by Carol deLaski | Nov 28, 2012 | Linda Norris
Last month, I gave my coaching group the assignment of writing their own eulogy. At the core, this assignment was designed to help them gain clarity about what is really important to them in life. What follows is the one I wrote for myself. I feel blessed to be able to share it with you while I’m still here to share it in person. I’d love to hear your comments and encourage you to consider writing your own eulogy too. The experience was very powerful.
“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly…”
That saying has hung on my refrigerator for as long as I can remember and I believe it with all my heart and soul. Now, I’m asking you to believe it about me. I am the butterfly! One of my favorite teachers, Eckhart Tolle says, “that while death is the opposite of birth, it is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. Life is eternal.” I, just like you, am life. I am eternal. I’ve merely switched forms.
In 2011 I took the time to write my personal declaration. It became the cornerstone upon which I built and lived my life. I’d like to share a portion of that declaration; it reads:
“I am Love personified.
I radiate the light of love that was given to me from our Creator. I express myself daily as a vibrant example of love uncovered. My brilliance is dazzling! I love myself and I love you without judgment or conditions. I am a unique expression of creation and I share my Truth freely while honoring your unique expression and your Truth. I forgive myself and others easily. I am whole while at the same time being part of the greater whole.
I am a teacher and a student. I teach people to live from their hearts and to uncover their love so that it is accessible to themselves and others. I am open to learning new life lessons, to expanding my knowledge and to growing my capacity to love.
I am confident. I play the game of life full out. I play by my own rules, the ones I know are best for me, and encourage others to do the same.
I am living my God given purpose.
I AM LOVE PERSONIFIED!”
These words are no less true today . This is still me. I am just no longer a caterpillar. I am a butterfly!
As a caterpillar, I was truly among the blessed. First, I was blessed with an amazing family. My parents and my brother provided me with the perfect environment to grow into the caterpillar I was destined to be. Then I met my amazing husband, Bill, who inched along with me, and together we built an amazing life which included two wonderful children, Kayla and Helena who are now inching along on their own paths. Being a caterpillar sure was fun, but inching along now seems a little overrated as compared to flying.
So today, I ask that you don’t mourn the death of the caterpillar, but rather celebrate the birth of the butterfly.
And as a wise young woman once said to me. “Life (of a caterpillar) (— I put that part in 🙂 is hard, do your work. You know what your work is, so go get to it!
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach who believes every woman deserves a coach. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at www.hallcoaching.com
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by Carol deLaski | Nov 8, 2012 | Carol deLaski, Success
“I always wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride,” my mother quietly said as we sat around the picnic table discussing our bucket lists last summer. We had just completed the Wholistic Woman Zip Line Retreat, and the rush of accomplishment left an afterglow with many of the women that prompted discussion about what they wanted to do next. Some had spoken of sky diving and scuba diving, but my mom was caught up in a dreamlike reverie about hot air balloons. I looked at my mother with new eyes as she shared this desire of her heart. She continues to amaze and inspire me as she embraces a life of travel and adventure into her eighties.
The conversation led me to wonder why we put off doing the things that inspire and excite us. What are we waiting for and what does it take to move us into action?
In my mom’s case it simply took putting the wish out there and then saying ‘yes’ to an invitation. My two sisters and I decided to gift a hot air balloon ride to her for her 82nd birthday this year. Mom’s response, when we ran the idea by her, was an emphatic “Yes! Let’s do it!” and we all shook our heads in admiration of her unbridled enthusiasm.
Despite her initial excitement, though, on the day of the ride, she seemed quiet and pensive as she sat in the van watching the beautifully colored balloon inflate. The pilot, Ron, drafted us three sisters to be part of the crew and we hurried to follow his instructions while Mom waited patiently to board the basket. I could see her hesitancy now that the moment was almost upon us. How many of us do the same, bravely setting out to do something new only to waver as the moment of commitment approaches?
To distract and encourage her I read her a post on Facebook from a woman in Germany who had met Mom at a previous Wholistic Woman Retreat in 2011. Upon learning of our impending hot air adventure, Karen wrote how inspired she had previously been by Mom doing a zip line over the lake during the 2011 retreat. Along with others, she sent Mom birthday wishes from “your biggest fan in Germany”, encouraging her from across the world. We marveled at how small the world is now with instant communication and the sense of connection it brings. We also noted how uplifting it is to receive encouragement from others when we are feeling unsure of ourselves.
So what does it take to make our dreams come true? An initial component is gumption; that inner sense of courage that overcomes fear and nervousness. Whether we state our wishes quietly, as mom did, or broadcast them boldly for the whole world to hear, subtle movement begins when we give voice, or expression, to our desires.
Once we begin moving forward we can anticipate that there will be moments when we falter. A second component that is necessary for our success is encouragement and support. As a leadership coach, I have had the privilege of seeing many men and women grow into all they want to be. Whether it’s checking something off their life list, learning a new skill, or launching a new business, people ‘on-the-grow’ energize one another to achieve their life dreams.
