Knowledge. Wisdom. Protection & A Job.

Today, I celebrate Knowledge, Wisdom, Protection & a Job!

45 Cities. 17K Miles. 3.5 Months. 100+ Interviews.

I Interview People that Step Into Fear to Fulfill their Life Calling.

One year ago, I left Milwaukee,Wisconsin to do something BIG. Alone. It was life training, fun, grueling, rewarding, character building – all while requiring 100% faith. I drew upon all of my physical, mental and emotional resources, and hit my own personal exhaustion  otherwise known as ‘the bottom,’ three times.

I was basically alone, filming, capturing audio, managing lighting, troubleshooting, setting up and conducting interviews, vetting candidates, managing the ever changing schedule … and traveling – the nation. I recorded Testimonies of America’s Firewalkers through Project Light It Up. I left my home October 30th, 2016, to travel west.

Upon departure, I was scheduled to travel to 30 cities, in 3 months … the mapped path would be 10K miles. Reality, was 45 cities, in 3.5 months, over 17K miles and 100+ interviewed. (The trip included covering Washington D.C. twice -I returned after having been in Niagara Falls, to document interviews and transformational events of 2017.)

After traveling the nation, and interviewing people, about fear no less, I get all sorts of questions, comments and requests, but one of the most common, is … how? How did I do it? How did I choose who to interview? How did I survive? How did I fund it? How did I have the stamina? How did I get the idea? How can others, act boldly? … How!

I will share a few key insights on this inaugural anniversary of the extraordinary trip, that have helped to define my life, and serve as a kaleidoscope for decision making. Those insights are focused on the question below:

How do people step forward into Fear to Fulfill their Life Calling?

• Embody the ‘Big Move’.

Act with purpose, conviction, vision & with agility. 

• Acknowledge & Act on Serendipity.

Carpe Diem. Uncanny coincidences occur daily, and they are not a coincidence.

• Give 10X.

Generosity in all areas, and ways cultivates abundance and reciprocity.

• Ask for the Story. Everyone’s.

Genuine interest in people, is everything.

• Care & Serve.

Commit your time to others, above all else.

• Build Something.

Manifest your rare vision. Create & fail. ‘Everything will be OK.’* Never forget that.

• Step into the FIRE – Boldly.

Bold inspires, it commands respect, and offers promise to onlookers.

• Call on your People. They will Answer.

… if your people do not answer, they are not your people.

Prior to leaving for Project Light It Up, by all accounts I was living an extraordinary life, that was interrupted by an all too common occurrence, something almost to anticipate – I was part of a mass downsizing. That downsizing became one of the greatest gifts of my life, that enabled the execution and creation of the raw content for Project Light It Up.

I left October 30th 2016 and returned mid February, to complete filming in Milwaukee, WI mid March of 2017. Upon my return I stepped into all opportunities that provided connections, coaching, and yes … traditional and definitely non-traditional job opportunities. Of that, I am proud. I hosted up to 3 jobs at a given time, spanning almost all shifts from my return home, to just recently.

Unabashadly I needed the time to recover from the trip, to connect about the next moves related to the project, and decided to freelance in a number of roles, including serving at a fine dining, steak establishment in the city.  I learned the craft of mixology at a local yacht club, a high-end tiki bar, and a motor cycle venue here in the city … in addition to my work at a local University’s Graduate School. I did it all. Wow. I don’t know how, but I did it! Again, I used all the grit, perserverance and energy I had left.

From the time I began planning Project Light It Up, I would pray for knowledge, wisdom, protection and a job (… eventually … this was a really a tag-on.) I continue that prayer, and the knowledge, wisdom and protection was with me and continues well past my travels, with friends and Project ‘board members’ coaching me along.

… that said, I would also ask for a job … THE job, whatever that role was supposed to be. I wanted something that would compliment the work I’d done previously and throughout my travels, and would teach me more than I could learn on my own.

Recently, I was gifted that incredible opportunity, and it materialized out of absolutely no where. It was a mere 2.5 to 3 weeks from the time the role presented itself, to the time it was finalized that I would move in that direction. That which I had lost from the downsizing … was restored, and the new role, arrived with abundant opportunities, including people with strong talents, initiatives to ‘captain’ and a business landscape ready to introduce  and test new actions and opportunities.

All of the above occured, due to the quote that appeared on my computer, as I began drafting the content for Project Light It Up’s site:

“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2

You may be wondering … what then is next!? In the works, is a documentary series of my travels, interviews, take-aways, shots from the ground, key moments with new friends and of course, personal vlogs of how and where I was … at given moments during the travels. It’s taken much longer to re-establish myself back home, but a small team and I are working to bring the edited project to life, in various forms.

Project Light It Up inspires people to take action, and provide a literal roadmap about how to curate change in their life, in those around them, and how to either start small, or embrace big moves that turns heads and serves as a calling for others to emotionally invest in one’s success.

If you care to support Project Light It Up in any way, I encourage you to reach out to me directly at heatherannkoehn@gmail.com. I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook.

A special thank you to my friends, family, everyone on my ‘Board of Directors’ for this project. I am forever grateful for the friends that kept a careful eye on my pace as I traveled across the nation, as a single female … boldly (if I may say), entering neighborhoods and areas definitely not considered all that safe – to fully chronical stories that can impact, and move people to action, beyond the status quo life.

Thank you,

Heather Ann

“Remember, God doesn’t close one door without getting ready to open another with bigger and greater things.” thegoodvibe.co