Beneath the Layers & Beyond the Noise of Perfectionism

You find yourself in the company of nine women who, like yourself, are exhausted from trying so hard to prove their worth. You have succeeded in many areas of your life, but recognize you paid a high price, yourself. Underneath your accomplishments, you cannot find your true self. You have lost touch with the things in life you enjoy, or simply haven't had the time to do them. Your focus has been on performing for others. 

You have been the one giving and showing up for others, but haven't allowed the space for others to show up for you. If you did, they would probably fail you anyway, so you don't bother. You're trying so hard to prove your worth that you can't really let people see the true you, the flawed you, or they might reject you.

After all you have done for others, you have finally decided to invest in yourself. You embark on a year long journey with nine women who also want the same. Over the course of seven months, you begin to trust these women. Each one is sharing from her heart, scared of being seen yet simultaneously desperate for it. You resonate with their stories, you feel the layers slowly peeling away. Always at your own pace, never forced, never shamed, just accepted right where you are. And then you feel it, your true self peeks out and discovers you are not alone. You do not have to hold it all together. You do not have to prove your worth. You feel the connection even across the screen. You think, can it get any better?

And it does! It's finally time for the in-person retreat, and you find yourself in the magical mountains surrounded by beauty. You realize how clean the air is with your first breath. You are excited to finally be in person with these women you now consider friends, but you are in unfamiliar territory. You've never been here before. You've never been on a horse or tried fly fishing. And although you are nervous, you have also developed a stronger belief that you are supported. 

You deepen your connections with everyone, you feel they are for you, which you lean on heavily as you take your first step into a new adventure. As the pressure to perform rises, you speak it aloud and immediately feel the presence of all who are around you. They tell you they are with you. They identify with the fear. And no one tells you to just get over it, swallow it down, push it away. No! They acknowledge it and join you, so you don't have to hold these feelings alone. With all of their support literally at your side, you make your first attempt. It's not very good, but you find yourself laughing and enjoying not being suffocated by having to do it perfectly. Suddenly, everyone is laughing as they, too, fumble around, not knowing how to do it. Someone says they need a hug, they need the reminder that they are accepted in their flaws. You drop what you're doing and give her the warmest, most genuine hug you've offered in a long time. It came from your true self, not the polished version. You get something from it, too; you feel the connection in return. Fresh, freeing tears form, and for the first time, you feel truly free.

It's hard to say goodbye at the end of the retreat, but there's comfort in knowing you will meet again soon online to continue the journey. With the group, you process the challenges of taking your freedom into your everyday life while also celebrating how you are showing up differently. You can actually feel the change in your brain. Many of the old ways that kept you locked in perfectionism and isolated from deep connection are gone, replaced by the truth that you are enough, you are loved, and you don't have to earn it. 

A few months later, you reach the final group meeting. While it's hard to be at the end, it is also part of the beginning. You know you will continue the connections you've made. In fact, the group has decided to get together in a few months. You are part of a sweet cohort of women who have journeyed with one another in the most profound way to a place of deep transformation and freedom. You are committed to continuing this Journey Forward for Life!

Ready to make that a reality? The next cohort starts in January 2027 with a retreat tentatively scheduled for September 7-12, 2027.