by LauraH | Sep 6, 2018 | Change, Laura Hall, Personal Development, Professional Development
Announcing Group Coaching!
Like you, Wholistic Woman Retreats is an organization that is constantly evolving. We are an organization on the grow!
When we began in 2010 we offered full day retreats designed to support women with their personal and professional development. After facilitating a few of these retreats, we heard from our community that they wanted more frequent opportunities to connect, so we launched the monthly ‘Be You’ Evening Retreats. The intention was to create a space for like-minded women in and around the Frederick, MD area to gather on a regular basis. At these enriching programs women take a break from the busyness of life to focus on their own development while connecting with other women-on-the-grow. These monthly retreats have been a big hit and over the years we’ve had the pleasure of watching our community expand as we support one another.
Our leadership team makes a point to listen to all suggestions that come our way. Recently, we’ve heard that many of you who love and support us as an organization are looking for something a little deeper than a 90-minute evening retreat. While you love the take-aways of the ‘Be You’ programs, you often leave wanting more! We think this is awesome, and WE HEAR YOU! It appears to be time for us to GROW AGAIN!
We are happy to announce that our answer to the desire to go deeper is GROUP COACHING!
Some of you may be familiar with the concept of group coaching and others not, so I’d like to describe how it can provide you with an opportunity for more growth.
Group coaching, by definition, is exactly what is sounds like… it is a coach-facilitated group that meets on a regular basis to explore an area of common interest. Groups can be done in a variety of ways… in-person or virtually (via audio and/or video calls). The frequency that a group meets also varies… weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly are typical intervals.
I personally have been both a participant, as well as a coach, in a wide variety of coaching groups and here are some of the reasons I love group coaching – and think you will too!
- COLLECTIVE WISDOM – In every group I have been a part of, I have been amazed at how wise women are! There is something magical that happens when we gather in a safe space to share what we know, as well as to ask for guidance in areas where we want to grow. Whether, I’ve been in the role of participant or leader, I have learned something new from every group I’ve experienced.
- CONNECTION – One of the cornerstones of group coaching is trust and connection. In group coaching settings confidentiality is key and is taken extremely seriously. For the connections to be meaningful, it is vital that all participants feel safe to share. Coaches work diligently to create a safe, non-judgmental, space within a coaching group. Groups work as a unit. All participants go through the work together from start to finish. This cohesiveness builds bonds between people. By the end of your time together as a group you build deep, meaningful connections with your fellow participants.
- MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES – Oftentimes we get stuck because we don’t know what we don’t know. Group coaching brings people with different perspectives together and this often leads to “Ah-ha” moments and intriguing discussions.
- ACCOUNTABILITY – If you are like me, then you know how powerful making a commitment to a group of people can be. I have found that there is something transformational that happens when I declare a goal publicly. I have always had better success and follow-through with goals I set during my group coaching work than when I go it alone.
- AFFORDABILITY – One of the practical aspects of group coaching is that it is less expensive than 1:1 coaching. While it is a shared learning and growing environment it doesn’t mean that everyone is working on the same goals. In fact, you will be setting your unique goals just like you would in a 1:1 coaching experience. You will receive individual attention within the group community.
- IT’S MORE FUN! – Group coaching sessions are something that most participants look forward to. It is fun to get together with other people who are in similar situations or who are creating forward momentum in their careers and lives.
While these benefits are great, the main reason we are offering group coaching is to explore and apply topics in greater depth than we can in one night. Imagine what it would be like to put Wholistic Woman tools and strategies into practice and refine them over 2-3 months with an experienced coach and a group of supportive women. How awesome would that be?!
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 [email protected] or feel free to visit her website HallCoaching.com
by Dawn | Jun 19, 2018 | Change, Podcast
How Do You Redesign Your Life?
by Carol deLaski | Jun 1, 2018 | Change, Donna Kettell
Design the Life You Intend to Live!
Isn’t it interesting how one experience in your life can provide new perspective in a totally different area of your life? Several years ago, when my home was celebrating its 21st birthday, I decided it was time for a much needed kitchen renovation project. Over that next twelve months, I spent time thoughtfully planning, researching options, shopping for inspiration, creating a budget, interviewing design consultants, and imagining exciting possibilities. It was fun, and at times overwhelming and a little exhausting. There were a few setbacks and a few challenges that caused me to hit the reset button. There were so many decisions and I wanted to get it right. Finally the time arrived to say goodbye to the old kitchen, which surprisingly was a little bittersweet. After all, a lot of life had been lived in that kitchen with lots of memories. Several weeks later, that kitchen was brand new from the ceiling to the floor and everything in between. The transformation felt amazing and the changes brought me such joy!
One day as I sat in my family room looking into my lovely new kitchen space, I realized that the coaching process is similar to this interior design process in so many ways. We are all our own interior design projects. Every day, we have the opportunity to create the blueprint for the life we intend to live. The word intend is very meaningful. We are creating the life we are living each day, whether we are doing so consciously or unconsciously without any thought. However, when we live with intention, we plan and create a clear purposeful vision for our lives.