I am blessed to have a mother who models this for not only me and my family, but for the entire Wholistic Woman Community. She inspires all of us to live life fully, no matter what our ages, and to embrace an attitude of enthusiasm that overcomes nervousness. Surrounding ourselves with people who inspire, motivate, and encourage us when we waver is critical to our success.
Could you benefit from associating with such a group of people? We warmly invite you to join this community that supports ongoing growth and forward movement to achieve lives that are personally satisfying and fulfilling.
Stay tuned here to learn about monthly topical coaching opportunities in 2013.
To read the rest of the story about the hot air balloon ride click here….
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by Carol deLaski | Oct 1, 2012 | Carol deLaski
What an incredible Retreat! Spectacular location, empowering breakout sessions, heart warming stories of strength and courage, new friends and accountability partners and a nice set of ACTION steps to work on.
We look forward to seeing many of you at the Gratitude Dinner in November 13. It’s for Wholistic Woman Members, so don’t forget to sign-up soon.
“What a great weekend retreat! Completely enjoyed myself. Recharged and energized my spirit! Thank you all again.” ~Gayle
“Ignite Your Spark” retreat gave me the kick in the butt that I needed to make changes to my way of thinking and my life that are necessary to find true happiness in my personal life.” ~Melinda
“Every time I attend a retreat, I feel such loving energy just exuding off every woman! It is such a wonderful feeling!” ~Lisa
“These retreats are awesome in so many ways – first removal from my “everyday” to focus on me being greater – not just for my sake but for the people in my life. It shows me how far I’ve come, where else I can go plus inspires me to know I am not alone. As my husband fondly say “I go to “find” myself.” ~Loretta
“Every woman should have the opportunity to attend these retreats.” ~anonymous
“Wow! Great retreat of inspiration. Thank you.” ~Joann
“I learned so much and it surpassed my expectations.” ~anonymous
“Just wanted to say I found it to be very nurturing and supportive atmosphere! (I’ve never seen so many friendly, smiling women – so that’s a good sign!) ” ~Jessica
“I treated myself to a retreat for me.”~anonymous
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by Carol deLaski | Sep 6, 2012 | Business, Children, Family, Finances, Fitness, Health, Laura Hall, Nutrition, Success
I am so excited to be giving you a little preview of one of the upcoming workshops being presented by Lisa DiSciullo and myself at the upcoming Wholistic Woman Retreat! We’ve titled it, “Spark a Wholehearted Life” and it’s being based around the work of Brene Brown. I first learned about Brene Brown after watching one of her TED talks http://home/wholisu6/dev.wholisticwomanretreats.com.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability.html and if you haven’t seen this, I highly recommend it. Her work has given me permission to be perfectly imperfect and as a “recovering perfectionist” this is just the permission I’ve been waiting for.
Wholehearted living is about recognizing your worthiness, that you already are enough, and then living from that place in harmony with your perceived imperfections. It’s about turning inward and acknowledging what is true for you and embracing that. It’s about letting go of allowing other people to dictate who or what you are supposed to be, and choosing your authentic truth, and then being courageous enough to stand up and say this is the real me. I’m done pretending to be something I’m not. I’m done trying to live up to unrealistic expectation. I’m done living by someone else’s rules for me. Here I am world, vulnerabilities and all! It’s not easy, but as someone who has been practicing this, I promise you, it has been well worth it!
Of course, this is life, and life is sometimes messy, so of course there are things that can get in the way of living a wholehearted life. Some days are better than others, but knowing what the potential road blocks are, allows us options, or detours, around these potential pitfalls. And on the positive side, there are also daily habits you can create that will assist you in wholehearted living. We will be looking at both of these aspects.
If this piqued your curiosity, if this leaves you wondering how effectively you are living a wholehearted life, if this has your imagination soaring about what would be possible if you started living life on your own terms, then please join us!
So, what are you doing September 28th and 29th? If you’d like to join us at the retreat, sign up TODAY as space is limited. You can do this at wholisticwomanretreats.com
Here’s to changing the world, one wholehearted life at a time!
Laura
Today’s author: Laura Hall is an iPEC certified life coach who believes every woman deserves a coach. She offers both one on one as well as group coaching services. She can be reached at [email protected] or check out her website at http://home/wholisu6/dev.wholisticwomanretreats.com.hallcoaching.com/.
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by Carol deLaski | Aug 19, 2012 | Business, Children, Family, Finances, Fitness, Health, Linda Norris, Nutrition, Success
What a way to get out of my own head!!
Wwwhhheeee!!! Flying down a zip line, through the trees, on a 90-degree summer evening and feeling the wind—I could even feel it through my tennis shoes as my feet dangled down in the breeze. Now if that doesn’t clear the cobwebs out of your head from a day of sitting in the office, nothing will.
I loved the chance to do this Zip and Sip (of course we had to celebrate with wine and picnic dinners afterward) with other wholistic women on Tuesday, July 17th. I like hanging out with these ladies–not only the life coaches, who are the glue that holds the Wholistic Community together, but the women they draw to them.
