Until I let go of the weight of society's belief structures, I struggled with finding personal happiness. When I quit my last 8 to 5 job in 2014 at age 45, I had a whole lot of ideas about what I wanted to do. The truth is, I didn't do ANY of those things ...and that felt very disillusioning at first. It took a few months to decompress and unravel myself from the world I had always operated from and the voices of expectation that society places on us about worth. I emerged from those months asking myself new questions like:
"What do you really want to do?"
"What inspires you?"
"What brings you joy?"
"What do you consider meaningful?
"What fulfills your sense of purpose?"
And so began the journey of creating a new life for myself based on these answers. You know what? 10 years later I STILL ask these questions of myself!! And that's OK because we are not intended to stay the same! Personal growth requires that we check in with ourselves, asking the big questions.
How can we flourish without exploration!??
I think now more than ever it is difficult to see past all of the prescribed messaging ("it's what's best for you!") in order to make decisions for yourself because the noise comes from so many places! If you own a phone or have a computer, it would be hard to get away from it. I really can't imagine how hard it is for young people these days to embrace individuality, to make choices for "self" instead of "societal expectation" because life has shown me that it's hard even for those who look like they've got it all figured out!
We all have different journeys but there is a single truth that remains the same for all of us ~ finding your bliss, creating change, and transforming your life takes courage! What helped me most was finding circles of like-minded women to sit with, women seeking personal growth, where I could open up, engage in helpful conversations, and explore what "future me" can look like in a room filled with possibilities instead of expectations.
This is why the Garden of the Goddesses is such a powerfully positive experience for so many women! It's a place for nurturing and blossoming! My co-facilitator, Stacey, and I continually marvel that there has never been a single offering we've facilitated where we did not also find a greater understanding of ourselves.
If you are looking for a safe space to lean into transformation, the Garden is here for you. Let's explore together!
We have three opportunities remaining in 2024 for gathering! Come join us and have some fun in that process of embracing change! Visit the Services Page for details. If you are in a transition phase, I highly recommend considering our weekend retreat! And use code TENoff for a 10% discount!
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