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3 Reasons to Retreat

6/10/2018

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​There was a day when I didn't know about retreats and how powerful they are and what a critical piece of my well-being they would become  I imagine there are others out there who also wonder... who haven't yet discovered the magic of retreat.  So, I'd like to share with you just a few great reasons to give yourself the gift of retreat, for however long you may take or in whatever form!  What are some of the benefits and why would anyone make the investment of time and energy to retreat for a bit? 

1. Get out of routine - there's great value in simply breaking the pattern of everyday life - of taking yourself out of your usual habits and routines.  By changing things up, we tap into wonder and curiosity about life.  We begin to open to new ideas, insights, and creativity. We open our eyes to new perspectives. We see new possibility that we hadn't considered before.  We lighten up, let go, and even have fun!!  When you break away from the daily routine, there is nothing to fix or figure out.  Your mind can truly rest.  Aaahhhh...  to me, that alone is worth the price of admission!  

2. Slow down - We live in a world where go, go, go, is the norm.  Demands are coming fast and furious and we find ourselves pulled in so many directions with no relief in sight.  Our pace is unsustainable and our to-do list never-ending.  But, we don't know how to stop sometimes.  This pace is taking a toll on our health and well-being.  When we slow down, we calm our mind and soothe the nervous system. Then we notice the beauty of nature, our own body, people in our world.  We have to step off the hamster wheel to be with these sweeter things.  

3. Quiet the outer noise -  Oh my goodness!  There is so much coming at us all the time - news, ads, social media, political banter... it's an endless onslaught of noise, opinions, and provocations.  You've noticed that, right?  Just taking a media break for a brief period of time is super healing and restorative.  Imagine room to breathe without your phone constantly pinging in your ear.  Step away and feel the sigh of relief and the sense of peace.  In this space we begin to listen to our hearts and souls and hear our own inner guidance.  

We don't need more intensity - the world brings plenty of that.  We don't need more things to do - we have more activities than we can keep up with already.  Retreat is designed to be restorative and nourishing.  

Why do you retreat? Please join the conversation in the comments and let us know!  Together we grow and learn!  


Does retreat sound good to you? If you like this sound of this and would love to join a circle of like-minded women who are ready for a little of this retreat sweetness, join us in the beautiful Poconos at the Himalayan Institute for Coming Home to Yourself: A Women's Renewal Retreat August 10-12. 

At my retreats, everything is an invitation.  You are free to rest as needed. Explore the 400 gorgeous acres as you commune with nature or give your body some movement among the trees and hills if that's your thing.  Gather in our circle around the campfire. Check out a yoga class or meditation session.  And, rest into a world of no expectation. 

I hold our retreat space as safe and sacred - in this space you need only show up for yourself.  You are free to participate in the way that's comfortable for you and you are free to share and listen knowing that this is a zone where these is no advising, no figuring out what anyone else "should" do, and no worry that anyone is going to tell you what you should do.  This is a place and space to deepen your connection with yourself and to learn to honor yourself more deeply than ever before.  

Questions?  Let me know!  Know someone who would love this?  Please share this with them!  And, if you're ready to jump onboard, you can register here! 

"A women's retreat springs from and is about stepping out of your ordinary existence to listen and attune to your truest, most authentic self...  It is setting apart time to tend the hearth of your inner life, feed your muse, reclaim your dreams."  ~ Jennifer Louden, The Women's Retreat Book

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Can You be OK, Even When “Things” Aren’t? 

5/3/2016

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​Life happens.  And, let’s face it, life’s happenings aren’t always pleasant, fun, or even comfortable. Sometimes, life’s happenings are painful, unpleasant, or un-fun.  If we’re honest, they are always uncertain.  

I was asked recently, “How are things?” and I found myself pausing and answering another question.  My reply: “I’m doing really well.”  Because “things” right now are very uncertain, sad, scary, and bordering on crisis.  I didn’t want to focus there.  

Instead, I wanted to focus on the strength, calm, clarity, and courage I have cultivated and drawn on, even in the midst of such troubling times and “things.”  

How often do we find ourselves swept away by the story of the chaos, the confusion, the drama, and other people’s stuff, unable to find our own footing and ground in the middle of all of that?  It happens quickly and easily, often without any warning or time for us to notice. It happens to all of us, and it can take us down quickly and deeply.  

Or, we can catch our breath, take a look around and remember that we are not victims of our circumstances.  We can notice what’s real for us, feel what we feel, let that be OK, and still choose whether WE are OK or not.  And if we’re not ok right now, can we let that be OK for now?  If we’re not OK, how long will we stay in that space?  Maybe we have no idea, and we simply choose to take things one moment, one breath at a time.  

