It’s 4 years ago. 10pm on a Thursday night. I’ve been up since 5am. My mind is racing as it does every evening. The days all string together and never stop. Wake up, shower, breakfast, daycare, school, work, commute, home, dinner, bed, bath, collapse, work some more, bed.
Coffee is a twice daily occurrence (oftentimes more). I haven’t been out with friends in what feels like decades. I’m lonely. I haven’t set foot in a gym in years. I’m out of shape. We order pizza more nights a week than I’d like to admit. I’m unhealthy. I don’t watch TV or movies any more at all. I’m a workaholic. I can’t seem to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I’m tired.
And I can’t seem to shut off the part of my brain that is constantly in motion. Trying to be the best mom, wife, employee, and person she can be. I’m out of balance. I know it but I shush the little voice in my head that say something is wrong with this way of living, because “this is what it’s like for every mom of a young child, right?”
Then the invitation comes.
The one that tells me there is a better way. The one that grants me space away my busy hectic way of doing life. The one that encourages me to explore and play. The one that infuses fun back into my routine. The one that reminds me that I am not my job. I am not my business. I am not simply a mom. I am ME.
I deserve to be celebrated.
I accept the invitation to a weekend long retreat with excited caution. Eleven other women and myself sharing space for a weekend and creating a guide map for the next phase of our lives.
I’m cautiously optimistic about the changes that could happen, uneasy about the investment I’ve just made, and worried that I’ll leave no better off than when I arrived.
But I had no reason to worry.
Little did I realize just how transformational this weekend would be and how it would change the entire trajectory of how I lead my life.
The weekend long retreat introduced me to some of the most passionate, committed, diverse, loving women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. They are some of my best friends and to this day they still cheer me on and hold me accountable.
The experience we shared was sacred. For the first time I felt truly seen. I cracked my heart open wide as did they. Free of judgement. Free of fear. Free to dream. Free to explore.
We laughed, we cried, we were silly, we played (ask me about paint twister), we were loud, we were quiet, but most of all we showed up because we all wanted to uncover a bigger and better way of living.
There’s something bigger and better waiting for you too.
Beyond the day to day duties of being a mom. You know it’s there, beckoning. You can feel it. It whispers to you in the quiet stillness at the completion of each busy day. The invitation to your true wishes beyond being ‘mom’.
Where you’re finally able to create the space to…
But you’re tired.
You’re in the trenches.
Giving all the love you can to these little souls that steal your heart and need all your energy and attention. So instead of leaning into desire you withdraw.
You look at the toys strew across the playroom room floor, and the unfinished craft project on the kitchen table, and the family calendar for the next few months. And you tell yourself you’re most needed here. The whispers can wait.
So you tidy up the mess, you leave the craft unfinished, and you prepare to shuttle your family around to the barrage of activities. YOU can wait. But what are you waiting for? Time? Energy? Space? Permission?
If there’s one thing I know to be true, those whispers are telling you
that you are allowed to be in this world.
To claim time for yourself even amidst the hectic day to day. You have permission to feel alive and recharge your energy while being a mom. You can regain your momentum, if you’re willing to say yes.
The recapture self retreat is about finally saying yes to you.
This experience is about showing up and giving yourself permission. Permission to be alive, to feel fulfilled, to claim pause, to refill your well. To stop the excuses and the waiting. Accomplishments don’t happen because you’re dreaming about them. You have to show up and say yes. And saying yes is so much easier when you have a mentor and community by your side ready to swoop in and support you along the way.
The Recapture Self Retreat experience is a LIVE in-person weekend to find your confidence as a creative mom. The weekend will be three days of space, connection, and motivation aimed at supporting you with living life in deeper, intentional, more meaningful ways.
“Beryl makes believing in myself easy. She instills a sense of confidence from the perspective of not only a supportive friend but a seasoned mentor. She offers constructive feedback that is helpful without being judgmental or demeaning. I believe her when she tells me I am capable of my dreams.” ~ Blaire R.
During the weeks leading up to our retreat, you’ll receive a bit of pre-work to you connecting with other retreat goers before our weekend begins.
There will also be other weekend goodies and surprises along the way (I have to leave some things secret for now!) But know this…by the time our journey together is over, you’ll leave our weekend with new found momentum and confidence to step into your next big life journey.
