Several years ago, Samantha Lane, creator of Origami Day, and Confidence Coach Regina Bonds noticed that they were circling the same entrepreneurial events and took it as a sign that they were supposed to meet. Their energy and interests aligned so closely that they decided to work together to develop something that both maximized their own potential and invested in the community. In short, they took the “iron sharpens iron” concept and ran with it.
“Sam is a more principle-based, analytical person, and I am more spiritually-led, the psychology of things,” says Regina.
“We’re both driven and focused on how to live our best lives,” adds Samantha. “We wanted to sharpen ourselves and each other and gather a group of women who were ready for that next level.”
The first Iron + Wood retreat was held in August 2021 at the Little Arrow Outdoor Resort in Townsend. Fifteen local women joined Samantha and Regina for a weekend of confidence building and time management, along with good food, yoga, and campfire conversation.
“My favorite part was that we provided a safe space to sharpen each other. It was interaction-heavy, not teaching-heavy. We were able to speak into each other’s lives and allow everyone to come together,” says Regina.
“There were a lot of a-ha moments when we were off the program,” adds Samantha. “We knew every problem wouldn’t be solved from the retreat, but we knew working together was good for us.”
For Samantha, a self-proclaimed student of time management, problem-solving is part of her professional life. After undergoing a significant surgery in 2014 – the kind of event that makes you realize that time is precious – she went on to build a company dedicated to maximizing time and energy. Origami Day helps individuals, professionals, and organizations increase productivity and decrease burnout through training, coaching, and working on actionable tasks. She even designed a collection of day planners and productivity pads suitable for anyone who wants to get more organized. Specifically, Samantha has a strong passion to help women find the proper work-life balance so they can live more enjoyable and productive lives.
Likewise, Regina wants women to become unstoppable, to be bold enough to create the lives they want. So, as a nationally-recognized Confidence Coach and speaker, Regina has worked with women around the world to “recognize their value, find their voice, and clarify their path” through a program she developed. Her work week is built around one-on-one sessions, phone calls with local and global clients, and attending teaching and speaking events. Regina says that people call her a bulldozer, which is a compliment to her ambition and desire to help women better their own lives.
For Samantha and Regina, joining forces to develop a modern business retreat for women was a no-brainer.
The next Iron + Wood event is scheduled for January 2023.
Samantha Lane’s Three Steps for Shifting from Overwhelmed to Organized
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Prioritize. Patrick Lencioni said, "When everything is important, nothing is important," so it all starts with prioritizing. One of my favorite tools for this is the Eisenhower Urgency Matrix which helps evaluate demands on your time based on urgency and importance. However, simply taking a moment to jot down a SMART goal for the week or your top three priorities for the day will help clarify what really needs your time.
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Plan. We remember more when we write it down and accomplish more when we cross it off. For this reason, and many more, I encourage people to make a written plan once each week. Doing this each Friday will reduce the dreaded 'Sunday scaries' and ensure the workweek starts strong. There is a lot that can go into strategic planning, but simply making a written plan each Friday for the following week will quickly shift your life from reactive to proactive.
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Protect your Plan. Once you have identified what is important and committed time to it, your final step will be following through with your plan. We have all learned that plans change (#2020), but healthy boundaries are a critical part of balance. Respecting and protecting our plans by communicating expectations and saying no, is the most important part of time management. After all, since time is finite, saying 'yes' to something is actually saying 'no' to something else.
Follow Samantha on Instagram and YouTube @MyOrigamiDay. Learn more at OrigamiDay.com.
Regina Bonds’ 3 C Formula
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Clarity. You need to know what you want. What cannot be explained can never be obtained. There is something about having a vision of what you want that makes life make a little more sense. Clarity gives us a sense of direction and understanding. Write down what you want, and even if you don’t know it all, write what you think you want and the feeling you want to feel.
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Courage. This is the ability to go after what you want even when you are scared. Courage is for the person who knows that greatness comes as a result of having the courage to take a risk and bet on you. Winston Churchill said it best: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; It is the courage to continue that counts.” To go to the next level and build unstoppable confidence, you have to get out there in the game called life and dream, explore, and discover. Do it afraid! That alone builds confidence.
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Commitment. When it comes to building self confidence, you have to stay committed to yourself and trust the process. Make a vow to love yourself first. Be intentional about studying the subject of YOU! You are your greatest investment.
Follow Regina on Instagram and Facebook @ReginaKBonds. Learn more at ReginaBonds.com.
