The Multi-Passionate Paradox

Do it later.

In my mind, these words twirl in a tango of ruckus with my intuitive, do it now.

It’s a dance I know well. I’m a multi-passionate entrepreneur and kind of a professional plate spinner. I often joke that I might have room left on my pinky toe for one more tiny plate.

Honestly, I find great satisfaction in bringing multiple projects to fruition at once. Maybe life is too short for one at a time. Maybe I’m a little nutty. It’s just how my creative flow operates.

Throughout my days, I’m bombarded with creative notions, for both myself and others. Stories I want to tell, web layouts I want to design, people I want to interview, clothing I want to create, photo shoots I want to plan. There’s never a shortage of ideas, inspiration, or energy—only time. I’d need several lifetimes to bring it all to life.

As I side step once again between now and later, I realize that if I don’t share this sweet slice of beauty, it might slip into the bottomless treasure chest of “maybe someday”.

The Spark That Started It All

Every time I see my friend Carrie, we launch into these fantastic high energy conversations. They vary between quick idea bursts, to deep dives about our businesses, spirituality and the intense lives we live as creative women trying to balance and navigate our dreams along with our ridiculous but necessary never ending do lists. (Learn more about Carrie’s creative genius in branding + design HERE.)

Post creative outburst, she always says, “I should have recorded us!”

After one of those talks, Carrie opened up about a vision she’s held for nearly twenty years, a dream she’s been nurturing quietly in her heart. As she shared, I sensed it was high time she release her special magic into something tangible.

We were in her Airbnb suite that afternoon, talking the way we always do, when she admitted she just couldn’t seem to get this thing out into the world on her own. With an open heart and genuine curiosity, I asked her what she needed.

Some of us create best in solitude, and some, like Carrie, come alive when there’s someone in the room holding quiet space for what may come through. She needed a collaborator. A mirror. An aligned energy. A visionary midwife.

That afternoon our action steps were illuminated. We needed a few days of uninterrupted time together where dreams and conversation could become tangible pieces of work. Of content. Of a business ready to be birthed.

Carrie had just the place in mind.

The Journey to Lake Cushman

We set the date, which somehow aligned even with our stacked schedules. A few weeks later, we loaded the car with laptops, notebooks, cozy blankets, and enough Trader Joe’s snacks to survive a minor apocalypse. Our destination: a breathtaking lake house tucked into the forested shore of Lake Cushman…one of those places that embraces your soul while quietly guiding you to relax into nature’s magic.

Carrie had arranged for her friend and client Leah to join us for part of the time. Leah, a gifted Tacoma photographer, is the kind who embraces the essence of a scene before she even lifts her lens. Originally, she was coming up for an afternoon to capture some beautiful shots for the homeowners and possibly some snaps of Carrie and I—on location in full creatrix mode. (View Leah’s exquisite portfolio HERE.)

As often happens when creative women gather, time stretched. Logistics flew out the window as the divine feminine took over the room. Leah unpacked her bag and settled in with us for the next several days.

The Retreat Experience

Per my norm, I brought a hefty list of detailed items I wished to accomplish on this trip. I planned on having ample time to work on a substantial website project. Carrie and I had discussed how our days might look, with a lot of focus time being the goal.

You might imagine, the energy of three empowered, vision driven women brought an undeniable frequency forth. The deep, meaningful conversations began to flow effortlessly—a non verbal invitation to speak our hearts desires was quickly formed. We had curated a safe, supportive space to both be held in our challenges and have our dreams uplifted. I think all three of us held an awareness to how sacred this sort of space is and how fortunate we were to find ourselves present in the moment.

As the hours turned into days, we captured pieces of our magic on camera and video. We soaked up the Autumn sun on the expansive deck until the evening chill brought us back inside for warm cups of tea fireside. We prepared and ate our meals together. The kitchen island held bountiful space for our slew of goodies Carrie so lovingly crafted into superb platters of charcuterie—a feast for both the eyes and tastebuds.

The gorgeous home provided such a nurturing environment for our utmost comforts. We each had a bedroom to ourselves, which delighted the little hermit in me, finding solitude to integrate the happenings of my days. The space included wonderful luxuries such as a lake view jacuzzi, outdoor firepit, multi head walk in shower experience and even a massage table! The owners of Mountain Glory Lodge have put an extraordinary amount of love and thoughtfulness into their enchanting property. It’s a dreamy place for a girls getaway like ours or for a special family celebration.