Designing the life we intend to live takes thoughtful contemplation, and it is a daily personal growth process. Just as I experienced with my kitchen design project, there is also a lot of work that goes into our personal growth. It can feel a bit uncomfortable at times, and it may feel uncertain. But, with the right tools to guide you, you can create a process to allow your life to transform, one design piece at a time. And just like a simple coat of fresh paint, or a few new throw pillows in your home, each small step can bring you closer to the life you want.
On the evening of Wednesday, June 27, 2018, I will be facilitating our Be Redesigned event. We’ll all explore the different areas of our lives and assess where we may want to redesign some pieces. At the end of the evening, you should feel empowered to take your new customized interior design skills and use them in your daily life to constantly create the life you intend to live! I hope you will join us. Bring your inner interior designer with you. This fun night is all about you creating the best version of yourself!
Today’s blog was written by WWR Partner Coach, Donna Kettell. Donna is a certified professional coach (CPC) and a master practitioner in energy leadership (ELI-MP). Her certifications were earned through The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), which is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
by Carol deLaski | Oct 20, 2017 | Change, Guest Blogging, Kira Tregoning
I struggled this month to come up with a topic for my blog. I found myself coming again and again to the topic of grief and loss. Nothing else seemed quite right, and considering that we’re going into the autumn and winter, perhaps it’s appropriate for this topic to come up now. We are entering the seasons of ending and darkness before we rejuvenate in the spring, and grief is a topic that, while not taboo in our culture, is still discussed too infrequently. And so I would like to share with you my recent experiences with grief and what I’ve learned.
I’ve never experienced a death in my life before. I’ve experienced losses of a different kind, but not death. My family has been fortunate. We’re all fairly healthy, and longevity run in our genes. So I find myself ill-equipped to handle the death of someone I’ve loved and cared for over many years.
I miss being woken in the morning by yells for breakfast. I find myself still calling out a goodbye when I leave the house and then remembering I’m talking to no one. I have difficulties sleeping because her presence isn’t there. The house feels lonelier and quieter without her voice, and I’m more aware of when I’m alone than before. She would crawl on my lap and “help” (i.e., get in the way) when I was working. She would comfort me when I was sad and she never failed to bring a smile to my face. My constant companion for eight years died on September 22.
Unfortunately, I found myself feeling guilty and ashamed because the death I was mourning was that of my cat. While my pet is beloved to me, to other people, she’s “just a cat.” While in the depths of my grief, I heard from multiple people that said grief is misplaced, because I was “just” grieving a cat. While I do not have any children, it feels to me like I have lost my child, and for others to dismiss my grief because I was mourning a cat felt offensive and hurtful. Those feelings were piled on top of the guilt I already felt because I’d had to make the decision to put my cat down, and that decision broke my heart.
But when I related these feelings and how a few people had reacted, a client of mine gave me some very good advice. She said, “Grief is grief, and there’s no timeline for grief.” That was exactly what I needed to hear. Grief is grief, regardless of whether it’s for a person, a pet, or even a situation. We all process grief in different ways, and that grief may last for a few weeks or it may last for years.
Hearing those words helped me to allow myself to feel the grief without the guilt or shame. My grief is my own, and I must process it in the way that’s best for me. I found ways to give myself touchstones to get through the day. In the immediate aftermath, I found myself unable to put down one of her favorite toys. I carried it around in my pocket while at home. My cat used to follow me around the house, and carrying her toy made it feel like she still was. Then I was able to set that aside when the immediate sorrow has lessened and I no longer felt like I needed that particular reminder. Later, I found an Etsy shop that makes affordable custom rings, and their specialty is slim rings with the name of your pet and a paw print stamped onto it. So I bought a ring with my cat’s name. It was the perfect thing I needed to allow my grief to settle.
I still have moments when I feel that grief crashing into me, but it’s getting easier, and the pain is less. My heart will always be scarred for her, but I have ways now that I feel like I will always remember the love and comfort she gave me over eight years, and so the healing has begun.
What has helped you move through loss and grief?
So many people I know have lately been affected by death, whether it’s the death of beloved pets or family members. My good friend’s aging dog died of a heart attack. Two friends I know have had family members succumb to serious illnesses. While volunteering this past week, a phone call came in for the staff with the news that a coworker had passed the previous day.
Each piece of news that comes my way feels like another pebble dropping into the bucket of grief and it grows heavier with the collective sorrow those in my circle are feeling.
If you are experiencing grief or loss, I encourage you to reach out to friends and loved ones. You are not a burden, and your grief is not a burden. The only way out is through.
Grief is grief, and there is no timeline for grief.
Today’s blog is written by one of our alliance partners, Kira Tregoning. Kira is the owner and founder of Maia Media Management, a local social media business. She offers social media management, consultations, and trainings, as well as video services, proofreading, editing, and manuscript critique services. Kira is also a published author with two fantasy novels available on Amazon and more on the way. Learn more about her at www.kiratregoning.com
by Carol deLaski | Oct 6, 2017 | Change, Health, Kim Wilson
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.
by Carol deLaski | Jun 2, 2017 | Change, Donna Kettell
I’ve been thinking lately about the word energized and what that means to me. It was my One Word in 2015 and one of its definitions that really resonates with me is “to cause a transformation”.
