Deep in the jungles of Panama, in a hidden permaculture community called Kalu Yala, over 130 brave goal-setters of many feathers met for a weeklong retreat. Truly separated from their comfort zones, these people quickly formed and fostered deep connections. Secrets were shared. Dreams were planned. And it all came out of a group bubbling over with potential and passion: Thousand Network. WHO WE ARE,…
All posts by Todd VanDuzer
If you’ve been following my social media antics, chances are you’ve heard about Desert Canvas: Rebirth —a giant festival we threw with the help of a wonderful, committed group of people. And we pulled it off with only 39 days to prepare. What does that mean? Well, it means that 39 days before the festival, we had: No website No vendors No sponsors No artists No volunteers…
The start of a new year is always exciting and terrifying. Suddenly, you have a blank slate. An entirely new year. If you have changes you’ve been wanting to make, now seems like the perfect time. But where do you start? A few years ago, asking myself that question, I wrote out this list of what I focus on when writing goals. And because it’s…
Over the years, I’ve been practicing being a better citizen. A better listener, a better friend. And, I’ve been getting in the habit of helping people at every opportunity. After all, one of my big passions is to help people face their fears and go after their dreams. So when I see someone who’s doing something unique that I resonate with, I’m always down to…
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had this thought: “Oh, I’d love to do that, but I don’t know the first thing about getting started.” Or, “I just don’t think I’m ready.” Or, “I don’t think I can do it.” If your hand’s in the air, stop. These are all excuses. Even if you know absolutely nothing—absolutely nothing—about what you’re doing, you can still do…
Yes, it’s true. One of my biggest dreams is to hold a hold a 50,000 person music festival by 2030. And when I tell people that, they usually look at me like I’m crazy. And maybe I am! But my love and passion for music festivals and community is real, and it all started on a train from Salzburg to Vienna. I was backpacking with…
Yup that is me bungee jumping off the worlds biggest bungee jump in China. A mere 233 meters height. You know those contests that sound like they can’t possibly be real? The ones where they say they’ll fly you and a friend to a foreign country for 30 days with $7,500 dollars of spending money? And on top of that, they say they’ll start your adventure in…
“If you think about falling, you will fall. If you get scared, you will fall. You need to notice how good that webbing feels on your bare feet as you walk across the line and embrace the exposure and fear that comes with it. Don’t fight it, enjoy it, and cherish this present moment.” – Anonymous Participant This was exactly what I heard moments before…
I’ve said it before—whenever you succeed, it’s not entirely because of you. Anything great you do has been co-created by the generous community that has taken you in, put in a good word for you, or donated their time and expertise. This holiday season, I would like to take a moment to reflect on my biggest reason for success…but the thing is, I don’t even…
About 1.5 years ago, I decided I wanted to learn how to slackline. So I went to a park with a friend, and set up a slackline between two trees. Little did I know, this was the start of a movement. A movement we now call Desert Canvas, with plans and goals to hold a 50,000 person festival by 2030 and help grow communities worldwide…