If you’re like many people (including myself), the summer season was a busy one. Summer is filled with cookouts, vacations, time with friends and family, longer nights, and creating memories. It may have also included choices that didn’t serve you as well. You may feel like it was a busy time of the year and you’re missing some rest and relaxation. Are you feeling stressed or lacking balance? I know that I’ve been feeling the need for change as I move into the fall months.
The autumn season is one of the best times of the year for cleansing and taking authority in life. When I say “cleansing,” I am not referring to a plant-based, drink-only cleanse. The term cleansing (or detoxification) can refer to many things.
In my own personal life, I have taken a strong look, especially over the past year, at things, choices, and people that are not serving me well. I’ve considered food choices, toxic relationships, negative thoughts, choices I have made, goals I have set, and options for what I want to see in the future. Have you thought about what may or may not be serving you well and helping you thrive?
With the full moon in Aries just passed on October 5, Aries inspires us to strive and thrive despite any struggles we may be experiencing. The energy is about finding independence, trusting yourself as you move forward, and finding power. The energy from the full moon will help us to use our power from a place of heart rather than ego.
This is a great time to reflect on where you’ve been, what changes you want to make, and how you will choose to move forward.
I am a small-town girl and I love so much about the country. When I think of autumn, I often think of the harvest season. I think of planting seeds and new beginnings. Ways that those seeds can be nourished for growth. When you think about moving forward into the autumn season, I encourage you to think about seeds you can plant and how you can help them grow in your own life, whether they pertain to you personally or to others in your life.
As women, it’s very important to take care of ourselves but also to support and lift up those around us.
As your body prepares for a stressful holiday season and colder weather, it’s important to consider ways to nourish your body, ramp up self-love, and practice stress management. Allergies are higher and the immune system can become more susceptible to illness and exhaustion. Seasonal eating helps to not only nourish the body but also give it what it wants as the season transitions.
Pumpkins, squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and pomegranates are all wonderful fall favorites. Not only are they delicious, but they also pack many health benefits, especially when paired with lean meats and healthy fats. Limiting processed foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol will help you thrive through the autumn season. Sufficient sleep and personal care will not only benefit your body and mind but also help you as we approach the holidays. One of my favorites is an Epsom salt bath with lavender oil drops. It’s important to figure out what works for your own unique beautiful self.
Toxicity comes in many forms. Consider the foods you are eating, the relationships in your life, stress, environmental factors, and negative thoughts. Look at the level of fulfillment in your career and things you’ve always wanted to do but never tried. This is your time to focus on the positive energy of change. It’s a great time to start fresh, feel empowered, and do what makes you feel healthy and happy.
As the leaves change colors and fall, look at ways you can shed some old and allow for new growth. What changes can you make in your own life to help you thrive?
Today’s author: Kim Wilson is a Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHC) and owns her own business, Kim Wilson, LLC, which specializes in empowering and educating women to get to the root of what’s going on with their own unique, individual body. She works with women one-on-one and coaches through online groups and programs. Learn more about Kim at her website www.kimwilson.me, from her Facebook page, or find her on Instagram.
noun: life coach – a person who counsels and encourages clients on matters having to do with careers or personal challenges.
Wholistic Woman Retreats is a community of women dedicated to being their best through personal and professional development activities and programs. One of the ways we do this is through our ‘Be You’ Evening Retreat series where certified professional life and business coaches facilitate programs aimed at teaching tools and strategies that will help you more consistently be your best, no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Our programs are unique because we use a coach-approach. A good life or business coach knows how to ask the right questions to help you uncover what is best for you!
It is very common for participants to leave the Be You Evening Retreats feeling energized, excited to begin practicing new tools, and hungry for more! Our last ‘Be You’ event for this year will be on Wednesday October 25 and is titled BeCoached.
Be Coached will be a little different than the other retreats this year. Instead of being facilitated by just one coach, there will be five coaches on hand. Each one will lead a coaching discussion on the topic that they presented earlier this year.
All are welcome! Whether you attended the programs earlier this year or not, this night is designed just for you!
If you missed a ‘Be You’ retreat…this will be your chance to catch up and hear highlights of the topic.
Or
If you attended the original workshop and now you’re ready for more…this will be your chance to check-in and go deeper. You’ll have the opportunity to share where you are being successful putting the tools into practice as well as where you could use further development.
So, whether you’re catching up, or continuing to learn, this event will be a great capstone on the year of Being More You!
At Be Coached, you will have the opportunity to visit 2 different discussions, so start thinking about the two that are right for you. Tables will fill on a first come, first served basis, so register for the retreat now and plan to arrive early to get your first choice and continue your personal development journey with us.
