by Kat Middleton | Nov 23, 2021 | Change
Have you ever missed an exit while driving and had to adjust your course, or perhaps GPS changed it for you?
How about those of you on a weight loss journey. What happens when you hit a plateau? What do you do?
Do you, like me, practice being conscious of directing and re-directing those thoughts?
The agency of Adapting is all about the choices we make to change and the actions we take. First, let’s look at some of the definitions and terminology:
Agency:
In social science, the word agency is defined as the capacity of individuals to act independently and make their own free choices. Thus, one’s agency is one’s independent capacity or ability to work on one’s will.
Agency, by definition, is action or intervention, especially such as to produce a particular effect.
Adapt:
Is to make suitable to requirements or conditions; adjust or modify fittingly. For example, suppose you adapt to a new situation or adapt yourself to it. In that case, you change your ideas or behavior to deal with it successfully. If you adapt something, you change it to make it suitable for a new purpose or situation. From a therapeutic perspective, occupation adaptation was applied and defined as adapting the self and the environment to provide holistic care or intervention.
So, as Wholistic Women, The Agency of Adapting is the choice to act, and make a change to grow. However, there is something that often gets in our way. It’s called the comfort zone. Here’s a poem I think you may be able to relate to:
How big is your comfort zone? Our comfort zones are filled with ease, safety, and security. They feel so comfortable like a favorite pair of cozy pajamas. To step outside of the comfort zone feels risky, and scary.
Who remembers Turkish taffy candy and the satisfaction of beginning to pull your taffy apart? It felt so good to feel that stretch, but the taffy would suddenly snap in two and break if you were to stretch it too far.
We feel good too when we stretch ourselves in new yet small ways outside of our comfort zone; however, if we try for too much, too fast, we can become frustrated and fail in our attempts. Change is complex.
Here are a few benefits to being adaptable.
• Leadership
• Happiness
• Satisfaction/Contentment
• Being able to bounce back quicker
• Better equipped to face challenges
• More current and relevant
• Open to new ideas and able to offer more value to yourself and those around you
• Responds and sees growth opportunities.
People who demonstrate the skill of adaptability have the mindset to be continually growing personally and professionally. This proactive attitude helps them be successful in all endeavors of life. Being flexible, resilient, and responsive to change in these COVID times, holiday times, and changing times is a fundamental skill set. Learning how to manage the stress of life is a true benefit to our overall health and wellness.
In this Thanksgiving season, may you embrace this skill and feel the success it has to offer you. Change is constant and inevitable. So, learn to be a change agent and ADAPT!
Happy Holidays,
Wholeheartedly,
Kat
♥️
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by Carol deLaski | Oct 13, 2021 | Change, Gratitude
It is with openly mixed emotions that I write this heartfelt message to our Wholistic Woman community about a change coming soon. After a great deal of prayerful contemplation, I have made the difficult decision to retire from WWRA at the end of 2021. As you can imagine, this decision is one that I have approached wholistically – checking in with my heart, mind, body, and spirit over the past few years.
One of the many, many, emotions that I’m feeling is peace. God has been gently, persistently, calling me to new endeavors, which are undeniable but not fully revealed yet. During the housebound hours of the pandemic, I spent more time with God, quietly praying for clarity and direction. In the stillness, without the busyness of my pre-pandemic life, I was able to listen more intently to His call within my heart.
To be honest, I resisted the nudge that kept coming to step away from WWRA. I was fearful of the ripple effect it would have on others and myself. I mentally wrestled, argued, and at times ignored the nudge for as long as possible. Eventually, I took some baby steps in that direction and then re-evaluated to see if that was enough change. But it was not. It became clear that a big step is what I’m called to make. So, in a leap of faith, with courage, I am blessing and releasing my leadership of this wonderful organization. I’m curious to see what God has in store for me next and I am ready to grow in new directions.
That brings me to the other emotions that I am feeling.
I feel deep, abiding, gratitude as I reflect on the past 11 years. As a community, we have learned, laughed, grown, and supported each other through good times and bad. Whether you’ve been walking with me from the very beginning, have just recently started attending our retreats, or somewhere in between, I want you to know how much I appreciate you.
My dream to launch Wholistic Woman Retreats began with a similar unrelenting calling that God placed within my heart. I have learned to listen to such persistent messages and to trust that there is a beautiful purpose within them.
