A Tale of Two $11,000 Programs
Even if our minds can’t fathom it, our souls know — In less than ten years from today, society will be largely unrecognizable from what it is today. For some of us, the idea of that is utterly terrifying… for others, absolutely exhilarating. But for all of us it means beginning to re-orient ourselves around our ideas of “work,” “earning a living,” and contributing to the collective good.
We're in a moment betwixt + between, with lots of folks understandably frozen in place - overwhelmed by uncertainty - hesitant to invest in programs, coaching containers, trainings, traditional academic learning, and education.
What you've always done may not be working any longer, become excruciatingly intolerable, or unexpectedly taken away from you.
You may have a soul-knowing that you need to re-align, re-orient and take proactive action in 2026, but unsure what that looks like yet.
You may be bored out of your mind with the thought of doing what you've always done.
You might be in an information-based role that AI will ultimately replace.
You may know you need 'something' new - some kind of zesty injection or fresh perspective - but the volatility in the world is giving you pause & afraid to make moves.
You may have been laid off or prepping to depart your current role - needing a meaningful bridge to what's-next - but have no clue where to begin.
I’ve been in this exact place in life twice. And twice, I shelled out $11K for a training/coaching program when I was in this weird, bewildering, in-between place.
One program completely, utterly transformed my life forever for the better. The other? I met Caryn Gillen.
(LOL. Now, I love my friend & colleague Caryn Gillen - coaches, go follow her! - but I wish I hadn't spent 11K to meet her inside that program we took together.)
So, what was the difference? Why was one program the immense firestarter I needed, while the other had zero return aside from making a new friend?
When you're contemplating who, where and what to invest in - what’s the correct next-move - how can you decide?
From the hard-won lessons I've learned, here is how I approach my own investments in a coach, training, education, mentorship or professional program today:
Take your Time and Get to Know the Leaders - Listen to their podcasts, videos, talks, and workshops. Don't make your decision based on a single Instagram reel. If you're going to spend many weeks or months inside a program, take your time and get to know them from their past public offerings and body of work. How long have they been in the field? Do they DO the work they will be teaching you to do? Are they consistent and seem to be pretty much the same person in all arenas of life?
Don't just base your assessment on popularity metrics, public appearances, selfies with famous people, or follower counts alone - the self-focus and ambition that drives massive 'followings' is often a very different skillset than authentic guiding, mentoring & teaching. I've learned to seek my mentors and coaches out a bit, as many of them are happily focused on their work and not investing much attention or focus on building their personal brand or “being visible.”
At my healing arts studios we had quite a lot of famous ‘luminary’ folks in the healing & spiritual fields visit and teach over the years and trust me, the gap between what they taught and how they behaved could occasionally leave our staff speechless. The letters behind a name, tons of published books, Oprah appearances, and public image isn’t always congruent with who someone is IRL. Take your time and feel out for alignment, authenticity and genuine care over costumes, professional status and branding.
Does someone feel ‘all there’ to you?’ After working with humans and subtle energies for so many years, I can feel if someone is ‘all there’ - in other words, embodied, present and anchored in who they are… Not chasing, not proving, but being. They teach and guide from a place beyond intellect alone - grounded, wise, at peace in their own skin - with a presence that is clear, lingering and ‘all there.’ It’s rare and not easy to articulate, but you know it when you feel it!
Take a peek WHO is inside their current program… the teaching team, their alumni, testimonials and close colleagues. The people we surround ourselves with is often the best reflection of ourselves and speaks to the caliber & integrity of the coach or guide. Are the alumni of their programs professional? Successful? Kind and generous? If you love a lot of the people who’ve worked with someone, it's likely you will vibe with them too!
Who will be inside the program with you? The coach and teachers are an important part of any program, but the other participants in the program with you are equally important! In the underwhelming program Caryn and I were in together, Caryn was the only participant in the group who ever showed interest in anyone other than herself; she was the only other person willing to offer her support, advice and guidance to the other participants --- this is exactly the generosity of spirit I want to be beside when I'm learning & growing. Ask about or meet other people who have taken the program - what are they like? Are they collaborative, supportive and able to support others while also supporting themselves? Your success will be super-charged if you have the comradeship of an entire group of generous folks cheering & inspiring each other on.
Will the Program provide a Return on your Investment, providing both a personal and professional ROI? Is this program going to enhance your confidence? Help you develop your ability to earn more resources? Provide you with valuable skills and sought-after assets? 5x, 10x or even 20x your return on the investment? Give you a community, professional family, relationships and familiar colleagues that will extend long beyond the program? When I invested $11,000 in a program to help me take my personal experience with microdosing and translate it into a professional offering - trust me - it was a big deal and my hands were shaking when I was entering my credit card number! But in one year I 10x'ed my original investment, and many more since --- I could never be where I am today if I had not made that investment in myself personally and professionally. That single original investment made everything since possible.
I took way too long in life to truly understand that WE ARE OUR OWN BEST INVESTMENT. The more you invest in your own growth, the rewards are exponential. Ask yourself: How soon can I make my investment in this course or program back? How soon will I recognize the growth? And will it compound many times over, over time? Will I be more confident, have more faith in myself, more embodiment in my practice, command more value, and be of greater service as a result?
Lastly - and this one is important: Does the Person/People Leading the Training or Program actually Care about You? If you're not the right fit for them, are they open to helping direct you to someone else? Do they have many colleagues they openly refer to? Will they still be in your life and supportive of your goals even after the program ends? Most of us can feel if someone is authentic - listen to your intuition, watch someone's behavior, look for consistency and an openness in sharing who they are.
As the economy and society shift - the way we work and serve change dramatically in the years ahead - investing in ourselves in the right ways - with the right people - is more important than ever. Ideally you’ll learn from the content and material in any training or program, but - now more than ever - you’ll also learn, gain and grow from being in the strength and presence of the leaders & other aligned participants.
Goodbye memorized lectures; hello meaningful transmissions. Goodbye gurus; hello igniting your personal self-empowerment. Goodbye power over; hello rising together.
Spending time around people in their mastery is one of the fastest ways to inspire and tap into our own. We develop our own voice & courage by being beside others who have found their own, and we amplify our evolution with the power of relationship & community. We look forward to supporting your visions in this transformational time - thank you for being in our world!
— 3 Ways to Join Us:
Microdosing Professional Facilitator Certification Training - Begins January 20, 2026
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Global Microdosing Community - For Earth Medicine & Microdosing Participants
