know how someone will respond and that creates a fear and immobility to making decisions.

With Allegra’s help I was delighted to discover that I am capable, persistent and determined and that fear is a companion. I am ready to shift from survive to thrive and "flip the switch" I am capable of creating an adventure of a lifetime and weed out the stories.

I have realized that looking outward before focusing in brings more clarity and that any barrier has a potential resource or solution. I CAN use my resources and create options for solutions.

I feel many shifts occurring in my world. Relationships, self awareness and feeling more compassion than I have in a long time.  I am searching for how I will be in the world going forward...with this realization, I could create such opportunities with this trip of self discovery.

I want to thank you for your deep commitment to coaching. You have inspired me to plan this amazing trip.

-Trish Chelsen

Before my Whiteboard Session with Allegra I felt like there were a million ping pong balls pinging around inside my head. I wasn't sure I really knew what I was doing, what I wanted to do, how to go about it. I had been toying with this transition in my business, but just getting lost in clutter. I knew it needed to change, or maybe already had, but couldn't put my finger on it.

Allegra helped me really break down and visualize exactly what I had been thinking about, how to put it all together and how to start to communicate it. The biggest thing was purging all the fears and realizing that a lot of what was going on - or wasn't going on - was tied to self-doubt and a lack of confidence. Being able to verbally process that was HUGE for me.

Discovering the connection between fear and what was going on and that THAT was the root cause of so much was a huge outcome. The feeling of discovering and seeing the clarity of purpose that I already had within me in the flesh was pretty great and really felt like I had a place to move forward from.

The Whiteboard Session was a 10 out of 10 and my expectations were exceeded by the stars. I was delighted by our connection.

Kourtney Thomas // kourtneythomas.com

I was surprised by how easy things felt once I got out of my own head and just started pushing ideas and action out into the world....

Before working with Allegra I felt paralyzed by indecision, but also restless at the same time. I am in the middle of a big life transition away from an unfulfilling corporate job, had several ideas about what to do next, and was finding myself completely unable to overcome my inertia and self-doubt in order to pursue a new path. I very much felt like my wheels were spinning, but I was just sinking deeper into the mud. I was stuck in a lot of black-and-white thinking around my career path, stemming from the opinions and expectations of other people in my life (i.e. success looks like X, anything outside of that is failure). And I had pigeon-holed myself into the concept that there were only two paths when faced with indecision: impulsive, almost manic decision-making that would ultimately lead to burnout, or analysis paralysis due to a lack of a clear "best" choice. Basically, I had tangled myself up in knots and had completely drowned all creative instinct in the process.

My biggest insight during our week of partnership was the fact that there is a whole world out there between the extremes of Forbes List success and dirtbag failure. Also, that maybe not everyone has a capital-P "Passion" that is waiting to be released - I might have 5 ideas that all feel equally compelling, and there isn't a right or wrong choice. And that's ok.

I was very valuable to uncover the functional middle ground between analysis paralysis and burnout-inducing impulsiveness. By challenging the false dichotomy I had created around these two concepts, Allegra helped me recognize that there is a whole world of options that exist between those two places. Just because I don't have a fully-baked plan ready to set into action doesn't mean I'm necessarily being impulsive or careless--that's just the nature of how things unfold, and it's ok to walk into something with the intent of trusting the process. I also really valued the push to just take micro actions and then reevaluate, rather than feeling like I had to be "all in" from my first move.

As a result of our work I did some early stage branding for my new floral business, including buying a domain and creating business cards. I also reached out to a few early client prospects, set up a wholesale supplier account, and signed up for two local floral design classes. Lastly, I initiated a partnership with a friend with the intent of starting a flower farm next year, and began research on small-scale organic farming techniques.

I definitely feel more confident because I am learning that there isn't really a "right" way to do this, which also means there isn't a wrong way. I feel more open to creativity and opportunities, and feel like I am able to be in control of this process.

-Claire Koch // instagram.com/wilderandrange

My biggest insight as a result of our Whiteboard Session is Sharing. Sharing no matter what is showing up. Putting it out there, creating the next project.

I also took action on getting in front of the camera and mixing this with clips and animation. I have a sense that putting one foot in front of the other and following those breadcrumbs (micro steps) will present the next step as I move along. There is no way to figure it all out before hand. 

Working with Allegra and the Whiteboard Session helped me see that just being me, on and off camera, is enough. My part is to share what shows up as it presents itself.

-Terry Runyan // terryrunyan.com

One session with Allegra completely changed the way I viewed my own perceived lack of time and energy: she helped me take a hard look at where they were actually going, and empowered me to reclaim them. As a result of our session I now take greater notice of which downtime activities nourish me and which deplete me.

I felt like Dorothy at the end of “The Wizard of Oz”: the answer was in my hands all along, I just needed someone else to help me see it.

There is an art and a science to asking the right questions and helping guide people to their own clear, true answers, and Allegra has that perfect touch - but only if you’re truly ready to go there.

Christine Gritmon // gritmon.com

Before working with Allegra I was thinking of ways to get everything done, and not actually doing anything. I felt like I didn't know how to talk to people about what I'm doing.

Now, as a result of our Whiteboard Session, my website is up, with content. I have a place to showcase my writing. I have a Facebook group with four members. I am spending less time thinking how to do and more time doing to see what happens. I have people to help me through the legal tech licensing process. I've begun the process of having a local business license. I have notes on future blog posts.

I feel relief to be moving in areas I've been stuck. Relief that it's okay to ask for (even pay for) and accept help. Relief in remembering that it doesn't all have to be done right now, or even right.

I’ve realized that 1) it's all changeable, 2) feeling inept because I want coaching support is silly - especially if I hope to be a coach one day, 3) doing is not the same as thinking or planning or talking.

All of it was more fun than I'd let it be before.

Zan Ross // zanpowered.com