We will choose whether this instance will empower us, emboldening us to reclaim our stand, set boundaries to honor ourselves, or not.  We will choose whether to be caught up in someone else’s net or to find a way to stand beside them or far away from them so that we can stand our own ground. 

Sometimes it doesn’t seem possible or even right to be OK when someone we love is suffering or struggling.  We have a preconceived notion that a “good mother” or a “good friend” or “good partner, community member daughter, son”… (fill in the b
lank) should not feel OK if someone else does not. 

But, when you think about it, the best thing you can do for everyone is build up your own reserves, take really good care of yourself, find the truth and integrity that comes from knowing your own needs and honoring them the best way you can.  Only then can you possibly show up to love or support another.  Only by being there for yourself first, by finding a way to be “OK” (whatever that looks or feels like in that moment – for it will surely change) can you have anything available to give to another.  

As they say, “Put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.”  And, choose to be OK, even when things aren’t.  They often aren’t and we often miss out on life we don’t need to miss out on wishing and hoping and waiting for “things” to change, rather than changing ourselves and how we show up.  
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The Power of Gratitude

11/26/2015

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It was natural for me to think of all of you today and to be inspired to sit down and write a quick note to you.  I am so very grateful for those of you who support me in doing the work that so fills my heart and soul with purpose.  You inspire me, and I am grateful for that.  I learn from you and I am driven to become a better me because of you.  So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being a part of my world. 

It’s Thanksgiving here in America, a day when we are reminded to be thankful.  It’s a day when many do take a moment to pause and reflect on what it is that we are grateful for, and that’s a beautiful thing.  But, what’s even more beautiful is when we incorporate gratitude into our everyday living.  When we can find gratitude for small things we can truly change our attitude and our state of wellbeing.  For me that cute bulldog puppy in the grocery store parking lot who made me smile this morning was one of those small things.  Today I also really appreciated the yoga teachers who were offering donation-based practices, giving of their time to be of service to our community.  I am grateful that my husband is raking out our gardens and preparing them for the winter ahead. I’m grateful for a couple of days of warmth that are here so that I can put my Christmas lights up with comfort.  And, I am grateful for my family that is with me today, even as I miss those I love who aren’t here now.  

There have been a lot of posts out recently about the power and health benefits of gratitude, and I encourage you to search them out if you’d like to know more.  I’m here to share my personal experience with the power of a daily gratitude practice.  
Most days I post what I am grateful for that day on my Facebook page – sometimes in the morning, but usually in the evening as I reflect back on my day.  And this might make my life look great and throw me into that unloved group of people called the “better thans” (or something like that – people who give the impression that their lives are so much better than yours).  That’s not my intention at all, and sometimes I include gratitude for the sadness or grumpiness I’ve felt that day and for my ability to be with it or to let it pass.  I’m always grateful when I’ve been able to find gratitude on a day when it’s really hard.  And, for me, that’s one of the most powerful aspects of this practice – it helps me to shift my perspective from “That was a really cra
ppy day” to, “Yes, I’m having a really tough time right now AND I can still find things to be grateful for."

I am striving to welcome all aspects of the full richness of life into my experience, because this is real, and being real is really important to me.  Life is full of ups and downs, shadow and light, joy and sorrow for ALL of us.  To fully live life means to allow what is here to exist, to not always be wishing for something other than what we are living in this moment, and to remember that everything is in a state of flow and transition.  

Whatever we are feeling right now won’t last forever, whether we perceive it to be “good” or “bad.” So to be able to breathe in to the here and now, to notice it and welcome it in, whether it’s really joyful or peaceful or extremely painful or uncomfortable, is a valuable practice.  This noticing and welcoming helps me to get back into a flow with life.  Often times when I am suffering I notice that it’s because I am resisting some aspect of my life, wishing it were different, wanting something else, something I may never have.  Also, I don’t want to miss out on truly appreciating and soaking in the sweetness of a particular day. 

So, to find a way to be grateful even when life doesn’t look the way I’d like it to, even when my heart is really heavy and I’m feeling very sad and afraid has helped me to keep on going.  It helps me notice and remember all that is in my life, and it helps me to slow down and be present.  It allows me to find and create joy and peace and to have those coexist with sadness and loss.  It’s not an all or nothing world – there’s room for it all.    
 
My invitation to you is to find a way to incorporate gratitude into your daily life in whatever way works for you.  You could simply take a moment of quiet, close your eyes and silently reflect on what you feel grateful for in that moment and really feel the sensation in your body.  You might want to journal in the morning or evening (or any time in between) a list of a few things you’re grateful for.  I’ve found gratitude to be a really great way to begin my day and start it off with an intentionally different tone than it might have otherwise had, and it’s also a great way to send myself to bed and into a more peaceful sleep.  You might choose to send a quick note to people you appreciate, letting them know what it is you appreciate about them.  

