I’ve been away the last few days on The One Retreat run by the fabulous Shaa Wasmund down in Kent. I can truly, without gushing or exaggerating, say that it was life changing for me (for the better I hope!).
I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to go, with Mum so ill, and the retreat so far away from both her and from home. But my loving supportive family were insistent that I should take some ‘me’ time – and I’m so glad that I did.
I’m still processing all that went on – I had a lot of time and support to focus on the business, and I’m gradually going to be making some changes to Tea & Empathy as a result, which I’ll talk more about and hopefully get your input on as it develops. But for me personally I know the biggest impact was that I felt truly ‘seen’ – by Shaa, and by the other amazing women on the retreat.
And I could give the same back in turn – to really see these wonderful people for who they really were. The Human Beings underneath the labels of ‘business woman’, ‘mother’, ‘partner’, ‘daughter’, ‘sister’, ‘housekeeper’. We could just be utterly ourselves, without pretence or expectations, and what emerges from that is so powerful, and empowering.
I had changed my expectations of what I was going to get out of the days from when I first booked, to now.
Initially I had my ‘make the business better’ head on, but by the time I actually went I knew that wasn’t important right now, that I just needed time and space away from everything in the company of inspiring people. And that meant that I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, I wasn’t trying to prove anything, I wasn’t trying to be ‘better’. I just was, wholeheartedly, me.
And, although I already suspected it from some of the experiences I’ve already had over the last 8 or so years since I burned out at work, I fully experienced the ‘magic’ that happens when you step into the fullness of who you are.
Now, hopefully, if you’ve been following or reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I’m not a ‘woo woo’ person. You won’t catch me saying ‘throw it open to the universe’ and such like.
But instead, what I experienced was the difference in result and impact when we are able to ‘see’ each other clearly, without the distortions and noise we usually put in the way.
And it was so different, so perspective changing and wonderful, and I’m now feeling so much more anchored and rooted in the real me, that I hereby give myself permission to be nothing else.
And I’m fuelled by the desire to help others feel as strongly rooted in the amazing reality of who they truly are too, so they can also reach for the skies and stretch to be all they have the potential to be.
I hope you’ll stay with me on the journey – but even if you don’t, my wish for you is the same – give yourself permission to be just YOU – you are more than enough.