As the retreat dream kept surfacing within me, I casually started telling it to others. Women were excited by the idea of holistic retreats that would focus on developing the whole person – heart, mind, body, and spirit. Being a wordsmith, I playfully put a ‘W’ in front of holistic as a visual reminder of my intention to focus on wholeness. To me, becoming whole is a lifelong endeavor. A continual, personal, and richly rewarding journey to deeply know oneself. It inspires us to embrace our unique talents, to be fully ourselves while acknowledging that we will always be a work-in-progress.
As I shared my dream, women were excited. Some told me they wanted to attend the retreats I would be offering. Others said, “I want to help make it happen!” And that’s how this collaborative organization began, with women who co-created the retreats with me, and women who attended, learned, and grew from them with us.
Eleven years later, I gratefully look back and think about the many gifted coaches who offered their expertise to our community. I bow to your talents. I’ve learned so much from each of you.
I think of the talented alliance partners who offered their skills in marketing, event management, finances, and web management to help us fly. I deeply appreciate your gifts and contributions to the WWRA vision.
I think of the wonderful sponsors over the years who gave the gift of financial support to our endeavors. We couldn’t have made such a positive impact without your help.
I think of those who generously contributed to our scholarship fund which helped those in need of financial assistance attend our retreats. You have left a meaningful legacy in the lives of those women.
I think of the beloved coaches who co-founded this organization. You grabbed hold of the dream, walked with me (some for a leg and some for the entire journey) to make it become a reality. You have each been a precious gift to me, and to the community of WWRA.
Most of all, I think of the many, many women who attended our retreats. From our launch in 2010, on the first day of spring at ThorpeWood, to our most recent destination retreat in Sedona, AZ, each one has been uniquely special.
My heart is full of gratitude for all of you, each season of growth we’ve been through together, and for the richness of community and sisterhood that we’ve experienced. You have been a blessing!
And…I believe that God is not done with us yet! WWRA will continue under the expert and talented leadership of my co-founder Kelye Rouse Brown. Kelye has been with me since the very beginning and knows the rich history of our organization. I trust that Kelye will build upon it and steer it in new and exciting directions. Quite frankly, I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Kelye, her team, and WWRA! I look forward to remaining in an advisory Founder role and be the wind beneath the wings of those who take it forward from here.
As for me, I will continue my private coaching practice, launch my Lost and Found Podcast, and keep listening to the nudges that God places within my heart.
The last emotion I feel is excitement so let’s celebrate these changes together! Understandably, this year our annual Gratitude Circle and Brunch will be especially meaningful. For those who are comfortable meeting in person, please join us at ThorpeWood on Nov 14th from 12:30-3:30 pm. We will follow the current CDC guidelines to ensure everyone’s safety. For those who prefer a virtual get-together, we will host a Zoom call on Nov 17 from 6-7:30 pm to celebrate, bless, and release what is, as we open ourselves to receive what lies ahead.
With a heart full of grace and love,
Carol
by Donna Kettell | Jul 20, 2021 | Book Club, Goals, Personal Development
Does this sound familiar?….once I lose 15 pounds, I’ll be happy, or once I get a new job, or a new relationship, I’ll finally be happy? I think it’s human nature to think that there is a goal that we need to reach before we can allow ourselves to be truly happy. The issue with that is if we are constantly growing, there is always a new goal to reach. So that way of thinking is an endless cycle and we’re constantly postponing our happiness. That doesn’t sound like a fun way to live.
In his book The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor suggests that success does not lead to happiness. Rather, happiness leads to success. Think about that for a moment, doesn’t that feel empowering and inspiring? Imagine if you become more focused on seeking happiness, and then see those out-of-reach goals become more easily attainable. I love that formula. That led me to think about how I can personally be more intentional every day about embracing happiness. In his book, Achor outlines several principles that he believes will help us overcome obstacles, reverse bad habits, become more efficient and productive, make the most of opportunities, conquer our most ambitious goals, and fulfill our potential.
I recognized that I have been utilizing several of his strategies like meditation, affirmations, movement, and humor just to name a few. Achor also suggested strategies that I was not as consciously tapping into such as planning something to look forward to, conscious acts of kindness, and exercising a signature strength. The book does a great job of explaining how the strategies impact our brains and ultimately enhance our productivity, creativity, and achievement. The principles in this book reinforce topics that many of our Wholistic Woman Retreats + Academy coaches have shared with our members this year. It’s based on research from the positive psychology field, neuroscience, and Achor, a former Harvard lecturer and researcher who has appeared on one of my favorite shows, Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday series.
On Wednesday evening, July 28, we’ll have a virtual book club meeting to discuss Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage. I hope to see you there, and hear how it has impacted you!
with your money! Have you ever noticed that there a constant sales and special offers from these stores? These promotions are designed to tempt you!