Transformational.

I could simply say that one word if I really wanted and leave it to others to find out the meaning for themselves (which by the way I 150% encourage) however, I am feeling led to try my best to capture the weekend in words. You see, the woman that is writing this is not the same woman that arrived to the Strive2Thrive retreat on Friday afternoon. That is a beautiful gift in itself. Our empowerment retreat in the beautiful woods of Pine, AZ was nothing that I could have planned for, dreamed of, or expected. I had a strong gut feeling that it would be a special weekend, but it delivered well beyond that. Full immersion; Up in rim country away from our day to day responsibilities, worries, and distractions. It doesn’t get much better than that.

From the moment we arrived to the moment we departed the retreat, I felt loved, accepted, and safe. In my experience, you never really know what the energy will be (and being honest - not knowing if a group of women will vibe) but you could just feel from the very first second that nothing less than connectedness, respect, and compassion would be experienced in that space. There was not a detail the dynamic duo retreat hosts failed to think of. The commitment and passion was so resoundingly evident in every carefully planned piece of this retreat, which I believe truly contributed to the beautiful experiences and breakthroughs. Having been an event coordinator in a past life (ok this life but it feels like it was a different one), I gave it an A+ and loved moving through the weekend with enough structure to keep me grounded but also space to flow.

Not only did I leave this retreat with a new, solid tribe of strong, empowered women to ‘stand by me’ but I left behind a giant pile of "this is not serving me anymore." It felt like my eyes were now wide open, which is actually funny to conceive given the amount of emotional release through crying that transpired! Now that I think about it, this retreat was the best detox I have ever done. I purged the yuck and then we replenished and nourished our bodies with delicious food, connectedness in nature, laughter and love. Actually, one of my favorite moments to revisit was an observation I made on Sunday morning. At this point, we had all spent much of the weekend together sharing deeply, bonding as women and I remember this pause where I just was watching and listening. We had developed a new playlist of songs and everyone was laughing and dancing and just embracing joy. It was so beautiful I wish I could have bottled it up.

My life has been forever changed. Each new day since is bringing me closer to living the life I’ve always dreamed of and I am forever grateful that I said "Yes" to this retreat, "Yes" to thriving, and "Yes" to falling in love with becoming the best version of myself.

Krystal and Janice - My wish is for you to fully know the profound impact you have had on my life (and I think I may speak for the others too). Thank you for saying YES to being a teacher, a healer, a light and love. Keep going out and shining because it is you, it is me, it is us that will heal this world.

Aho - Amen - Namaste

Your sister,

The saying goes, "You get what you give". As I prepared for the weekend retreat, I made sure my heart was open and set forth with the intention of being unguarded and receptive of all the experience had to offer. As we arrived at our destination, we were greeted by Janice and Krystal with warm hugs and welcomed to the cabin. The vibe was peaceful and full of positive energy as we began our weekend of discovery. Every detail from our meals, the decor, the presentations, and our activities were meticulously planned to enhance our experience.

Although we all came from different beliefs and backgrounds, we were unified by what we set out to accomplish together. We all received a gift of our own mala beads during the first night and Krystal discussed the meaning behind them. We learned about the chakras, and different crystals that represented each one. I consistently felt enlightened and empowered with each activity that we did together. A few highlights for me were the sound meditation, the reiki session, the nature hike, and the crisp cold feeling of a waterfall we encountered and the electricity I felt as it poured over my hair and face. Spiritual growth was the result of my choice to be part of this trip.

I am grateful for my experience and the release I have felt since being there. I continue to reap the rewards each day, as I notice the clarity it has brought to my everyday life and the ease of which I am able to recognize and resolve obstacles that have been holding me back from realizing my dreams.

Written with love,

Where do I begin! I'm so proud of you to take a leap to empower woman and show them what they have to offer the world. Even if you change one person out of twelve people, that is a step towards greatness. I had an absolute blast and can't wait to go on more retreats with you.

My experience at the retreat was awesome. As soon as you get there, you are welcomed into an inviting positive atmosphere. I never felt like I was pressured into doing anything I didn't want to do. Having a small group setting, made more of an intimate environment for me, which I like. The group of woman on the retreat never made you feel judged or that you weren't in a safe environment to express your feelings and open up. You would have thought the group of woman had been best friends for a lifetime.

Krystal and Janice were such a treat to be around. Their positive energy is infectious. They were organized and open to any suggestions or concerns you had. The food was delicious and the decorations were so adorable. On our retreat, we went to the Tonto Natural Bridge, and just being able to see nature’s creation was breathtaking. For me being surrounded by nature’s beauty, brings a sense of calming, relaxation, and having your soul centered again. It truly was an experience I will never forget. I can't wait to go on more retreats to meet more empowered women like myself.

Thank you Krystal and Janice for an amazing time and giving me the opportunity to recharge my soul, mind, and body. Love you to the moon and back. Strive2Thrive has a bright future ahead.

Thanks for having me! You rock.