Be Balanced – Coach Carol will lead a discussion to better understand Wholistic Balance of heart, mind, body, and spirit. She will introduce and review tools to help you achieve the balance that is just right for you.
Be Positive – Coach Kelye will help you understand the science of positive psychology and share tips to become more aware, and intentional, about increasing your happiness levels.
Be Clear – Coach Laura will discuss boundaries, focusing on the challenges and as well as the benefits of setting clear boundaries with friends, families, and at work.
Be Energized – Coaches will discuss the benefits of regularly using affirmations; noticing that what we say to ourselves affects our energy and our ability to move forward.
Be Financially Fearless – Coach Jane will help you identify your inner mindset around money and show you how authenticity, gratitude, and calm can radically change your relationship with your finances.
This event is your opportunity to experience what it is like to be coached in small groups. Please consider this your invitation to join our coaches and our dynamic community of women-on-the-grow!
Come on your own or bring a friend. We promise you will feel welcomed and accepted.
Today’s author: Laura Hall, CPC, CDWF: As a certified professional coach since 2009, Laura Hall, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator has been helping people just like you make changes in. As a mother of 2 girls, Laura has a special interest in coaching parents, so if you still have children living at home, ask Laura about her Wholehearted Parenting programs. Laura can be reached via email at laurahallcoach@me.com or feel free to visit her website HallCoaching.com
If you haven’t seen our Missy & Flo video series, you should watch it now! A series of 8 videos, our coaches share self-care tips in a fun and engaging way. Here’s the fourth video in the series:
In August, my Be Positive evening retreat, based on Gratitude and Positivity, focused on how 40% of our happiness comes from intentional activity and the group ideas generated from the retreat exercise made us feel 100%. I explained how author Sonja Lyubomirsky’s research shows 10% of our happiness comes from life circumstances, 50% is from genetics, and 40% from intentional activities. This breakdown is turned into the Happy Pie – the representation of what we can do for ourselves to be happy!
Over 30 women put energy into what they can intentionally do to create their happy pie! After giving each group an opportunity to describe ingredients to create a whole pie, they came up with Fulfilled Pie, Soul Pie, Whoopi Pie, Peppy Pie, and Positivity Peachy Pie! They were ready to embrace what they had control of, such as:
Being in Nature
Making their Bed
Self -Compassion and Gratitude
Pet Love
Connection, Dance, and Laughter
What are your intentional activities to feel whole and happy?
The practice of gratitude, or being in the present moment here and now, is many things to many people. During Be Positive, we discussed how expanding our horizons to express gratitude gave us more energy and positive emotions, and as a bonus, it has many health benefits as well. The happiness tool I often use to measure positive change is If I were 3% more grateful in my day, I would ______________.
I was over three percent more grateful to partner with Cathy Hansen, a certified Laughing Yoga instructor, to help us put some of these intentional activities into practice. We focused on many ideas, but here are five we explored:
Journaling – A healthy way to reflect on the day in a written way. Take time to reconnect with yourself and your thoughts on paper.
Smile – Everyone knows that when you’re happy, you smile, but it’s also true that when you smile, you are happy.
Compliments – Brightening someone else’s day also brightens your own. Sincerity is a key component as well.
Volunteer – Helping others, like victims of Hurricane Harvey or more recent Hurricane Irma, is a great way to boost how you feel about yourself.
Meditation – Take 2 minutes to be calm and silent. Clear your mind and be present.
What are habits you create to find the positive side of your situations?
Whatever your habits are, if being more positive is on your mind – move forward with some of these or try something else without overthinking. Shake it off. It’s time to cut loose and have some fun. We think so much all day, every day, so start to set aside some thoughts for you. Don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy your fresh Happy Pie!
Today’s author: Kelye Rouse-Brown, CHA, CHT is a business owner, joint venture partner, HR expert, certified coach, and training professional. Her 3 components: Educate, Motivate, and Cultivate help her clients develop, spark action, and grow a successful career/business and life from the core. Kelye can be reached at 301-371-9300 or by visiting her website: krbtrainingsolutions.com
Wholistic Woman Retreats is excited to announce the addition of FOUR new partner coaches to our team! We now have three Wholistic Woman coaches: Carol, Laura, and Kelye, and our roster of six partner coaches: Donna Kettell, Jane Helm, Casey Clark, Kim Wilson, Kat Middleton, and Elisabeth Vismans. Join us in welcoming these fabulous coaches to Wholistic Woman! We’re equally delighted to welcome back Donna and Jane as partner coaches in the coming year.
More information for our new coaches will be coming in the next few weeks. Casey and Kim are focusing on health and wellness coaching, while Kat and Elisabeth are life coaches.
