This past weekend I was not only reminded of the Fuzzy Red Socks mantra, but I experienced it as well with eleven other amazingly beautiful, compassionate and authentic women. My dear friend Dana and I conducted a Dandy Stories and Fuzzy Red Socks Women’s Retreat for a few of our favorite people. Some of these women are recovering from cancer or caring for loved ones who are ill or elderly. Some just needed a change of scenery or a kick-start to get back to their own self-care and personal improvement.
So we rested with meditation. We reflected with journaling and discussion. And wow, did we ever feel rejuvenated by the time the day was over.
Dana is a fabulous writing teacher and shared her expertise by inviting us to explore our personal GPS Systems. As we discovered our personal Gifts, Passions and Struggles, we wrote about and discussed how they can be used as tools to improve our lives. “Your GPS has equipped you to avoid the detours and dead ends, “ Dana reminded us. “And while using your GPS, your Gifts, Passions and Struggles, don’t look back; remember the GPS in your car guides you to where you want to go – and the front window of your car is bigger, wider, and easier to see out of than your rear window. Spend more time looking ahead, not behind.”
Dana also asked us to reflect on what we do every day. “Take the next five minutes to list everything that makes up your every day schedule,” she suggested. “Everything from the mundane like laundry and grocery shopping to the stressful like taking elderly parents to doctor appointments or balancing your check book.”
“Now, list everything that you would do in your “ideal” day.”
“What on that first list could you delete to make room for more of what is on the second list? Is television on your everyday list? How many hours could you free up if you stopped or lessened the number of hours you numb out in front of the TV? How about Facebook or other web surfing activities? How much are you willing to give up to have more of what you want?”
Near the end of our time together, Dana encouraged us to, “Go to your journal where you listed your passions, your joys and hurts, loves and losses, successes and failures. Listen with your heart as you read through them. What message does your heart want to share with you? What deeply matters most to you, fuels your life? What makes you feel alive and nourishing and invigorating? What aligns you to your true self? What are the Gifts and Passions you want to make a priority in your life now? Don’t wait for “someday I’m going to do that!” Make every day of your life your someday and start putting that oxygen mask on yourself first and open your heart to self care.”
So open ourselves to self care we did. Every one of us carved out time in our very full schedules just for us on this day. Coming together with like-minded women for self discovery, exploration and learning is guaranteed to make room for rest, reflection and rejuvenation.
Find out more about Dana Tramba and her life stories at Dandy Stories.