Dreaming with Joy
Journey Of A Dreamer | Featuring Stacy Lee
Stacy Lee is a professional organizer. Wait, what? Yes. That’s right. She is a certified KonMari consultant, and the exact person everyone needs in their life. Because who doesn’t want a friend who can teach you how to live a life, and own a closet, that sparks joy? But the road to Stacy’s career wasn’t always clear or easy. Read our interview below to see how Stacy overcame her hurdles and learn what it takes to give yourself permission to follow your dreams.
Q: You did your first Lifeboard with Tiare in 2020. One can say you are new to Dreamboarding, but have you been a dreamer your entire life?
A: I completed my first Lifeboard with Tiare in February 2020 (and met my fiancé at the end of February!). I don’t consider myself to have been a “dreamer” my entire life. There were general life things I wanted, but I was never very specific or intentional and had drifted into what were natural next steps or what was expected of me. I learned that there is a big difference between what I’m capable of being, doing and having verses what I naturally wanted to be, do, and have. When I’m in alignment with those dreams or as we like to call it in the KonMari Method®, my ideal lifestyle, it unlocks a whole new level of joy and fulfillment.
Q: Do you remember the specific moment you gave yourself permission to dream? What was that like?
A: It was very freeing and also a little scary! I cried many tears during this process because it felt so vulnerable and raw. It was freeing to give myself the permission to dream up a life of my dreams. It was also exciting to see proof of dreams coming true! I remember early on, I had put San Francisco on my dreamboard because I wanted to visit more often— and a few weeks later a free San Francisco trip opportunity presented itself…like magic!
Q: I know you’ve had some personal things to overcome in order to give yourself permission to dream, do you mind sharing what they were?
A: The most personal thing I had to overcome was myself and that scared inner voice and critic that thought, “Oh no, what if I don’t get it now? I’ll be a failure if I say what is my true desire and it doesn’t happen. Or, now that I’ve voiced it, I’ll be a hypocrite and won’t be happy if I get something else.” Working with Tiare helped me realize that it’s OK to change your mind or path if you’re following your joy, it’s OK to admit you want to work on areas where you feel weak, and it’s OK to know what you want (and be specific about it)!
Q: What has helped you in mitigating and/or overcoming these personal obstacles?
A: A lot of personal development. Experience and reflection also helped. Knowing myself and allowing myself to listen to my intuition has been huge. I’ve learned that sometimes you don’t get what you think you want, because you get something better! I’ve learned that believing in my own worthiness is the foundation for everything. And The Dream Haven Art of Dreamboarding and Tiare’s coaching has helped reinforce all of these things.
Q: You’re now pursuing a career as a professional organizer and KonMari consultant. How has the transition from a traditional 9-5 to an entrepreneur been like for you?
A: It’s been fantastic! I’ve always secretly wanted to own my own business and be able to make my own schedule and have the option to work remote (I work with clients both virtually and in-person). It’s also been a learning curve. I’m always constantly learning!
Q: Aside from the obvious costs and benefits of having a traditional career, has anything about being an entrepreneur surprised you?
A: I am surprised at how much growth is experienced as an entrepreneur. New experiences are always popping up to learn from; there is no one-size-fits-all guidebook when you are in charge of every single thing. I’ve grown so much from the entrepreneur experience, personally and professionally. I also realized that when the holidays and vacations roll around, it never feels like a long-awaited special “escape”—because this is not a life I want to escape from. And that feels good!
Q: Where do you go to for support in your newfound career?
A: My fiancé, friends, and I have a few fellow KonMari organizer friends. I also use my dreamboards to remind myself of my purpose and what I’m excited about.
Q: You are also newly engaged. Can you share some of the qualities you were looking for in your dream hubby? How close does the man you are about to marry resemble the qualities you were looking for?
A: Tony is my dream man! I really wanted a partner who had a high emotional IQ, was a great communicator, had done introspective personal development, lived a healthy work/life balance, and prioritized his partner. I was looking for someone who is appreciative, accepting, thoughtful, brave in vulnerability, and who shared my values. Also, at 5’10”, this tall woman was ideally looking for someone over 6 feet! Tony is 6’5” and all the above and more. I love that our shared compass is joy and gratitude in our partnership and for each other. He is also the biggest supporter of my dreams and business, and has fully embraced the KonMari lifestyle ☺.
Q: What is one word you would use to describe the Art of Dreamboarding?
A: Magical! It seems like it’s magic, but really it brings out the magic inside of you.
Q: Today you are a woman in alignment with her dreams. What are some practical and concrete things you do to stay true to your vision for life?
A: In true KonMari fashion, I ask myself, “Does this spark joy?” I do this when making decisions around relationships, places, and things in my ideal lifestyle visions, and also act in alignment of my core values of joy, peace, and freedom. I make a daily gratitude list, I try to look at my dreamboard daily, and each week track mini goals and habits that support the dreams on my dreamboard I give myself time for reflection, try to be intentional, and have learned to honor and listen to those intuitive gut feelings that guide me and remind me of what’s most important to me. It’s been a journey, and I am ever thankful for it.
