Have you ever heard of the Landmark Forum?
If so, then you probably know why I haven't posted here in quite a bit. The Landmark Forum was something that I had not experienced in the past, and it really affected me emotionally and mentally.
For those of you who haven't, well, continue reading. Also, feel free to read below if you have experienced the Landmark Forum, my experience could vary greatly from your own.
What is Landmark?
Landmark is a personal and professional growth training group.
Their goal is to help people grow not only as professionals but also as individuals that could make a difference in this world. I found out about Landmark through one of my clients at work, and initially, I thought she was trying to scam me or get a quick, easy summer commission.
She texted me an invitation to an Introductory Session and told me the price if I was interested in continuing my education. Due to my hectic schedule in May, I declined. Though I'm sure, I would have come up with a reason to decline regardless.
Then I went to Connection Camp.
On my ride back home, we were chatting about a variety of topics, and that's when Landmark came up. I found out two things: referrals do not equal commissions, and 3 out of 5 of the passengers of the car had done the forum in the past.
What I Expected from Landmark
Once I decided that I'd give the Landmark Forum a chance, I spoke to my boss about it, and he suggested I just do the program and skip the introduction. As both my boss and mentor, I took his suggestion and agreed.
Due to what I heard on my car ride, I had the following goals:
Getting over my "Napoleon" complex
Getting a grip on my finances
Not feeling inferior due to my size
Finances and self-esteem are two things that I struggle with though not many would know when they talk to me. I act very confident in my spending habits and my relationship with money while I also act equally confident in myself as a human being.
However, my finances were all over the place and I was both terrified and embarrassed to talk about it. As for my self-esteem, I knew that I'd be like a fine wine and with age I'd eventually get better with my confidence.
What I Got from Landmark
I spent all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Landmark Forum with Larry Pearson leading it. Larry was amazing. I'm sure the Forum leaders are all amazing in their own right, but Larry was the kind of person you could not forget after meeting him.
He was the epitome of the individual I wanted to be. He was confident, loud, and a great leader. He acknowledged every person who had the courage to step up to the microphone and smiled in the face of adversity. His way of weaving tales and sharing stories was excellent, and I was pretty lucky to have taken the course while he was teaching it.
Since the majority of the stories told are meant to be confidential due to how personal they are, I won't divulge them here. Instead, I'll just give you a brief overview of what I came out with.
Lots of unshed tears
Courage to stand up for what's right
Tools to better express myself and my feelings
Guidance in how to speak honestly and from the heart
Tales of those who struggle with the same issues I have
Faith that change is possible, even if it isn't easy
Labels for negative emotions and solutions
Confidence boosters from fellow participants
While I cannot say that I was 100% cured of my self-esteem issues or my relationship with money. Going to the program did help give me the pushes I need to do something about these issues I carried around. I felt less ashamed of my financial issues and confusion and made changes to move things forward as opposed to avoiding the cause of my financial problems.
Most importantly, though, the Forum made me realize that while I can do all the reading and learning I want on self-improvement and on growing as a person, it is absolutely critical for me to actually implement my lessons. Which I know sounds like a 'duh', but during the Forum, I saw how much of us just 'know' but don't 'do'’
Do I Recommend the Landmark Forum?
My answer is always yes when it comes to programs and classes to better yourself as a human being. However, there are pros and cons to the Landmark Forum, and in full disclosure, I'll give you the information, and you do what you want with it.
Sounds fair?
Awesome.
The Cons
From the outside looking in, the Landmark Forum feels a bit like a cult. There is some terminology that they use that really makes you feel like you are viewing yellow flags.
It's a bit pricy, being +$500
The primary language of the program that I took is English, and you need to have a good grasp of it if you really want to benefit from it.
It runs late, from 10 AM to 10 PM, all three days, which can be an issue if you don't make the time
If you don't put in the work, you will not benefit
It's emotionally and mentally draining, you are put face-to-face with a lot of unresolved issues in your life and forced to face them head-on.
Several of these cons could be talked over. The biggest ones being the time and monetary commitment. I feel that anything that relates to learning a new skill or personal development will cost both money and time. If you cannot put 'skin in the game' and risk paying some money, then you really don't want it. A three-day program to make what could be a HUGE change in your outlook on life doesn't really have a price tag on it.
The Pros
You realize that a lot of the problems you have, you create, and you can solve
It's less than $1K, which is less expensive than some semesters of college classes
You get 10 seminars after the program to keep you accountable for your goals
You get the opportunity to repair a lot of relationships that were 'lost'
You feel powerful and confident
Three days to make the rest of your life badass is pretty awesome
The staff at Landmark are willing to help you get over any hurdles you encounter
There is a fridge and microwave, so you don't have to buy food
Landmark is quite literally anywhere, google it. There's a Landmark near you
There are bilingual programs for those who are not native English speakers
There are accessibility options for those who handicapped
What is “Clearing the Board”?
Are you still confused with the title of this post? The Landmark Forum is all about cleaning the slate of your past so that you can move toward the future with a blank slate full of opportunities. When tears were shed at the program, I dropped the luggage that I carried from my past.
The Landmark has two programs after the initial Forum. In fact, I'll be participating in the Advanced Course happening at the end of the month. The goal of it is to fill the blank slate with the right tools to make the most of my future (you can actually read about it here!).
Other Updates
Besides that, I've launched the 10-Week Prompt Challenge in 15 Minutes of Creativity. Which was something I've been wanting to do and finally was able to make into a reality. It makes me feel both extremely nervous but also really excited to announce this to you.
I'd also love to hear about any updates or feedback from you guys. If you could improve any aspect of your life, what would it be?
