Banana Bread

Let me take you back.

Ten years ago, I arrived at Hollyhock on Cortes Island, thinking I was just going on a retreat. But what actually happened? I fell in love. Not just with the place, but with a way of being—a way of eating, moving, and experiencing life that made me feel more alive, connected, and inspired than ever before.

And the craziest part?

I didn’t want to leave that feeling behind. I wanted to bring it home. I wanted to live like I was always on retreat.

The Food That Woke Me Up

Now, I wasn’t someone who thought plant-based eating would be my thing. I liked flavor, excitement, richness. But from the very first meal at Hollyhock, I realized this was something different.

Everything was fresh, vibrant, and bursting with life. The kind of food that doesn’t just fill your stomach—it lights you up.

I ate slow. I savored. And for the first time, I noticed:

I felt awake, like really awake.
I had energy, not just in my body, but in my mind.
I felt… good. Really, really good.

It was like my body had been waiting for this. Like all the noise, heaviness, and fatigue I thought was normal had lifted. And I thought—why do we treat this feeling like a special occasion?

Hollyhock Wasn’t Just a Place—It Was a Way of Moving Through the World

It wasn’t just the food. It was everything. The way people at Hollyhock moved through the world—with curiosity, with ease, with a kind of presence that felt so rare.

They weren’t rushing. They weren’t filling space with noise. They were engaged, alive, deeply connected to the moment—to the land, to each other, to themselves.

And I thought: Why don’t we live like this all the time?

Why do we treat peace, joy, and nourishment like a break from “real life”?
Why do we act like we have to earn slowness, stillness, and the simple pleasure of a great meal?

I didn’t want to live for retreats. I wanted to live like this every single day.

So I Decided to Bring It Home

I started eating the way I ate at Hollyhock—full of plants, full of color, full of energy.

I started moving through my day with more presence, more awareness, more attention to what actually felt good.

I started making choices based on what made me feel most alive.

And guess what?

My energy skyrocketed.
My creativity exploded.
My connection to myself and the world deepened.

Because it turns out, you don’t need to escape to a retreat to feel this way. You don’t need to be in the forest, by the ocean, or surrounded by deep thinkers to have deep conversations.

You just need to choose it. Every day.

But This Isn’t Just About Me—It’s About Us

Something in me knew this wasn’t just my journey.

I wanted to take other people on this ride with me.
I wanted to create a space where we could connect, share, and build something together.
I wanted to be part of a community that celebrated great food and great ideas—a place where we could inspire each other to live this way, every day.

Because if there’s one thing I know about Campaigners, it’s this: We are not meant to do life alone.

We thrive in connection. We light each other up. We love deep conversations, big ideas, and people who are just as excited as we are about the next great adventure.

And what better adventure is there than learning how to live well—really well?

So, What About You?

If you’ve ever had that moment—that feeling where everything clicked—why not make it your life?

If you’ve ever thought, “I feel amazing on vacation, but I crash the second I come home,” maybe it’s time to stop living for breaks and start living for what actually makes you feel good.

And I’m telling you: Plant-based eating is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to start.

Because this?
This isn’t about giving up anything.
It’s about getting more.

More energy. More joy. More connection. More freedom to live like every day is an adventure.