Today, I am turning 40 and am so excited for what the next years will bring. When my husband asked what I wanted for my birthday, I wanted to do something different. I wanted to celebrate life as women. I wanted to create a day where women could get away and participate in all sorts of wellness activities and take the much needed time for themselves.
How many of us could use a weekend retreat away from the kids but never take the time to do it? I thought my birthday would be a great excuse to encourage people who might not normally be ready and willing to take the time out for themselves.
So the story begins with Beth Majerszky who I met at a networking event. I was drawn to her and asked her to plan my special event. You know how there are just times in your gut when you know something in right? This was one of those times. I trusted that God sent her into my life and she would coordinate an unforgettable weekend. And so she did. She also worked very closely with my two best friends Michelle and Jess to plan other fun surprises.
So Last weekend was the day of the big event where we rented a b&b and invited friends and family to celebrate. There were women from various walks of life, friends from school years, after college, hockey moms and new friends from future business ventures. Many women didn’t know one another but everyone walked out with closer bonds than when they walked in.There was so much energy in the room it was contagious. We started with an opening ceremony and a labrynth walk, had a fashion show, sang songs around the fire pit, shared stories and dreams, created intuitive vision boards, did laughter yoga and just enjoyed being in the company of other powerful women.
One of the best surprises of the weekend was the weather. I really wanted to do the labrynth walk and sing songs around the firepit and wasn’t sure if the cold November Chicago day would cooperate and of course I had no control over it. So I was prepared for whatever was meant to be. It had been really cold in Chicago the entire month of November, but miraculously it turned out to be 50 degrees on Saturday. If that is not Divine intervention, then I don’t know what is. God had other plans for this wonderful celebration and we were able to change up our plans a bit to take advantage of the weather.
We were all so inspired over the weekend. There were times we were talking about our hopes and dreams and how we could help each other to achieve those dreams. It truly is amazing when women get together, what we can create for ourselves. We have the power within us to create amazing things in our life if we allow ourselves to tap into the core essence of our being.
If you are looking for some retreat ideas, I highly recommend Beth to create a wonderful experience for you. Whether the event is for a church group, business group or personal birthday retreat, she will help you to create an amazing experience that is truly unforgettable. And for those that live in the Chicagoland area, checkout The Homestead Bed and Breadfast. It is in Plano which is about 40 minutes west of Naperville. MaryKay the owner was wonderful and we felt very welcome in her home. It was amazing and totally exceeded my expectations. We are definitely going back!