What If You Started Living Your Dream Life Right Now?

I just released a conversation that MAKES ME FEEL SO HOPEFUL! What a thing to say in today’s world. I needed this one. Neal left his pharmaceutical career in Ireland at 28, moved to a rural village in Guatemala, and accidentally fell into permaculture while helping coffee farmers. Now, he runs Creative Solutions Permaculture (Creasol) — a model permaculture farm, farm-to-table restaurant, impact hub, and online school training what he calls “an army of permaculture designers” around the world.What we talked about:The thing that struck me most about Neal is how he’s figured out the sequencing. He didn’t wait until he had the perfect plan to meditate every morning or spend time with his kids. He just started doing it — and his business, his impact, and his life improved because of it.We covered:* Why permaculture designers don’t think in terms of competition (and what we can learn from that)* How the design emerges when you find the intersection between your deepest desires and what the land is showing you* The 100 hours of observation for 1 hour of work principle* Building eco-communities that actually work* How young families can do this work without sacrificing presence with their kids* Why telling your story is inseparable from permaculture designThe part that gave me chills:Neal and his brother (who runs a storytelling school based on Irish myths) are combining storytelling and permaculture design. Because once you can tell the story of your life and your land, the design naturally emerges.That’s the kind of thinking that makes you realize we’re not just designing gardens — we’re designing lives, communities, cultures.This felt like a Field of Dreams conversation. You build it and they will come. And Neal’s actually done it — created a network of earth stewards who share knowledge freely, who compete with themselves to grow but cooperate with each other to thrive.It’s the only industry I’ve experienced with zero competition. Just: How can we do this 100 times, a thousand fold?Listen to the full episode. Follow Neal’s work:* Instagram: @creasol_permaculture* Website: creasolpermaculture.com (free resources available)* Join their WhatsApp group for free events and Q&A sessionsAnd yes, there will be a Part 2. I have too many questions left.What would you design if you started with your deepest desires instead of your limitations?Plant a Revolution is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Plant a Revolution at plantarevolution.substack.com/subscribe