I met Diana Davis four years ago when I was looking to do a photo shoot with an athletic brand in New York City. She was recommended to me by a mutual friend in the health and wellness space. Diana and I exchanged a few DM’s, scheduled the shoot, and instantly clicked. Over the years, we’ve kept in touch on Instagram. I watched as she became a creative entrepreneur and grew her photography business. Then as she transitioned to a business coach helping other creative entrepreneurs who were ready to ditch the hustle and build profitable businesses through her group coaching course, Camp Clarity. And now, I watch with total inspiration as she lives her dream life all over the globe.
When it came to making some hard career decisions in my own life, Diana was always among the first people I reached out to for input. We had talked about her Camp Clarity program many times over the last few years, and while I knew I would benefit from it, my inner critic kept telling me that I just couldn’t spend that much money on myself.
Years went by, and I watched Diana successfully coach many creative entrepreneurs (she’s up to more than 100 by now) and helped them learn things like setting client boundaries, creating their offerings, and giving them the encouragement to live the lives they deserved. As I sat on the sidelines, other people were living the lives I so desperately wanted. I, on the other hand, spent a few years changing jobs and hoping that would be my answer. It wasn’t until this past June that I decided I wanted to get off the hamster wheel. The timing was right, and joining Camp Clarity and investing in myself felt like a sure bet.
But by the time we started the sixth round of Camp Clarity, my body had given out on me. I had just finished the six-month task of cleaning out my grandmother’s condo, I was still working full-time and caregiving daily, and I couldn’t have been more physically exhausted. I ended up being sick for nearly the first six weeks of the program, but with each passing week with our cohort of 12 people, I grew stronger physically and mentally and remained inspired to show up to our two calls each week.
For me, joining Camp Clarity wasn’t just about figuring out what to do with my life. I always knew I wanted to lead a more creative life then I had been living. I wanted to return to my blog. I wanted to work in patient advocacy and make a difference. I wanted to do so many things that often, I got stuck doing nothing because it felt too overwhelming. Camp Clarity gave me permission to be a multi-hyphenated person, to play in the sandbox, and to just start somewhere by taking messy action. I knew that I needed to find clarity, but what I didn’t realize was how impactful the community I would be joining would be. That sense of community (and our Facebook group and Instagram chats) carried me through when I wasn’t sure what my next step was. That community held me accountable. And that community made the three months of Camp Clarity calls something I enjoyed coming to weekly.
Being an entrepreneur can often feel lonely. But knowing that you don’t have to do it alone is empowering. When I started Camp Clarity, I knew I wanted to rebrand my blog and return to something that brought me so much joy. I didn’t consider myself an entrepreneur at the time, yet with each guest call and weekly one-on-one group coaching session with Diana, I started to see myself in a different light. Suddenly, the calling I had been looking for was right in front of me. Now what? Do I take the leap? Do I place enough trust in myself to know that I can make this work? Or do I keep doing what I’ve been doing for a paycheck rather than a purpose?
If any of this resonates with you, or you want to know more about Camp Clarity, reach out to me (the next cohort starts this month, and there’s still time to join!). This group course was the best investment I have ever made. I walked away with 12 new connections that have become lifelong friends, a ton of confidence in myself as a creative, and a new plan for myself for the next few years.
PS – So, what did I decide to do after Camp Clarity? Stay tuned, something exciting is launching later this month!
*Photo via Diana Davis Creative
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