A 2007 Wharton study found that women in the U.S. have become less happy, an interesting fact, given that there has been vast improvement in women’s opportunities. "Women are overwhelmed with responsibility," states Life Coach, Phyllis Carrera. Women need time to simply be--at Serenbe...
Many of us are living lives that are truly non-reflective of our hopes and dreams. We’ve been living life on a treadmill, pursuing the “American Dream,” only to discover that in reaching our personal or professional goals, we’ve reached an unfulfilling destination.
Women in particular are getting overwhelmed by their busy lifestyles, and it doesn’t matter if women are married, single, with or without children, old or young. A 2007 Wharton study found that women in the U.S. have become less happy, an interesting phenomenon, given that there has been vast improvement in women’s opportunities. The study suggests that women’s “increased opportunity to succeed in many dimensions may have led to an increased likelihood of believing that one’s life is not measuring up.” “Women are much too hard on themselves,” states Atlanta Life & Leadership Coach, Phyllis Carrera, and the pressures just continue to build as we take on more responsibility.
Carrera, author of A Journey of My Choosing: Traveling the Creative Path of Life, knows this story all too well. A former workaholic and victim of domestic abuse, Phyllis decided in 1998 that it was time to say “no” to others and start taking better care of herself. A perfectionist and people pleaser, she was exhausted from life’s demands. So she left her job as a Sr. Leadership Consultant in a Fortune 100 company, sold her home, bought a backpack, and set off to travel solo around the world. Her divorce a few years earlier set the stage for creating a peaceful life, and her around-the-world journey illuminated pathways full of amazing possibilities. “I never could have ‘found myself’ in the saga or on the treadmill,” she confesses. Today Phyllis helps others transform their lives by getting off the treadmill, if only for an hour a week.
Nancy Nolan spent thirty years in corporate America and academia juggling a family, a husband and a successful career. But despite the successes and rewards of this life, in her 50's she began feeling the effects of not spending enough time with and for herself. "At first I heard this voice asking -is this all there is? And then I tried to find time to understand how I could find the answer to that question. My work environment was not a place where I could easily take the time or have the support to pursue my personal interests.” After becoming depressed she began reclaiming herself by taking time off from work, becoming a master gardener, studying inter-spiritual mentoring and pursuing her deepest desires. "I needed time, permission and commitment to myself to take the step on the journey to be healthy and whole, and I found nature, creativity and spirit to be my best means toward that goal."
The “pursuit of happiness” wasn’t working for either woman, so instead of following the American Dream (and working themselves to death), they bucked the system and ventured down uncharted terrain filled with life’s pleasures. Today, they’ve crossed paths, joining together to create a revitalizing experience for other women, who like them, are determined to live deeply satisfying lives.
Their 2-part women’s retreat series, Pathways to Wholeness, A Woman’s Journey, includes a weekend of Winter Stillness, January 9-11, 2009, at Serenbe, Palmetto, GA, and ends with a Summer Solstice weekend, June 19-21 at Palm Key in Bluffton, SC. An intimate group of 10 will have the opportunity to disconnect from the busyness of life and simply be in places of quiet, tranquil beauty. In the process, they’ll reconnect with their true nature and with each other, set clear intentions for the future, and allow the present moment to help them discover where they are and where they’re headed on their creative journeys. Monthly conversations between retreats will help participants stay mindful of what they say is important, deepening their commitments to themselves as they learn to say “no” to others.
To learn more, visit www.humanarts.biz/ewc.htm and participate in a free summer soiree on July 23 or August 20. For details and to register, email nancyenolan@comcast.net.