I’m not a coach, even though I spend a lot of time with them. I’m like the rest of you: worried about your kids, your job, your husband, your health, your Mom’s doctors appointment, your son’s new girlfriend….you name it, and you’re taking it on, just like me. Personally, its my kids, my work, my hot fla……..well….we won’t get too personal but you get the drift.
Yet when I get together with this group of women, its like a book club, a baby shower, a business meeting—–all wrapped into one. It gets me away from my worries and allows me to relax, yet at the same time, if one of my worries is on my heart and I feel an affinity with the woman I happen to be laughing with, its ok to share a worry–not only OK, but release. Because the women drawn to our group are non-judgmental, good listeners, and will always share some perspective they’ve experienced that relates to my problem—-and I feel so much less alone!
As you look at this Zip Line video, you know now why I come to these social events put on by Wholistic Woman Retreats–not just the weekend retreats, which are a double- or triple-dose of what I enjoy, but the socials, workshops and other things we’ve done. Its a space to work things out for myself, but supported by other women who have the same worries. Let me know with your comments if you feel the same way!
Linda Norris, NW Communications lind[email protected] 240-315-8876
Check out our new website: www.nwcommsyourstory.com
FB: www.facebook.com/nwcomms
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by Carol deLaski | Jul 12, 2012 | Business, Carol deLaski, Family, Health
“Why do you retreat?” a young woman asked me recently. My eyes lit with delight at the opportunity to talk about one of my favorite topics. “Retreats are wonderful experiences where we take time away from our day-to-day lives to relax, gain new perspectives, and have fun!” I explained. “They offer us the opportunity to learn new skills or perhaps remember ones we have forgotten and want to start again. Most retreats offer time of solitude as well as time for fellowship with others. They provide chances to reconnect with your Self and with other wise women. It’s a magical combination of individual and collective relationship building.”
To be honest, I have always loved retreats. My interest in them sprouted from family camping trips I experienced as a child. Time spent in the woods, away from the comfort of home with my large family formed lasting bonds and memories. Not only did I enjoy the time with my siblings and parents, I also benefited from being in nature. Camping made it clear what was most important: to stay fed, dry, and physically comfortable. Spending time in the woods presented the opportunity to witness God’s creation up close and personal. It was good for my heart and soul to escape to the woods with my loved ones. I came home dirty and ready for a hot shower but also reconnected to an inner sense of simplicity and priorities.
Those memories led me to help organize family retreats for my church when my children were young. We would travel to the Eastern Shore of Maryland with other families where we would stay in cabins on the water’s edge. Both structured and unstructured time allowed multiple generations to interact in fun, educational, and spiritually nurturing experiences. More lasting memories were made over many years as we continued a tradition of retreating to the Shore.
These experiences made me a firm believer in the benefits of retreating and led to the formation of ‘Wholistic Woman Retreats’ in order to provide nurturing experiences for women. Gone are the days of roughing it, though! Our retreats are physically comfortable while at the same time they encourage participants to step out of their comfort zone in order to experience growth. We don’t develop without some degree of discomfort. Our goal is to balance your comfort with experiences that stretch you to try something new such as reflexology, acupuncture, creating a vision board, or engaging in a discussion about a new skill you’re learning. We meet you where you are and move forward with you in the direction you want to go. We want you to come away from our retreats feeling refreshed, inspired, and supported in your new endeavors.
Who comes to our retreats? They are designed with the busy woman in mind. The truth is we each have a lot going on in our active lives. We accomplish a great deal for our employers, families, and our community. It’s been said if you want to get something done, give it to a busy woman! We are experts at juggling multiple demands and handling them well (for the most part…no one’s perfect, after all).
What we need, though, is time that is for us. Time to stop being busy and to refresh ourselves with laughter, healthy food, gentle movement, positive information and skill building. We provide busy women with time to receive (instead of give); time to recharge your batteries before you return to the demands of your busy life.
Everything that Wholistic Woman Retreats offers is a retreat for your mind, body, heart and spirit. Whether it’s an evening retreat, a tele-retreat, a one-on-one retreat, or a weekend retreat, we want to provide experiences that are enriching, fun, and supportive. I invite you to join us forthis fall’s ‘Ignite Your Spark’ Wholistic Woman Retreat. Reclaim your strength, peace, and direction with us this fall. You’ll return to your life well rested, inspired and re-energized for the activities you’re most passionate about.
Details: for more information go to www.wholisticwomanretreats.com; Early bird registration ends on 7/31 so sign up now to receive a $25 discount*. All early registrants are entered into a Spa Package giveaway; so don’t delay!
**easy payment options are available.
Author: Carol Hayes, [email protected] or 301-371-7460
Through her company, Clear Choices Coaching, Carol shares her expertise and skill fostering growth in people of all ages. She is especially energized when her coaching helps people experience “breakthrough” moments where they push through their personal edge and grow more fully into the people they want to be. Carol’s certification as a Life and Energy Leadership coach comes from The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC), which is accredited by the International Coaching Federation. She is also a dynamic speaker and workshop leader who facilitates energizing connections with groups of all sizes.
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