2018 is going to be an exciting year packed full of exciting retreats and events! You won’t want to miss the wonderful programs our coaches are developing for our Wholistic Woman community!
What are you afraid of? I have several “top of the list” fears: heights, bees, and certain types of reptiles! These fears are easy to manage. I don’t step too close to the edge of anything that is way up in the sky, I don’t wear perfume in the summer, and I hardly ever have to deal with reptiles. These sources of fright can be managed by lifestyle choices.
There is another type of fear that is more challenging to navigate. It can keep us from everyday activities, or trying something new. It holds us back even when we know it may be in our best interest to meet new people, try something new, speak up, shut up, or show up. Doubt plays a big role in this insidious version of fear. Doubt is the voice of the naysayer, the one who attempts to shout over our inner cheerleader. Both voices compete in our minds when we are trying to be fearless.
The naysayer lurks in a self-induced shadow of doubt and hides behind our feelings of inadequacy. It reminds us of our previous failures, the times when things didn’t work out. It’s comfort zone is a deep cavern of uncertainty. It can smother our hopes and dreams like a security blanket that is woven with the yarn of perfectionism, comparison, and scarcity. We can find ourselves sleepily going along in life, listening to the lullaby in this safety zone.
I have learned that when I listen to the cheerleader, I become more confident. The voice that is telling me to “go for it” has rarely been wrong. She encourages me and reminds me that anything is possible. Sure, I’ve been premature with some of my fearlessness, but I know that the more I trust her, the quieter her competition becomes. The shadows of doubt dwindle in the light of her spirit.
Fearlessness takes practice. I have found that taking some small, courageous steps creates the building blocks I’ve needed on my journey to finding my bravest self. Like a toddler learning to walk, I’ve steadied myself with each step. Sometimes, I’ve fallen anyway. When I do, the cheerleader reminds me to get back up, face the fear again, and step towards the courage I am seeking. These steps have ultimately led to leaps of faith, the ones that feel scary, but also exhilarating!
Listen to your cheerleader…you know who she is. She is the one saying, “You got this!”
And you do!
If you would like to learn more about being fearless…especially with your finances, I invite you to join me for the next Wholistic Woman Evening Retreat: Be Financially Fearlesson September 27th from 5:30-7:30 pm in Frederick, MD.
Today’s Author:Jane Helm is the Principal of Money Mentor Group. As a wealth coach, Jane combines decades of financial services experience with a degree in social work and psychology to bring positive financial change to her client’s lives. She is a Partner Coach with the Wholistic Coaching Coalition and co-founded the Build Your Own Business networking group. Jane can be reached via email at jane@moneymentorgroup.com
How do you do it? Are you one who likes to giggle, guffaw, snort… or do you smile quietly when something tickles your fancy?
I’ve been thinking about the importance of a good laugh lately. At times, I take humor for granted but now it’s becoming clearer just how necessary laughing is for my wellbeing…and the wellbeing of my loved ones.
Laughter releases tension, fear, and anxiety that weigh us down. It forms momentary time capsules of joy that bubble up from our center and burst effortlessly from our lips.
Who can you count on for a good laugh?
My mom and I like to giggle together. She’s almost 87 years old and I’ve noticed that her love of laugher increases with each passing year. She laughs more at herself than ever before…and I often find myself laughing with her. Whether it’s over something she can’t remember (like mixing up the names of all her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren) or something she can’t do anymore – like climb into a SUV and sit down gracefully in one fell swoop. Laughing at herself seems to make aging less stressful.
Don’t get me wrong, Mom has a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude which hasn’t diminished as she ages. On a recent vacation to the lake she was determined to participate in all activities as fully as possible. Even though it was challenging, she walked the bouncy dock (with some assistance) to board our pontoon boat each day. Swimming and tubing on the lake makes boaters hungry so we would often stop for a treat of delicious homemade ice cream at the Lakeside Creamery.
The floating dock below the creamery is in cross currents that make it especially bouncy. I wasn’t sure if Mom could successfully navigate this dock even with help. She was determined to have fun (and ice cream) so Mom linked arms with my fiancé Greg and I. With us on either side of her we carefully made our way down the dock to the base of the wooden steps that led up the hillside to our frozen treats. We must have looked like three drunken sailors as we staggered this way and that way down the dock! It was a little scary but more than anything it was adventurous and fun. We laughed in joy fully appreciating that we were in it together, living, loving, and laughing our way forward. My Mom models for me and many what it’s like to age gracefully, as well as the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in the face of challenges.
Who do you know that laughs at herself (or himself) often?