Little did I know it would be such a magnificent place of connection for me. I left with little of my web work done but a deeper appreciation for the bond of sisterhood.

Truth be told, the real work that happened at Lake Cushman wasn’t in output. It was in connection. It was in witnessing one another’s process…the messy, beautiful, human parts of creation that don’t make it to the Instagram feed. We created a synergy that isn’t birthed through production…it comes in the unveiling of raw truths, of stories that conjure eye rivers, of vocalizing dreams you normally shield from others. We were just sisters, sharing slices of life, opening our hearts and witnessing with zero judgement.

Many of the photos Leah captured showcase this captivating zone we were vibing in. One of the afternoons, we took a drive down Hood Canal to visit the spectacular Alderbrook Resort. In my opinion, the setting is one of the most stunning places in the world. I was thrilled at the opportunity to share this meaningful place with my friends.

Carrie and I had a blast flitting about the glorious property while Leah created artful moments behind her camera. At one point, I found myself blurting out the theme song to Laverne and Shirley. It felt ultra fitting in the moment, especially along the subject matter we had been jamming on. Someday, you might see Carrie and myself sporting satin jackets with her business logo for Capturing Conversation embroidered on the backs. You’ll know the origin.

Reflections on Surrender and Sisterhood

As we loaded up for our drive back home to Tacoma, both Carrie and I felt the tug of unfulfilled expectations. We’d each come with tangible goals and measurable ideas–neither of us left with the finished products we envisioned. But what we did leave with was infinitely more valuable.

We were reminded that the feminine creative process doesn’t always move in straight lines. It swirls. It dances. It surprises. It pulls you off the path and into deeper waters where you find something you didn’t even know you were looking for.

It’s taught me (again) that if you refuse to hold space for spontaneity, the magic doesn’t happen.

Somewhere in the midst of the laughter, the long talks, and the splendor of my surroundings, I realized that this retreat wasn’t about producing anything tangible. It was about presence. About learning to trust the process and allowing something bigger than what I imagined to unfold.

There’s a sacred kind of intimacy that happens when women let down their armor and simply be. We are able to see each other fully. The ambition, the doubt, the softness, the strength. We talk about challenges, fear, healing, purpose, money, relationships, and everything in between. And in that seeing, something shifts. Judgment dissolves. Inspiration expands.

It’s such a gift to witness the raw, unfiltered parts of each other… the ones we often try to hide because they feel too messy, even embarrassing. But those are the parts that connect us. The parts that make us fall in love with one another as friends, collaborators, and women on a shared creative path.

The Invitation

Perhaps this is your sign to plan your own creative retreat…

Gather your sisters. Book a stay. Pack your journals, crowns, costumes, load up on delicious nibbles and go with an open mind and a warm heart.

Let the universe rearrange your plans and surprise you with what’s waiting to be created through you, not by you.

You don’t need a perfect agenda. You just need space… to listen, to dream, to collaborate, and to be witnessed.

Because sometimes, the most important work you’ll ever do is the work that doesn’t look like work at all.

In complete transparency, I’m finally hitting publish on this story nearly three weeks later. This is what real life looks like. We can plan a lot or a little, I believe things will happen as they’re meant to.

By the way, hello…I’m delighted you’re here!

I’m Odessa Christiana, Foundress of Tacoma Loyal — a creative hub and evolving ecosystem where art, entrepreneurship, and community meet to celebrate Tacoma’s imagination in motion. Tacoma Loyal was born to amplify the dreamers, makers, and local businesses who infuse our city with color, culture, and courage. It’s a platform devoted to showcasing Tacoma’s unique voice — one that’s independent, imaginative, and unshakably loyal to community. Through storytelling, art, and collaboration, Tacoma Loyal exists to remind us that when we lift each other, we all rise.

If you’re a Tacoma creative, dreamer, or entrepreneur, stay tuned…there’s so much more magic to come.

Tacoma Women on Retreat: Three Creatives, One Lake Lodge and the Magic of Letting Go