by Laura Rennie | Mar 20, 2020 | Health, Kelye Rouse-Brown
When was the last time you got your friends together for a girl’s trip? Intentionally setting aside time to spend with girlfriends is worth the time and expense. Plus, there are countless health benefits that come with booking a vacation!
Let’s dive into four specific reasons why a girl’s trip is good for your health.
1. It gives you something to look forward to
Did you know that simply planning a trip can increase your happiness? A 2010 study showed that the participants felt most happy before their vacation! Imagine the pleasure you would experience if you set a date on the calendar for a girl’s trip. You and your friends would have a ton of fun things to discuss: where to go, what hotel to book, which restaurants to try — and so on!
Take your excitement to the next level by setting up a countdown on your phone. Treat yourself to something new, such as a stylish passport case, fashionable (but comfortable) shoes, or a satisfying book.
2. Female friendships are good for the soul
Psychologist Breanna Jayne Sada says, “Female friends [are] great for your self-esteem. A good female friend won’t fat-shame you or let you fat-shame yourself, they will tell you why you deserve that promotion or why your partner should treat you better. After walking away from a conversation with a good female friend you should feel confident and supported.”
While you might get plenty of social interaction with a spouse or coworkers, there’s something special about female friendships. Many women are empathetic and affirming, and can offer loving advice or join you in a good-for-the-soul laugh fest. A girl’s trip is a worthy investment in nurturing your friendships!
3. Time away increases creativity
Do you ever feel like you can’t escape the monotony of your routine? It’s hard to get creative juices when you’re in a rut. Vacation is the ultimate way to get unstuck! Breaking from your routine allows your mind and body to work in new ways. You might find yourself coming home with new ideas and perspectives.
Take advantage of the change in your schedule to try something new. Need ideas? Try meditation, journaling, or getting out in nature. Or learn a new skill! Cooking classes, dance classes, and language classes are all fun ways to get out of your comfort zone and be immersed in a different culture.
4. A girls trip promotes adult play
A girl’s trip is the perfect opportunity to engage in some good old-fashioned fun! Adult play has a ton of health benefits. It has the power to lower stress, increase brain function, help create stronger connections, and leave you feeling more energetic!
Go for a group hike! Sign up for a paint and wine class! Hunker down for a night of board games and jigsaw puzzles! Or, consider going “old school.” Think of activities you and your friends enjoyed as kids or young adults, and partake in those same activities while on your trip.
Are you ready to get away with girlfriends? Join us for a long weekend in sunny Sedona, Arizona! You’ll enjoy plenty of opportunities for connection, creativity, and play. Click here for more details and to register!
by Casey Clark | Jan 22, 2020 | Carol deLaski, Goals, Kelye Rouse-Brown, Laura Hall
Every year, the Wholistic Woman Retreat community gathers together at our first evening retreat of the year to discuss our One Word for the year. This year, we thought we’d share with you the three steps of the One Word and how our founding coaches Carol, Laura and Kelye approach these three steps.
Coach Carol shares about looking in
My favorite way to prepare my heart for One Word is during my morning quiet time. I usually start my days, while still in my PJs, nestled in my comfy chair with a hot cup of tea, lit candles, and inspirational reading. It sets a positive tone for my day when I ground myself with gratitude, prayer, and personal reflection.
This is when I feel most calm, centered, and am ready to ask the powerful questions “What do I need more of? What do I need less of? What needs to go?”
My mind is quick with an answer however, I intentionally listen with my heart and soul, as well. For example, this year as I asked those questions my mind readily knew the answers: I need to slow down, do less, give myself more downtime, and allow myself more time to get from one activity to another. I came up with several words that captured this energy: Release, Receive, Savor, Time, Slow were a few of the options. I thought of many good words, but I wanted a God-inspired word. I waited for a sign indicating which one God was directing me to. I asked, what word do You want me to learn from this year, God?
In 2019 my Word repeatedly came to me with a physical manifestation. With my head bowed in prayer, it dropped heavily forward when my spirit knew my word: Approval. I wait for such a sign again this year. This is my 8th year using One Word to guide me and consistently the knowing of my word has come in my core instead of my head. I feel it more than I think it. I know it is true because of an inner calm or rightness to it.
When I get quiet, pray, listen, and wait, my word reveals itself to me.
Coach Laura shares about looking up
One Word is one of my favorite tools that we use and teach here at Wholistic Woman Retreats! Step 2 in the process is about waiting for your word to show up for you. It’s about receiving a word vs picking one. I’m a girl who looks for divine “signs” in life which I take as indications that I am where I am supposed to be. I have a playful plaque in my bedroom that reads, “If You’re Waiting For A Sign. This Is It”.
One of the amazing parts of the one word process has been the “signs” I have received that the word floating around my thoughts is indeed my One Word. This year has been no exception.
Late in 2019, as I began the One Word Process, the word “unveiled” came to mind. It comes from a notion I’ve held since my teens that at our core, we are all pure love and pure light. It’s what you see in babies when you look deep in their eyes. My belief is that over time we are conditioned by the world we live in and this bright light begins to be covered up with “veils” that block the light. As I thought about the questions, What do I need?, What’s in my way? and What needs to go? the answer was your veils. Hence the word, “unveiled”. Fast forward to December 30th… I’m on a holiday cruise with my family. I turn the TV on in my cabin and in the bottom right hand of the screen is the name of the program they are showing… UNVEILED. This was the sign I was waiting for and at that moment I knew, unveiled was my one word for 2020.
