I have a confession: I've felt really overwhelmed lately.
I found myself in a hotel room two weeks ago crying. It seemed silly since life is good. My marriage is great, my work is great. But I was depleted. I was about to give a talk to 200 people, and I had nothing left to give.
I know I'm not alone. The energy has been chaotic and exhausting lately. There is so much fear and hatred around us that it's taking extra energy to simply stay afloat, let alone stay positive to uplift others.
I tried to solve it on my own. I ran, I meditated, I took a long hot shower. But the crying would not stop.
My sweet wonderful husband offered to take me away for a weekend, but all I wanted was the love and support of sisters who would wrap me in their arms and tell me it was going to be okay.
That's when I remembered that a dear friend had sent me an email about a women's retreat she was holding in Santa Barbara and I knew I had to go. I hold so many retreats, but for once, I needed to attend one. I needed someone else to take care of me.
And I'm so glad I did. For three days, we gathered as a group of women to connect, share, laugh, bond, heal, and thrive. They held me when I cried. I supported them when they were afraid. We cheered for each others' dreams, ideas, and business break-throughs. We helped each other strategize everything from balancing family and work to marketing our businesses. Plus, we had the ocean, the beach, the sun, and the beauty of the Four Seasons surrounding us. It was total HEAVEN! (It was so incredible that I'm thinking of having a retreat there sometime!)
My soul is rejuvenated. My heart is full. And my inner peace is restored.
Inner peace is possible for you too. You simply need to listen to
what your body is telling you. If you're exhausted, you need retreat. If you're depleted, you need other women's love to fill you. In my F*Midlife Club, we've been talking about how to mother ourselves. You can give yourself the nourishing love you need and it's more important than ever.
Supporting women and being supported by women is the cure for depletion and overwhelm. We were never meant to do life alone, pretending to have it all together with perfectly manicured fingernails. Back in tribal times, women cooked for each other, nursed each others' children, and held each other through the pain of childbirth or broken hearts.
Your task for this week: Connect with loving, supportive women!
Find a group of loving, non-judgmental, supportive, and inspiring women to lift you up when you're down. Get a group who accepts you for who you are, not what you do. Join a group who believes in you, and is as excited for your “wins” as you are!
When you have Sisters, you feel safe to expand your wings and fly. You no longer feel alone. You feel supported in digging deep for purpose and going for it!
And since an amazing way to create sisterhood is to go on a retreat, stay tuned, as I'll be announcing my 2017 retreats soon in some amazing locations…including Paris!!!
Plus, I'll be opening the doors again to the F* Midlife Club soon, so stay tuned. Dr. Jenna Wider is our guest expert next month, and if you want to be among the first to know when it opens up again, please email me.
No matter what you do, listen to yourself this week. Give yourself the love of a kind, supportive mother to her baby. Surround yourself with Sisters who get it, who will love you through pain, and cheerlead you to triumph. And take time to replete your energy in nature, meditation, and quiet. You deserve it.
I am your Sister. I love you so much!
Carin
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