Who reminds you to lighten up and not be too serious?
I’m especially aware of laughter’s value this week as a beloved family member faces a serious health diagnosis. It may seem odd to talk of laughter in the midst of a trial; however, I’m struck by just how important humor is in this sobering time. It offers a counter-balance to the understandable anxiety and fear that comes with uncertainty.
Our family, like many, loves to laugh together. As we recall memories and retell favorite stories we connect yet again with one another and deepen our bonds. Telling jokes, laughing at our own antics, and being downright silly, lightens the load, even if just for a moment.
In addition to recalling fond memories we are intentionally creating new ones each day. So while we await more test results we spend precious time together. Quality time is one of the 5 love languages and tops my list. I value it more than ever in the face of this diagnosis. To me, quality time means savoring opportunities to give hugs, to talk, smile, pray, and laugh; to enjoy one another in the simple activities of life shared together.
The source of our amusement may be the antics of small children, the family dogs, or even something as mundane as the weather. Unexpected joy bubbles up when we get soaked in a surprise rainstorm, see a rainbow after that storm, or leisurely enjoy a nourishing meal and conversation. Ultimately, it’s just about being together.
Being ‘in the moment’ can be challenging on a typical day and even more so during fearful times. Anxiety can send us into ‘fight, flight, or freeze’ mode. In these times, I find it helpful to remember that light-heartedness is a tension-reliever and can offer an element of hope. If we can still laugh, then life must still be good on some level…even when the news we face is scary and frightful.
Balance is a choice. I remind myself to counter-balance fear with love… sad with happy…tears with laughter. When I feel that life is spinning out of control, I turn to prayers that stretch out beyond me to a God that I believe knows all…and is working for good in all circumstances.
How will you balance the moments you’re given today?
Whatever this day brings, I encourage you to take time to laugh…whether you throw your head back with a great ‘HaHaHa’ or quietly giggle to yourself…savor the feeling. Remember how precious the gift of joy is each day.
Then, after you’ve savored it…spread it to around; be a source of joy for others. I invite you to join me in being a source of love and laughter!
If you’d like to learn more about cultivating positivity and experience Laughter Yoga, I invite you to the Wholistic Woman Evening Retreat: Be Positiveon August 30th from 5:30-7:30 pm. I hope to see you there!
Today’s Author: Carol deLaski, PCC, is an executive coach, founder of Wholistic Woman Retreats, and author of Lost and Found: Discovering Strength in Love and Faith. Learn more about her coaching and training services at www.caroldelaski.com or email her at: carol@caroldelaski.com.
While we do address tough and emotional issues during coaching, Wholistic Woman also has a fun side! If you haven’t seen our Missy & Flo video series, you should watch it now! A series of 8 videos, our coaches share self-care tips in a fun and engaging way. Here’s the third video in the series:
Lean towards joy and listening and away from giving advice.
This was a great headliner to learning about positivity and happiness in An Introduction to Positive Psychology with Dr. Maria Sirois in beautiful Berkshires, MA. My oldest and dearest friend joined me and now we make an effort to fill our happy bucket year after year, like earlier in May when we celebrated our milestone birthdays together in Rhode Island. We savored the crashing water against the rocks along the cliff walk and enjoyed the historical mansions.
Another magical time in the month of May was my first hot air balloon ride that took my breath away with more special gems in my life. We just floated in the air and didn’t even feel the take-off, much different than my usual airplane rides. The pilot was so cool, it was like being carried away with the great Oz from the Wizard of Oz. I fell in love with Santé Fe, NM on a higher level. It seems when you take the time to plan for happy events, they will happen… the sky’s the limit, and life can be more joyful.
What happy events do you have planned?
Positive psychology was referred to as the scientific study of optimal human functioning and officially launched as a field in 1998. Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar was highly talked about at the retreat and he first taught a seminar at Harvard on this fairly new topic in 2002 with eight students enrolled and two dropped out. The objective of the class was what psychology can teach us about leading happier, more fulfilling lives. The following year the class went public and 380 students signed up. The evaluations showed the class improved the quality of one’s life. Well, the next time the class was offered it grew to 855 students enrolled, which made it the largest class at Harvard University.
What education class are you most looking forward to learn, grow, and feel happier?
There are many definitions for both positive psychology and the science of happiness, but the simple answer is that positive psychology is a subset within the broader field we call the science of happiness. Positive Psychology focuses largely on the study of positive emotions and the science of happiness focuses on areas such as exercise and psychological well-being.