Coach Kelye shares about looking out
I have arranger in my top 5 strengths for executing skills so I get a kick out of living my word for the year and have fun with it. I truly am disciplined when I choose a word and become very loyal to how I lead each day throughout the year. My words over the years such as Shine, Move, Roots, LEAP, Savvy and Breathe stack up year after year forming new, fresh positive beliefs and habits. My new word discovery for 2020 is Rhythm and I have already started stepping out of my comfort zone with this word.
Stillness and meditation don’t come easy to me so I have to work harder to get in the “rhythm” of my day to show up my best and for others. This way of moving in the day has created a CEO in the flow approach personally for me. It started working for me at my Wholebeing Positive Psychology immersion at Kripalu health and yoga center in Massachusetts. All of my days included Let Your Yoga Dance which is a way to spread joy and consciousness and embodies Positive Psychology. Not leaving BREATHE behind, my 2019 word, I now focus on my breath and rhythm in my day. It became my 30-day Mindful Movement practice which I shared at two of our Wholistic Woman events to wrap up 2019.
Creating a practice is certainly one way to live out your word and to feel alive and aligned within. My goal now is to create a 365-day practice in 2020 with Rhythm. How do I keep my words front and center and grow year after year?
Here are some special examples:
Shine – the year I needed more sparkle after my mom passed away – I went to Sarah Mclachlan’s concert Shine On – and bonus, I received about 3 of her CD’s from friends that year. So listening to music or picking a song is a great way to keep your word alive.
Roots – the year I needed to feel more grounded with family – I traveled to Oklahoma to bring my mom closer to her mom and had a ceremony with her childhood friends and family. So traveling is another great way to feel the effect and internalize your one word.
LEAP – the year I needed help moving forward with fun – I created a LEAP program for my business that is now company-wide – it stands for Leadership, Engagement, Attitude and Positive Performance. Creating a program, or a mantra is a great way to personalize your one word.
Some other daily ways are to keep a journal or create a vision board. We are planning a vision board activity with my team in Texas to set the “tone” for vision 2020. This will include individual one words and our team one word, MORE, to focus on together.
All I can say about the third step in One Word is enjoy and experience the journey. I can’t imagine using the same word year after year; there are so many opportunities for growth and change. Change can be difficult and stretch us, but it’s all part of the process. Live it out and be ALL IN!
We look forward to seeing you at our One Word evening retreat – Gain 2020 VIsion!
by Dawn | Sep 6, 2018 | Confidence, Kelye Rouse-Brown
Let’s face it, being savvy means having a clear vision and mind. What’s behind those glasses? Are you stepping out into the world being the real you – the best you? I chose the word Savvy for my focus this year but have been searching to live a more savvy self for years. Some might think I am talking about being tech- savvy – I am not. I am simply talking about being sharp with yourself and others to have a better grasp on your personal and professional life. Now, if that includes tech equipment in your life, go for it, but don’t forget to remove the sunglasses and make eye contact… savvier for sure!
In the process of being on point, we save valuable time and make our days count. My savvy process:
- Clear the Clutter
- Be Real
- Listen and Respond, Lead with Value
- Look on the Bright Side
When you have too much stuff on your mind and around you, it’s hard to be focused. Clear the clutter. This process can take time but it’s worth every minute and you will enjoy the minutes that follow. Being mindful – clearing your mind and getting organized – are two important steps. In order to be more mindful, I have enjoyed doing yoga again after many years and recently I spent the weekend cleaning my office and I feel like a new person. I also have a wonderful calendar with themed days I use to help me stay on track, like Mindful Monday and Task Tuesday. It helps create the mindset. What do you practice to be mindful or more organized?
Let’s be real! Really! What are 3 words that would describe who you are or how others would describe you? Usually I hear words about myself, like positive, kind, and funny. Those words work and fit who I truly am or at least I try and make people laugh. My style is happy-go-lucky and what can I say, I’m in hospitality, a kind-centered business. These are a few words I work with professionally, too. In business, it can be hard to boast about your talents. I like the book Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, by Peggy Klause. Being quiet about your success usually leads to being underappreciated, so a savvy brag approach will help you shine and sparkle, in a more humble way.
How you communicate your message or listen to someone else’s message takes skill. Listen and respond to show you have paid attention and have a savvy planned approach that is thoughtful in your discussions and presentation. When responding to a friend or colleague, it’s important to use positive body language and show empathy to make the best connections. My favorite interaction process tool is from Development Dimensions International, Inc. I use it for basic communication and challenging counseling sessions to get savvy results. Sometimes less is more in communication, so having a communication model to follow keeps you on track. Lead with value is important to keep others engaged and tuned into your conversation. You might have heard about the 30-second commercial in business – this is when you have seconds to make an influential impact. We hope for buy-in when we are communicating, so it’s important to know your audience and remember WIIFM – what’s in it for me. This is important personally and professionally. Sometimes the shorthand version is what’s needed, not the whole story to make the connection. What tools have you used to be a better communicator?
We all need more positive energy, right? My savvy approach includes looking on the bright side. Most people are attracted to positivity. I like to look at the glass as half full and this has “served” me well. Let’s fill up that happy glass. At the end of the day, we want good vibrations in life. My hope is you feel filled up with more savvy in your life. Just put on the sunglasses and enjoy the brighter side, the best side of being savvy you. Please join me for my Be Savvy session on September 26, 2018 at Brewer’s Alley. We will put the Savvy approach to use and practice building up your confidence.
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
