Do you make it a regular practice to “retreat”?
My hunch is, if you are like most women the answer is no. And don’t think I’m falling for your lame excuses:
- “I’m really busy”
- “No, you don’t get it, I’m really, really busy- I have a job, husband, kids, dog, volunteer work… did I mention the dog? He’s incontinent and I can’t be away”…. (don’t laugh – I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that excuse)
- “I know, I know, put on my oxygen mask… I’ll do it when life slows down” (wish I had another set of dollars for how many times I’ve heard that one, too)
I’ve got some big, fat news for you, my friends – LIFE IS NOT GOING TO SLOW DOWN, not now, not ever, not even for sweet, darling little old you.
And frankly, I’m just slightly heartbroken by these stories. You only have this one wild and precious life (to quote Mary Oliver, and who wouldn’t want to quote Mary Oliver?) What are you going to do with it?
Are you going to spend it telling and retelling the stories that are keeping you stuck, sad, living a life that is just “o.k.” but not the life you had hoped and wished for?
Full Disclosure:
I not only lead retreats for women – I make it a regular practice to go on them as a participant.
You see, I never, never, never ask my clients or retreaters to do anything I am not willing to do. Every exercise, every meditation, every walk or yoga class or forced quiet, all the thought work – it’s all been tested on me first.
So here is why I go on retreats at least twice and often three times a year:
- Because it’s just about impossible for me to really focus on myself for longer than 20 minutes when I’m distracted by the daily needs of my life/home/work/etc.
- Because connecting with other women who are struggling with some of the same things as I am is not only life giving but life affirming.
- Because sharing and being vulnerable with other women helps me to grow and change in ways I never dreamed possible.
- Because being a part of another woman’s growth and change is one of the most sacred and beautiful things I can be a part of.
- Because I need to know that I am not alone and not crazy- there are other women who have been there, done that, and lived to tell the tale.
- Because taking care of myself in this way is a hell of a lot of fun and frankly, non-negotiable. It is how I tend my own garden and fill (and sometimes patch) my vessel.
Please notice the words that have been bolded… I wrote out this retreat manifesto quickly (because that is the way I get to truth – quickly and without a lot of conscious thought). But when I looked back at it – those were the words that jumped out at me…
What about you?
What is catching your attention?
What do you want more of?
What do you need in this season of your life?
If any of this sounds like you, or sounds like who you want to be- me and my bff/coaching partner Diana Murphy have just the weekend for you. Want to know more?
Click here for all the details!