I’m usually looking for a personal transformation of some sort on a daily basis. You might say, “Really, daily?!” Yes, honestly, I do look for at least a mini transformation every day. What exactly do I mean by that? Well, it usually has to do with my desire to drastically change the way that I am thinking about something in the moment. For example, there are days that I wake up and one of my first thoughts is, “Ugh, today is the day that I need to (fill in the activity/task) and that makes me feel (fill in the negative emotion).” I have to admit, it’s not a good way to start the day. But it does seem to be human nature to allow the negative thoughts in our heads to surface as we think about what’s ahead of us each day. I’ve come to realize that it’s what I do after this thought pops up that really makes the difference for me.
Walking through your day with negative, demotivating thoughts is not productive or pleasant at all. So I have learned to do a few things to immediately change my day’s trajectory, to transform or energize it. As soon as I catch myself having that first negative thought, I do a couple of quick things to turn this around. I often start with a morning meditation and say several things out loud that I am grateful for. It may be really simple things like: It’s Friday, I woke up on time, or I have something good in the refrigerator for breakfast. Then I think about what I intend for my day. If I have something to do that seems somewhat daunting or unpleasant, I visualize that going well or better than expected. Finally, I create some positive affirmations that can help fuel that vision for the day.
Let me give you a specific example of how this works for me.
I may wake up and think, “Oh no, I have to drive down to Virginia this morning for an early meeting and the traffic is going to be terrible because it’s raining. That feels really stressful.” That isn’t a very motivating thought to wake up to. It makes me feel like staying in bed and pulling the covers over my head.
To get energized and drastically change that thought process, I immediately think of several things I am grateful for about this situation; for example, it’s rain rather than snow, I woke up a little earlier than planned, and I am meeting with a very nice group of people who are excited that I am joining them today.
Then I try to quiet my mind to visualize getting to the meeting easily and having a very positive outcome. Positive affirmations are the key component to keeping that vision energized. In this example, I might say:
- Everything I need today is coming to me easily and effortlessly.
- I am now being given the perfect solution for this situation.
- I am energized and enthusiastic about the day ahead.
Those of you who know me well know that I am a big believer in a practice of visualization and positive affirmations. There’s a great deal of scientific research that has been done in the field of neuroscience that shows a direct correlation between our thoughts and words and the outcomes we experience in our lives.
Neuroscientists have shown that our brains focus on what we think most about. If we are constantly thinking and worrying about how we might be stressed or unsuccessful during the day, then our brains get geared up for that inevitability.
Conversely, if we tell our brain that today is going to be a good day and positive experiences are coming our way, then the brain starts scouting out opportunities to make that happen. What does that mean? We can change the way our day evolves with the thoughts that we feed our brains.
Imagine for a moment that you allowed yourself to eat only candy bars, potato chips, and ice cream all day long every day for a year, and ate nothing else. That doesn’t sound all together bad when you first think of it, right? But you realize that your body wouldn’t function well physically if the only thing you fed it was junk food. In fact, you might get very sick if you made that your diet for a long period of time.
Now consider what you may be feeding your mind all day long. Whether we do it intentionally or unconsciously, we all allow our minds to be filled with some negative self chatter. When we allow ourselves to listen to this negative chatter in our head, I think it’s fair to say that this is junk food for our minds. And that can’t have a healthy impact on us either.
What is the negative chatter? Well, it’s that demotivating internal self talk that tells you that you will never realize your vision for your life, or even for this day, because you just aren’t enough – you aren’t young enough, smart enough, deserving enough. Whatever it tells you, that unkind chatter in your head holds you back from realizing the life you desire to live. It limits you, drags you down, and starts to convince you that others could pull that off (whatever THAT is) but YOU can’t. And a steady daily diet of these negative thoughts can weigh you down and make you feel mentally exhausted.
Hmm, that sounds like the complete opposite of being energized, right?
Of course, there are a lot of things we can do for ourselves to feel more energized – get proper rest, eat healthy foods, exercise, laugh, be social, pray. However, one of the most impactful ways for me to get energized is to pay attention to the messages I am sending myself throughout the day. When I use positive affirmations to infuse my personal visualization for a great day, it’s amazing how much more energized I feel.
Would you like to explore what the personal thoughts are that are draining your energy and then transform them into inspiring thoughts that empower and energize your intentions?
If so, join us for the Be Energized Evening Retreat on June 28th. I will be facilitating the discussion and will help you create energizing, customized, positive affirmations that will infuse your vision for your life. This is a simple process and when applied regularly can make some immediate positive changes. I look forward to sharing more with you. Hope to see you on the 28th!
Click here for event information and to register. Reserve your spot today!
Today’s blog was written by WWR Partner Coach, Donna Kettell. Donna is a certified professional coach (CPC) and a master practitioner in energy leadership (ELI-MP). Her certifications were earned through The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC), which is accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
