I'm thrilled to report that the retreat this weekend was AWESOME. Yes, it rained the whole time. But we stayed cozy inside with the fire crack-a-lackin nonstop and snuck out for a couple of very damp walks. Once again I'm reminded of how addicting human connection can be, and how much I love bringing folks together in a beautiful space and creating an experience - more specifically, a relaxing and growth-filled one. Thank you to the amazing people who chose to join me for a weekend in the woods, and made it everything that it was!!

Not surprisingly, I'm already knee-deep in planning the next retreat, and it's gonna be a good one!! I had explored options for a tropical locale, but decided to hold off on that idea and keep it a little simpler and lot more local this winter. Stay tuned for deets and keep your weekends in January open for now ;)

While getting back to regular life this week, I realized I had some sticky situations to deal with. I could have grumbled about them, complained how I always get shit on, or cried why me, but I like to think that these challenges are the universe preparing me to level up, and I chose to step up to the plate. You see, nearly two years ago I read this book called Life On Earth - it's by this kinda whacky but earnest guy named Mike Dooley. You may have heard of him, he's pretty big in the manifestation/law of attraction world and created a popular email subscription thing called Notes from the Universe. Look it up.

Either way, the biggest takeaway I got from his book is a different way to look at things that has really helped me turn challenges into empowering learning moments. Bear with me...

So, Mike proposes that we are in fact these larger, perhaps celestial beings that exist high in the heavens or whatever is "up there." We are all powerful and mighty, but we get bored just sittin around, so we decide to "take a ride" in this thing called life. We choose the era and location, we choose the body and the family. We choose all of our own circumstances - which might have you asking, "then why wouldn't we all choose to be rich and beautiful and have everything we want and never have anything bad happen?" Well, there's nothing to learn from an easy life, and each of these "rides" we take are meant to help us - that larger, higher "us" - grow. We know what we need to learn and we throw ourselves into it. I know this sounds pretty out there, and it seems like there's some holes in his theory, to which I can only say: read the book.

Point being, the perspective shift this book gave me, on any challenge I face, is asking myself the question: why would I have chosen this for myself? If I created this, what was the purpose?

It can turn a difficult relationship into a rewarding one. It can turn an uncomfortable scenario into a moment of growth. It can help you finally end the bad patterns you've been repeating over and over again.

Why did I choose to host a retreat on a weekend it would rain?
Why did I choose parents who were gonna split up?
Why did I choose an uncle who would pass at a young age?
Why did I choose to live right now, in this country?
Why did I choose all those ex-boyfriends....?

I was talking to a friend who recently ended a relationship; it's clear to all of us that his ex was no good for him, and he was beating himself up for not seeing it sooner. But, I told him, there is a reason you chose to have that experience. Don't beat yourself up, learn from it, and stop the pattern.

Whether you want to believe the crazy theory or not, you can't deny that the change in perspective makes life a lot more pleasant and growth-filled. It's easy to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. It's even easier to blame everyone else for our circumstances. What if we took some kind of responsibility and looked for some greater purpose? I'm a firm believer that mindset is the single most powerful tool we have in shaping our experience - try this positive and productive one (even if you don't believe in it at first!), and see how it changes yours.

xo,
m.