Rest, Reflection, Retreat = Change
Recently, I had the opportunity to step away from the everyday of my life to a retreat with 14 women from all over the world. What began as birthday celebration for a friend turned into a beautiful space for self-reflection and connection. I didn’t know what to expect, but I found myself immersed in deep conversations and tuning into different perspectives. At times, it was actually overwhelming. We all had various reasons for what brought us there, but beneath our different careers, and life journeys there was an underlying thread that wove us together. The experience reminded me of what’s possible when we create space to simply be, listen, and learn from one another, especially in a world that often feels so divided. We had so much in common as women, even though we all came from different backgrounds. We had similar struggles, questions, aspirations, dreams, heartbreaks, and a desire to find our identity as women, defined not by society but by our terms. The retreat gave me space to reflect not only on myself but on my work and what I want to create moving forward. Meaningful change doesn’t come from constant motion, it requires stillness. This experience reminded me how essential it is to step outside of the noise to regain connection with ourselves. We lose touch with distractions in our day-to-day lives, moving through the routines , that taking a moment to pause outside our world can be transformational. In our work, especially in community-centered and systems change efforts, it’s easy to get lost in the constant motion, but real change requires us first to retreat. I lead retreats but I also need to take myself too. Reflection is not a luxury when creating change; it’s a necessity. It is in that getting away in community that we are able to channel new ideas, connect, and learn collectively.
Supporting communities and organizations toward healing and transformation is not just what I do but who I am. My work is personal and encompasses my love of nature, desire for a healthier community, need for peace, and ability to connect with others to create change. I’m embracing a holistic approach to this work, sharing my photos and love of art, influence my work and trajectory – all of which are part of my journey. Grounding my work in my lived experience, wisdom, and ongoing reflection, I aim to create a clearing for change to flow. Change that is grounded in community, within myself, but also in evolving the work, especially as our world is dynamically changing, and we seek to stay grounded amidst the chaos. Rest, reflection, and retreating, whether I escape to the mountains, relax at home, or step away from my desk to get some sun informs my work, it keeps me grounded and allows meaningful change to unfold. I encourage we all take the time to rest, reflect, and retreat as we take on the work of community change.