Oasis building

I'm still in San Clemente CA, and have been enjoying working by the ocean.

The neighborhood we're in is walking distance to the beach. Real estate in this pocket is at a premium.

Little lots with plenty of home crammed in.

Not too much yard for most folks. Small front yard, small back yards.

As I always do, I've been enjoying a lot of walks and some biking.

I have to come up with fresh ideas for clients, content, and business building every day. There is nothing like the power of a walk and allowing your mind to wander. You get great ideas every time. Will change your life.

What I notice on these walks is how much people do with small space. Small homes, small yards.

They create little roof decks for the ocean view, beautiful landscaping, courtyards, sculpture gardens, firepit areas, and mini orchards all in their small space.

They are building a little oasis.

We all need to carve out an oasis. The world is an insane place, moving rapidly and way beyond our control.

A kitchen, a garden, a bedroom, a back deck, a small business...these could all be an oasis.

A small masterpiece where everything is right and every decision is intentional.

There is an immense satisfaction in doing this.

It's amazing what buttoning up one area can do. Let's say you renovate your kitchen - if you take the time to get it right, and make it really great, this can spill over into the rest of your house.

You might enjoy it so much that you could flip a house. Plenty of careers have been launched off of personal renovation projects. That's how I got started.

Creating a little pocket of joy in one area can seep into other areas of your life.

When I was working as a real estate agent, I noticed that a lot of high performing loan officers and agents had military backgrounds.

That discipline that was learned during their service years has carried over into their businesses.

I'm currently working with my business partner on the design of the first home in our Arrington Woods project. These all will be big homes on big lots. Estates nestled among the trees.

It's very challenging to make a big house look great. We're getting there, but it's much easier to make a 1000sf beach cottage look exceptional than a large ranch style compound.

I wouldn't have been ready unless I did much smaller projects first.

The key is to start small and build from there.

So whether it's your garden, or a kitchen renovation or a beach cottage or a large estate, we're going to make it an Oasis.

Something exceptional. Functional, beautiful, and just unique enough.

Start today, wherever you are at. What can you make that's extraordinary?

Who knows where it might lead..