I know I say it a lot, but I truly believe that as women, together we are unstoppable. Not just in our running and fitness goals, but in every aspect of life.
I’m still riding a beautiful high after this weekend's GritChicks Women’s Running, Yoga & Outdoor Adventure Retreat. As one of the girls said in a text message today, "My heart is still in Chincoteague." Sigh... Mine too…
I was honored this weekend to witness the power of the female spirit yet again as I watched women from different cities, careers and levels of fitness come together and bond instantly.
Hugs were exchanged upon arrival and there was an immediate sense that we had been friends for years.
We all had different levels of running, yoga and paddling experience, and there was absolutely zero judgement as we each tackled the different activities in our own way, at our own pace, and to our own ability and desire.
Some of the women were completely new to running but wanted to give it a try. Another of the ladies, who is a very strong runner, was fearful of trying stand up paddle boarding… which, I told her, is exactly why she needed to do it. And you know what? She ROCKED it!
Our yoga instructor, Bridget, isn't a runner, and I’m VERY wobbly, stiff and uncoordinated when it comes to yoga. Add in my injured shoulder and I was a funny sight to see on the yoga mat. But we gave it all we had and did great!
No one cared if we were fast or slow or wobbly or scared. Someone was always there to encourage us.
I think that’s one of the many superpowers we have as women – The ability to drop the façades and support one another with all our hearts.
Each of us had come to the retreat with questions and hopes for the weekend, and we held space for one another to discover what is truly in our hearts. We encouraged each other to push our own physical limits, and we felt safe to go with the flow and just be.
One morning, I sat alone at the end of the dock at sunrise and watched as the sky turned from dark blues and reds to bright pink and white. As the sun rose above the horizon, a blinding orange, I closed my eyes and felt its energy on my face...
…and I began to sob.
I felt so much power and elation in that moment - the strength of the sun and the universe and all the love and female wisdom that I was experiencing as part of this retreat. It was our own little paradise.
We are all on our own personal journeys of self-discovery, facing challenges in our personal lives, working through fears and losses, looking for ways to be better, stronger, more empowered. Our paths crossed at the perfect time for each of us to take so much more from this retreat than simply an outdoor adventure.
One of the ladies at the retreat said it best - "There's no way to truly express with words what GritChicks Retreats are about. On paper it looks like just another running retreat, but to experience it is the only way to understand."
I truly believe this with all my heart -
By coming together to discover and celebrate our strength, we take that feeling out into the world and become a million times more fierce in everything we do.
And the “together” part is where the power of the female spirit lies.
Because together we are unstoppable.
xx Jen
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