Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

When Hibernation Is Necessary

When I first learned that 2025 is considered the Year of the Hermit in Tarot, I felt tears of relief. I had been wondering: What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel the urge to pull inward, to pause, to sit in the quiet rather than push forward with boldness and urgency? But it turns out—nothing is wrong. In fact, something is very right.

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

Don’t Focus on the Rock

Having a “problem focus” is, in fact, a facet of human nature. Unfortunately, this tendency keeps us stuck. In this post, I talk about how the power of visioning — looking up ahead to where you want to go — can help you glide past whatever rocky obstacles and problems are in your path.

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

The Power of Wanting

You’ve heard about a daily gratitude practice… but what about a wanting practice? If you’re someone who has felt disconnected from your true self — hiding in the shadow of all that others need and want — this post is for you. It’s time to connect with what you want!

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

Is Coaching Right For Me?

Let’s say you had a great chemistry session with a potential coach, you could see a lot of benefit in working with them, but now you’re stuck in fear and indecision. Totally normal! I this post I offer some coaching questions to get you unstuck!

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

Inviting Nature Into Coaching

What happens when we invite nature to speak to us and through us? In my latest session with my own coach, my body and the natural world had powerful, clear messages that will resonate with me for a long time.

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

The power of identity

In this post I talk about how I came to embrace a new identity as a bad-ass karate black belt, an identity I never in a million years thought I would hold. Is there a more powerful, new identity calling you? It can be game-changing to step up to the plate and say YES to it.

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

How even small shops can raise corporate funds

Dragging your feet on corporate fundraising? Have a visceral reaction to the idea of promoting business interests via your small nonprofit? I feel you! But I’m here to share that there are ways to do this work that are easeful and values-aligned. It doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t have to sell your soul to do it.

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Vanessa Baker Rodriguez Vanessa Baker Rodriguez

Is There Only One Way to be a Lion… er… Fundraiser?

Is there only one way to be a successful fundraiser? Do you have to be smooth-talking, ever confident, outgoing, with decades of major gifts that you’ve “won” from influential philanthropists? I don’t think so. Not today anyway. But when I was a new Development Director, that’s what I thought.

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