Pause

I was recently visiting with a friend and reminded her I’d be gone this coming weekend to attend a women’s retreat.

I could see her pause for a while, before she replied (we had just been discussing how challenging it can be on a family when one of the parents is unemployed and looking for work).

I signed up for this retreat quite a while ago, and thankfully, it’s very affordable. But her reaction got me thinking about ALL the reasons I’m such an advocate for retreats (read more) and why I not only lead them, I regularly take them--no matter what is going on in my life.

1. As Stephen Cope, director of Kripalu’s Institute for Extraordinary Living so eloquently states: “Retreats don’t change our lives as much as they change where we stand in relationship to our lives—and our capacity to see the hidden possibilities there.” Retreats challenge--and change-my perspective, usually radically.
2. Getting out of my normal environment and day-to-day routine and going somewhere new and different while I’m examining my life and career direction, has a HUGE effect on my well-being.
3. I look at a retreat as a “heavy date” with myself. It’s an opportunity to invest in my inner life---to really pull back, pause and get clear on what matters most.
4. Whenever I come back from a retreat—whether it’s a one day solo retreat or a week-long guided experience—I’m always amazed at how calm, wise, grounded and clear I feel. For me, taking a retreat is like hitting the “re-set” button.
5. In this age of digital overwhelm, one of the things I crave is the ability to really “unplug.” Retreats allow me to tap into my creative, free-thinking right-brain hemisphere and give my busy, multi-tasking left brain (and inbox) a break! And, I’m always amazed at how often I leave retreats with solutions to problems.
6. Retreats for me are a way for me to visit the “well” and replenish my energy reserves (physical/emotional/spiritual and mental).
7. The break and time with other women feels supportive, validating and is always a great reminder that I’m not alone. In some way, we’re all grappling with the same challenges and we all desire the same things. For me, retreats affirm our interconnectedness and remind me we really are all one.
8. Stepping away and slowing down allows me to reconnect to my body’s rhythms and get in touch with what it is I most need—physically and emotionally.
9. And most importantly, retreats really allow me to connect with my “wise self”—to tap into my inner wisdom and guidance and to really feel my connection to Spirit. They remind me about the importance of trusting in that which is greater than myself.

I’ve taken retreats for about ten years now and they’ve become central to my emotional and spiritual renewal.

Like many, my October is quite full (actually too full). But over the years, I’ve learned that this is exactly when I most need to take a retreat. And pause.

If you live in Texas (or are able to fly into Austin), consider joining me Friday, Nov. 5th at Lost Pines Hyatt Resort and Spa (on 400 acres on the Colorado River) at my Reflect, Reclaim, Re-Balance One Day Women’s Self-Renewal Retreat. It might just change your life. Or at the very least, your perspective on life.

FIND YOUR TRIBE, ATTEND A RETREAT/WORKSHOP OR JOIN THE DIALOGUE: Would you like to receive support from like-minded women and be with people who hold the highest and best for you? Join or become trained to facilitate a Personal Renewal Group, visit our calendar to learn more about upcoming events including our November 5th One-Day Reflect, Reclaim, Re-Balance Women's One-Day Self-Renewal Retreat (early bird ends 10/23).

Also, check out our Live Inside Out community and read how people are living more intentionally.

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly.

Photo: Renee Trudeau--Julia Pfeiffer State Park, Big Sur, CA.

What the World Needs Now

Even though I come from a large family, growing up, I often felt isolated.

My parents were big seekers. Much of their energy was spent on their personal quest to find or experience God---and they encouraged us to do the same.

Yet, in the midst of all this spiritual exploration-- we often lacked connection to a larger, extended community. And to be fair to my parents, I know the desire was there, but the knowledge of how to actually do this seemed to be missing. (I think this is common among many; I hear the question, "How DO you create community?" quite often as I travel around the U.S.)

I'm sure this is why I'm so passionate about fostering connection and community for myself, my family, and others today (the joke with my husband when I’m headed out the door to an evening or weekend gathering, is “which women’s circle, mastermind session or group are you going to —or starting--today?”).

Last night I had the opportunity to gather with some of the wonderful women and their families from my good friend Dr. Deborah Kern’s Daring Diva community. Earlier this month, in honor of my maternal grandmother’s 100th birthday, I gathered with a small group of women to honor/celebrate the gifts we have received from our grandmothers—living and deceased. This coming week, I’ll be meeting with a small sister group on the Fall Equinox to share insights from a teleclass we’re all participating in (on the same evening, another group I started for entrepreneurs in 2005, will be gathering).

And, for the last 7 years, I’ve been pouring energy into helping women reconnect with who they are, focus on self-compassion and attune to their need/desires through our global Personal Renewal Group Program. And, I am very committed to continuing to regularly create and facilitate women’s retreats.

Why does it seem that now, more than ever, we’re all craving opportunities to gather in small, intentional gatherings and explore what matters most (Live Inside Out provides more insight into this)?

~I believe we’re one another’s teachers. And, we were MEANT to be interdependent not uber-independent (a common modus operandi for many of us); on the deepest level we know this to be true.
~Often when I’m going through a challenging time, when I gather with like-minded friends for authentic conversation—I feel validated, supported and more often than not, discover we’re having similar—and sometimes even identical--experiences!
~Friends that care deeply about me and hold the highest/best for me, remind me of who I *really* am—and help me remember my stuff isn’t the “biggest thing that’s happening to me,” it’s just the “biggest thing in the moment!”
~We’re much more interconnected than we could ever imagine. And when we gather in groups, we’re reminded of this in profound ways.
~So often when we hear someone in a group articulate what we’ve been trying for months to put words to, we have an immediate shift in perspective or ah-ha moment.
~The practice of being real, vulnerable and deeply authentic in front of others—as my mentor says, “showing up warts and all”—can be amazingly cathartic.
~More and more research is illustrating the positive effect gathering in groups has on women—specifically our immune systems and serotonin levels get a boost and we release oxytocin—which results in us feeling calmer and happier overall (and yes, men need this, too!).

The power of groups, never ceases to amaze me. I truly think it's what the world needs now.

And as I launch a new group experience this week on Self-Care as a Spiritual Practice (my first ongoing women’s group in three years), I move into the next phase and evolution of my work, knowing that the gifts that will come from this journey will be unfolding for years to come.

It’s just a feeling I have. And usually, my hunches are right on.

FIND YOUR TRIBE, ATTEND A RETREAT/WORKSHOP OR JOIN THE DIALOGUE: Would you like to experience connection and community and receive support from like-minded women? Join or become trained to facilitate a Personal Renewal Group, visit our calendar to learn more about upcoming events including our November 5th One-Day Women's Self-Renewal Retreat and our FREE October 14th Live Inside Out teleclass on Being More Present and Remembering What Matters.

Also, check out our Live Inside Out community and read how people are living more intentionally.

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly.

Photo: Whether in groups of 3 or 300, from Africa to Atlanta, women from around the world have understood the power that comes from gathering in groups for thousands of years.