You got to practice what you preach and teach. Right? 

I believe in the power of following my intuition and what sparks a BIG YES in my body. 

It’s a theme in the essay I recently had published in Hey Alma and it’s a northstar in how I steer business and life decisions. 

This week Circle and Spoke just got a very cool honor and it’s evidence that following my intuition and what sparks a BIG YES in my body can birth something seriously WILD!

I love a story… so let’s head back to August 2023…

My brother Dan and I were headed to see Juanes in concert at the stunning outdoor venue Wolf Trap. Dan had just become a father, so I was excited for this one-on-one time.

As we drove over I-495 across the Potomac River into Virginia, I shared my vision for Circle and Spoke, which at that point didn't even have a name. He was so stoked to hear what I was creating. A focus on getting women outdoors, building community, using my leadership skills to elevate others. And he mentioned someone from his network that had gotten this REI Fellowship.

It sounded exactly like something I was looking for to grow Circle and Spoke. The next day, after the energizing evening of seeing Juanes**, I was ready to research.

And somewhere in a deep rabbit hole of the internet as I dug, I learned that I wasn't eligible for the REI Fellowship. BUT it led me to discover the Wild Gift Fellowship.

The Wild Gift Fellowship supports 5 social entrepreneurs annually as they build social and environmental ventures to catalyze a meaningful and sustainable impact.

Immediately upon learning about this fellowship, it just felt so so so clear. I was not only going to apply for this fellowship, I was going to get this fellowship.

It was 100% up my alley.

The YES in my body was electrifying. And it was such a clear YES because the fellowship was so aligned.

• I wanted a community of other entrepreneurs.

• Circle and Spoke is all about creating a social and environmental impact through connecting women to community and with the tools to metaphorically and literally shift gifts.

• A wilderness trek focused on developing my leadership skills screamed me!

Now remember, this was August. Sometimes fleeting thoughts like this just pass, but it was very clear to me that this was the truth... I was going to get the fellowship.

So I started to act from that place.

ℹ When there was an informational session in November, I was there.

💻 On the hunt for insights into the Wild Gift Fellowship, I searched LinkedIn for connections to those who'd done the fellowship and asked for a warm introduction from a contact... I never did hear back after a few nudges, but I didn't let that dissuade me.

🖊 A dear friend, who is a wise and incredible copywriter, was onboard when I asked for her support to review my application essays in January. 

📆 In planning out Circle and Spoke's calendar earlier this spring, I was clear that I needed to calculate this Fellowship into mapping out my time and availability.

I acted from the truth that I was going to get the Wild Gift Fellowship.

🥔 Well, I’ve got some no small potatoes news…

In fact have been selected as a 2024 Wild Gift Fellow. The news went live late last week and can't wait for all the learning and growth and community to come!

We’ll be going on a 3 week backpacking trek in Idaho!

And I’m so grateful for the valuable gift the lessons this journey has already shown me.

• Act from your truth even if there is no evidence ... 

• Listen to my intuition and follow that energy that sparks a BIG YES in my body. 

What sparks a BIG YES in your body? May you give yourself the space to dream and follow that YES!

Wheels up, 

Ellen 

PS- Wild Gift is hosting a Virtual Meet & Greet with me and the other fellows on June 6th from 4-6pm ET. Come hang with me!

PPS- **As a total aside, if you have never listened to Juanes, I suggest you stop everything right now and listen to some of his songs like La Camisa Negra, Gotas de Agua Dulce and Volverte a Ver**