The topic is very popular and soon after our retreat in the Berkshires, my next education event followed up with more Positive Psychology and I was introduced to Valorie Burton, Founder of the Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute. I loved her spirit and presentation. One of my favorite parts of her presentation was her happiness boosters. You might consider taking her online happy woman test by going to happywomantest.com and find out your top triggers to boost your happiness. It only takes about 10 minutes and you will learn your happiness quotient that you can focus on for improvement over time. For example, anticipation is great when you have something to look forward to, like a trip to Rhode Island with an old girlfriend or a flight like no other. Here are Valorie Burton’s 13 happiness boosters:
Play
Purpose
Gratitude
Savoring
Relaxation
Flow
Service
Smile
Connection
Movement
Winning Words
Financial Savvy
Anticipation
What happiness boosters are you most satisfied with? What would you like more of?
After taking the happiness test, some of my top boosters were gratitude, smile, and service. These and more will be discussed further at my upcoming Be You series session, Be Positive, on August 30th at Brewer’s Alley. Come join us and be reminded to pause and savor life’s joys. I look forward to sharing a happy retreat with you!
Today’s author: Kelye Rouse-Brown, CHA, CHT is a business owner, joint venture partner, HR expert, certified coach, and training professional. Her 3 components: Educate, Motivate, and Cultivate help her clients develop, spark action, and grow a successful career/business and life from the core. Kelye can be reached at 301-371-9300 or by visiting her website: krbtrainingsolutions.com
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” ~ George Bernard Shaw
I turned 50 this year and as a gift to myself, my family, and my friends, I took the time to put together a list of 50 things I’ve learned over 50 years. You can click here if you’d like to read the entire list 🙂
#18 on the list was “Don’t forget how to play and have fun!”.
I am naturally a playful person. I love being silly and make it a point to not take myself too seriously. My nickname is “Fun-sized” and while this might have to do with my physical stature – I stand 5’ 1/2” on a good day – I also think it comes from the fact that I make a point to build fun and play into my life on a regular basis. As kids, we all knew how to play…it just came naturally, but somewhere along the line, many of us either forget how to play or we stop making is a priority. Why is that? Is it because we are self-conscious and worried about how we will look if we allow ourselves to be silly? Is it because we are so focused on achievement that we are afraid if we stop to play we will fall behind our peers? Is it because someone told us we needed to grow up and we took this to mean we needed to stop playing? Is it some other reason? (I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!)
Play has been on my mind a lot recently as we just held our Wholistic Scavenger Hunt evening retreat in and around Baker Park in Frederick, Maryland. As part of the planning committee, it was our intention to create an event that was fun and playful while at the same time challenged participants to step outside their comfort zone. Feedback is that we were able to create just such an event. It warmed my heart and soul to see so many women taking time out of their busy schedules to just play! If you were one of the participants, what was the event like for you? Were you able to play and have fun?
As a student and teacher of The Daring Way curriculum – an experiential methodology based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown – I know that play is essential to wholehearted living. I make fun and play a priority. Here are some of the current things on my “playlist”…
escape rooms (if you don’t know what this is, Google it. I’m sure you have one near you!)
riding my bike
puzzles
going on a motorcycle ride with my hubby
bootcamp-style exercise with good music and fun friends
scrapbooking
playing/drawing with window markers
cards/board games
going out with friends
playing with my dog
singing in the car at the top of my lungs
Now it’s your turn! What’s on your “playlist”? My hope is that by reading this blog you will be inspired to find a least one small way to play today. Go have some fun!
Today’s author: Laura Hall, CPC, CDWF: As a certified professional coach since 2009, Laura Hall, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator has been helping people just like you make changes in. As a mother of 2 girls, Laura has a special interest in coaching parents, so if you still have children living at home, ask Laura about her Wholehearted Parenting programs. Laura can be reached via email at laurahallcoach@me.com or feel free to visit her website HallCoaching.com
I have learned that when I listen to the cheerleader, I become more confident. The voice that is telling me to “go for it” has rarely been wrong. She encourages me and reminds me that anything is possible. Sure, I’ve been premature with some of my fearlessness, but I know that the more I trust her, the quieter her competition becomes. The shadows of doubt dwindle in the light of her spirit.
The topic is very popular and soon after our retreat in the Berkshires, my next education event followed up with more Positive Psychology and I was introduced to Valorie Burton, Founder of the Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute. I loved her spirit and presentation. One of my favorite parts of her presentation was her happiness boosters. You might consider taking her online happy woman test by going to happywomantest.com and find out your top triggers to boost your happiness. It only takes about 10 minutes and you will learn your happiness quotient that you can focus on for improvement over time. For example, anticipation is great when you have something to look forward to, like a trip to Rhode Island with an old girlfriend or a flight like no other. Here are Valorie Burton’s 13 happiness boosters: