My Arizona Mystery Adventure

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to take a group of people on an adventure in Arizona. I call it a Mystery Trip … I get to plan the entire trip … and keep it a secret from everyone (including my team). People sign up for the Mystery Trip and then show up to experience the adventure, without knowing anything except dates, time to show up, and cost.

This was our third Mystery Trip and our first post-Covid. It was an amazing group of 32 women, and one man. What was interesting about this group was that several of the people had chosen this as their first big outing since Covid restrictions have lifted. Some were nervous and a bit unsettled traveling out in the world again, especially on their own. I was humbled that they chose to trust me and my team to facilitate their first step out and I was inspired by their courage to get out-of-the-box and come along with no knowledge of where we were going or what we were doing. Several of them I had never even met 🙂

I understand how much courage it takes to completely let go of control and just go along for the journey without knowing anything. It can be hard … and it can be done. Control is something that I personally have been challenged by throughout my life. I think that is why, when I plan these trips, I feel so excited for the participants. I know how much freedom is on the other side of control … How much release happens when you step in and trust your spirit and your guidance … How much greater the connection is when you allow.

It is truly life-changing when you begin to let it go.

The weekend was full of so many fun activities – Antelope Valley, Horseshoe Bend, Lee’s Ferry, Lake Powell, Montezuma’s Castle, California condors, and Navajo storytelling. Plus, the last night was magical. Imagine this: a 20-foot bonfire ceremony with Kris Voelker’s beautiful voice and guitar, under the starry night of the pitch-black sky, with shooting stars flying above us. Aaahhhh! We completed our evening with some dancing and singing and a whole lot of joy at the local Vermillion Cliffs Saloon. The whole weekend was one of those times where your face hurts from smiling and laughing so much … and you are exhausted, but in a good way. Little did I realize when I was planning this trip that it would be a bucket list trip for most of the travelers.

After I got home, I sat in gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to share so many beautiful memories with such a diverse and amazing group of people. I am truly blessed to be called to do the work that I do with the people that I do it with. With our trips and retreats, participants have the unique opportunity to have one-on-one access to me and my team … offering support, inviting conversation to take you within, live music by Kris that invokes a soul connection, and space held for all to grow and expand, receive and heal. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to fulfill my dreams, which are to help others fulfill theirs … personally, professionally, spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.

I have produced a LOT of retreats and trips over the past 20+ years that I have been in business, and I always learn from each one of them. This trip I learned how important community and connection are for people. Not that I didn’t know that before … I mean community and connection – they are my thing … but I really “saw” it in a new and different way this trip that made a greater impact on me and my desire to facilitate more and more of it.

I also learned that although my heart wants to bring everyone that wants to come, size limits are good. Booking meals and excursions for 33 people isn’t easy. Our next Mystery Trip will be more limited in size.

And lastly, I learned that I really want to create more opportunities for people, especially women, to travel – to feel safe and to be able to “see” the world, check things off their bucket list … and laugh until their face hurts 🙂

If you follow me on social media, you may have seen pictures of our journey from some of the various participants. The beauty of Mother Nature never fails to light me up. I am sharing a few of my favorite pictures below that are close to my heart as well. I hope you enjoy them 🙂

So friend, here’s to more travel with SDJ! Sunny Dawn Johnston Productions will be creating more opportunities for people like YOU to travel to places that so many don’t take the time to stop and see.

If you have a favorite place to travel, please leave me a comment below. I love to hear about your adventures.

Blessings, SDJ