When:
July 26th-28th, 2018
Cost:
$400 deposit, followed by 5 more monthly payments of $400
Location:
Delaplane, VA
What’s included:
- MOST meals prepared fresh by an award-winning personal chef who will be on site with us for the weekend.
- Lodging. You will be given a single bed in a shared room of the beautiful home we’ve rented for our weekend together.
- Deep and meaningful connection with a small group of other creative women like you.
- Guest experts, creative sessions, and time and space to get curious and quiet about your next steps.
- Live retreat materials and goodies (yay surprises!)
What’s NOT included:
- Travel. It’s up to you to get to our retreat location. IAD is the closest airport if you need to fly here followed by DCA as another option for air travel.
- Some meals. Dinner Friday the 26th and Sunday the 28th will be on your own.
Did I mention that our retreat meals will be prepared fresh by an award-winning personal chef?
I just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss that part! Monika Sudakov is the chef and owner of the Chestnut Street Inn Bed and Breakfast. A Certified Culinary Professional with a Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology, Chef Monika specializes in Mediterranean inspired cuisine using locally sourced foods. The Chestnut Street Inn was named one of the Top 10 Culinary Inns internationally by Bedandbreakfast.com in 2013 and one of the Top 5 Culinary Inns nationally by the Chicago Tribune in 2014. Chef Monika also prides herself on being an expert in cooking for those with dietary restrictions of all kinds and is the author of a gluten free cookbook entitled Let’s Party: Gluten Free Entertaining for Everyone. In other words, yum!
“Beryl made me realize what I thought was impossible, was actually possible and she helped me gain the confidence to share my dreams with my friends and family too. After working with her I knew I could make the changes in my life that I wanted by working really hard, doing what I loved, with people I love. I don’t think I have smiled as big as I did when I realized my dreams are becoming a reality! Thank you.” ~ Heather G.
Secure your spot with a deposit now!
What are the dates and location of the retreat?
The 2018 Recapture Self retreat will take place July 26th-28th. We’ll be nestled in the hills of Virginia in a small town called Delaplane!
How do I know if the Recapture Self Retreat is right for me?
Take a few quiet moments to listen to your intuition. If you feel that tug at your heart that you’re meant to be here, then you probably are. Don’t be afraid to ask the ones you love for the support you need to say YES to you and make your dream of attending a reality.
Where will I stay during the retreat?
This is a weekend not only about you, but about making connections with other people. We recommend you stay on site at the house we’ve rented for our weekend together. Plus the house is included with your retreat registration!
What if I’m not sure what my ‘big dream’ is?
That’s totally ok (and encouraged). It’s what I’m here for. If you have that little voice telling you that there is something more waiting for you, even if you don’t know what that is yet, you’re a perfect fit for this experience. Supporting moms in the process of self-discovery and exploration and big dreaming is what I do best. Through our work together you’ll realize the wishes hidden deep in your soul and I’ll give you the gentle nudging to say them aloud, bring them to light, and plan the proper steps for putting them into action. Plus being around the energy of other women seeking the same things as you is inspiring!
Do I have to own a business to participate in the retreat?
No! I truly believe that all moms need time and space away to refocus on themselves and explore their passions. This could mean putting the wheel in motion on a photography project you’ve been wanting to explore, planning how to create a well organized creative art space in your home (and actually use it), developing a blog or website with all your favorite recipes to share with friend and family, or figuring out how to get out of overwhelm enough for you to finally get that yoga certification you’ve been talking about for years. You don’t have to have a final goal in mind to own a business with your dream, you just have to be willing to show up and explore that project you’ve been putting off for years because the day-to-day seems to always get in the way.
Will you be offering this experience again?
I’m honestly not sure. I have several creative projects in the works myself so it really depends on where those take me in the coming months and years. If this experience is tugging at your heart now, I’d encourage you to sign up.
Will you offer refunds for this experience?
I am 100% fully committed to your growth during this experience and helping you live an even more amazing life. I want you to show up with the same level of commitment and for that reason refunds will not be offered after your deposit is made. If you want to talk about what this experience will entail, lets connect on the phone or Skype to talk about it. No pressure, at all just a chance for us to figure out if it’s right for you right now.
Those whispers, they are trying to tell you something. That you can both be and mom and lean into your daydreams. Let’s step into who you want to be NOW and say YES to the pause you’ve been longing for. It’s time uncover the beautiful places they’re trying to lead you.
Are you ready to listen? Secure your spot with a deposit now!