Thoughts?  What ideas do you have for bringing gratitude in to your life? What have you found to work or what would you like to try?  Please let us know in the comments below – it’s through sharing that we all may grow and learn.  

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Disconnect to Connect: The Power of Retreat

4/13/2015

 
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In The Woman’s Retreat Book, Jennifer Louden states, “retreats are essential – to our minds, bodies, spirits.” I couldn’t agree more.  She goes on to quote Rabbi David Cooper from Silence, Simplicity, and Solitude as saying “The soul yearns to  be nourished, and if the reservoir begins to run low, we feel ourselves becoming dull, empty, brittle, and arid. If it sinks lower, we enter into states of angst, despair, and depression.”  Harsh truths, and yet they are truths I have found through my own experience with retreat. 

We live in a very busy world in a very busy time, and the tendency is to go and push until we burn out. We are caregivers and often forget to give gentle care to ourselves.  A retreat offers us a chance to nurture and nourish ourselves.  To rejuvenate and renew.  This is part of our growth cycle, and as we strive to be more and do more, always growing and expanding, ever busy, it is critical that we allow for this down time to restore ourselves.  Just as plants have a period of rest, so our physical bodies need rest in order to blossom into our fullest beauty, strong and vital. 

Our minds also need a rest.  In the space of a quiet mind we are able to tap into our heart center and hear the deeper messages of our heart and spirit. In this place we can listen to inspiration that is beyond what the mind can “figure out” in its usual state of busy-ness.  The deep wisdom of our spirit can speak to us when we slow down and take the time to tune in.

When I am on retreat I find a deeper sense of alignment with myself and my purpose. I gain inspiration in the form of new ideas, deep insight, and fresh energy. I have a restorative sense of peace and a calmer, more balanced state of mind.  All of this allows me to handle what life throws at me more smoothly.  It allows me to put into action the things I am called to do with greater ease, clarity, and confidence.  Having a stronger relationship with myself allows me to have better relationships with others.  Only when I honor myself can I hope to honor others. 

Sometimes retreats are seen as decadent, frivolous, or even selfish.  Nothing could be further from the truth. You are foundation of all that you are and do in the world. If you are depleted, how can you possibly support your family or give your all to your work? When you take time to give yourself the gift of renewal, you are able to show up for life and your many roles with a clear head, vibrant energy, and fresh ideas.  Try it for yourself! I invite you to join us for an upcoming Women's Self-Renewal Retreat. Take a weekend and let it be just for you.  If this doesn't work for you, then take a day or part of a day at home and declare a personal retreat. Turn off your phone, stay away from the computer, put up the “do not disturb” sign, close your eyes and sit mindfully or take a walk and listen.  Listen to your heart. Hear your soul. What do they want you to know? 



Peace... 

12/11/2014

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Peace begins within.  At this time of year when it's easy to get entangled in the busy-ness all around us, it's important to remember that we can create and cultivate our own peace at any time.  Step back.  Take a breath. Slow down. Unplug.  Make time to get quiet and go within.  Journal, meditate, or simply take a short 20 minute nap. 

Finding ways to renew and restore ourselves is critical if we are going to be our best selves.  Too often we move at an unsustainable pace.  Far too often many of us make choices that are motivated by guilt or a desire to please others.

Peace comes from integrity and truth to self... not allowing ourselves to be trapped or bullied in any way.  This means listening to our heart and gut and not being guilted or shamed into doing things that just don't feel right to us. 

I feel at peace this morning and I reflect on ways that I have honored myself this week.  I have allowed myself to pause for a moment before giving an answer. And, in that pause I close my eyes and tune in to my inner wisdom.  Is this something that I want to do?  Will it fulfill me or will it drain me? Do I have time to do this or am I cramming too much in, which will leave me feeling stressed and harried? I have allowed myself to say "no" at times rather than to abandon myself. 

Great peace comes in these moments when we choose to honor ourselves.  I wish you peace at this beautiful time of year as you love yourself as you would your dearest friend.  Enjoy the moments and know that each day holds the promise of peace and joy if you are open to it.
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    About me...

    I am a writer, coach, and teacher, and I love capturing life's many moments through writing, whether that be journalling, blogging, poetry, or essay.  I have always found the written word as a natural way for me to express what lies within.  

    This is the space where we get real.  I will write about my life experiences and things that I find my clients encounter in their daily lives.   

    What's real for you? What would you like me to write about?  Feel free to share with me topics you would like to see discussed and please join in the dialogue through the comment section. Your engagement makes the blog a much richer place to hang out!

    Thank you for joining me on this journey!!    

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Barb Klein
Inspired Possibility
585-705-8740
barb@inspiredpossibility.com