In Defense Of Letting Go
How Health And Wellness Education Is More Than Just A New Workout
I was in a vicious cycle, hitting a breaking point every few weeks. Making deadlines as a writer in my previous job, it seemed like most nights didn’t end until 10pm or later, and I would drive home exhausted, hungry, and thinking about checking my email one last time before bed. Even after working for hours on end, I still couldn’t close my brain off from work.
Eventually, I started to ask myself questions I knew I didn’t have answers to. When had I last worked out? Eaten dinner at a normal hour? Forgotten my phone and not been consumed with worry? The last time I had (gasp!) relaxed and taken a bath?
I realized that devoting myself entirely to my work wasn’t doing me, or my career, any favors.
I decided to intentionally and wholeheartedly disconnect from the world around me. We talked about four ways to let go over the 4th of July, but somehow as we move into the fall, life finds a way to get exponentially busier, and it’s harder than ever to commit to self-care.
So instead of simply making resolutions, I’m going to educate myself and make real changes. And that’s where Supergirls and the UNPLUG house comes in at SERENDIPITY, the first women’s conference of its kind. I met the Supergirls at a GUILD event this summer, and I think I might have surprised them with my enthusiasm when they told me that they were a wellness community for women like me.
“You have to talk to my team! We’re putting on this amazing unconference in October! You need to be a part of it!”
And so the story goes. Alexandra and Daria understand that creating a community like Supergirls, who do Sunday yoga in the park, getaways to LA, and healthy eating cooking classes, is essential to keeping busy people like myself on track and accountable in the journey toward a more healthy lifestyle.
They’ve assembled a squad of Supergirls, a network of wellness gurus, and people who just really love talking about a good workout, to lead two days of workshops and host the UNPLUG house at SERENDIPITY. We think that unplugging from your world and refreshing both mentally and physically is so important that we’re devoting an entire house to bettering your health and wellness.
I jumped at the chance to join Dana Marie Nielsen of Wild Woman Therapy (how awesome is that name?!) to finally learn how to make meditation work for an easily distracted person like myself. For me, it’s going to take more than an app to shut down and focus on myself. As Dana says, there’s a wild woman in all of us, someone who courageously chooses to show up for herself and the world. In “Meditation at Work,” she’ll show how sometimes thinking about *nothing* is actually a really big *something.*
And that relaxing bath I haven’t taken in months? Kimberly Rose from Nurture Wellness Within will lead an aromatherapy workshop to help you understand exactly what you should be adding to your next soak, plus how essential oils can aid in your sleeping habits and circulation.
There’s even a session called “Find Your Happy Place” with Vanessa Loder to help you find your passions and stay upbeat and optimistic in the office, letting you reinvigorate your outlook on work, energizing you for the biggest, most stressful projects.
Bonus: we’ll be uniting women of the health and wellness industry in “The Business of Chilling” to connect and collaborate with each other (in what’s sure to be the healthiest room at SERENDIPITY). We’ve got the creator of my new favorite happiness planner and the owners of two different meditation firms, Pacific Pause and Voluptuous Life. Achieving success in the wellness world is unlike in any other industry, and these zen professionals are going to share how they did it.
So the next time you’re eating a granola bar for dinner or running on four hours of sleep, ask yourself what the next step should be. Join me on this journey of relaxation, education, and making a mental space for renewal.
Tickets for SERENDIPITY are going fast. If you’re interested in attending a session in the UNPLUG House, or one of our other nine inspirational houses, learn more here.
