Lessons From The Lake
Oct 28, 2025
Lessons From The Lake
I’ve been home from Traverse City and this Fall’s retreats on Long Lake for about a week now, and still swirling in reflections and takeaways from the gorgeous women, scenery, food, lessons, connections, and inspiration that wash over me every October. While it’s fresh, I offer a few tidbits that may serve you, whether you were with me in person or in spirit this year…
Find Your Sweet Spot
This year, I held two retreats, and it was amazing. I increased the number of people I served, luxuriated in the progression of the color change over the two weeks, and rooted in my practice so completely; it was just right. When do you have that feeling of just the right balance?
Me First
To serve my clients, I took my own needs seriously. I felt a heightened awareness of my body - when I needed a bit more sleep, to skip wine at dinner, to ask for help, just stop and hug my chef 🤗. Meditation, zinc, stretching, and silence were part of my routine and made the presence I bring to the retreat possible. What does your system need right now?
Talking about the work is NOT doing the work. 2025’s programming included Internal Family Systems (IFS), and it’s easy to discuss IFS theory for countless hours, while doing exactly zero IFS. My initial itinerary pulled us toward this trap, so I made a few tweaks that dropped us into deep work far more effectively. I encourage you to explore the difference between engagement vs intellectualization for yourself, too.
The sun matters. Laughter matters. Pleasure matters. Beauty matters.
Each year makes it clearer how we deprioritize these linchpins for growth and happiness while elevating nonsense (like guilt, obligation, fear, and judgment) to god-like status. The relaxation, joy, and natural wonder that surrounded these women was just as powerful a vehicle for their growth as any element of programming I engineered for them.
Doing nothing is doing something. Our activities included winery visits, shopping, yoga, ecstatic dance, Mayan womb work, and massages, all of which were incredible. Yet, the silence, rest, and contemplative moments also create major shifts. There will be even more spaciousness next year, and I encourage you to do this in your daily life as well.
It’s not all enlightenment. Make it real. While you’re in paradise with infinite time for self-growth, real life can seem distant. Yet the high vibe lessons of the retreat can be impactful in our day-to-day. It’s on me to make that connection for my guests, and I am bringing even more intention to it next year.
Future Me depends on Present Me. Planning is everything, and I can’t count how many times during these weeks that I felt a surge of gratitude for all the work Past Me put into making my job during the retreat easy, enjoyable, and impactful for my clients. It has stuck with me afterward. What are we doing today that our future selves can thank us for?
Answers reveal themselves. Every year, I end the retreat with zero clue what the next one will be…and get an intuitive hit within the next week. It makes sense - I’ve just been immersed in calmness, observing awakenings in my clients and glimpses of what is possible for them, and this year is no exception. I already have a glimmer of next year’s theme (centered on connection/relationships) and even some of the programming (no spoilers yet😜). How about you? What answers await if you relax and let them come to you?
If all of this doesn’t inspire you in your own growth, or get you pumped to sign up for 2026’s retreat (your choice between 10/8-10/12 or 10/15-10/19), maybe these gorgeous photos will! And if so, just contact me here and let me know. Believe it or not, 2026’s retreats are already half-booked, so enrolling now is a wise act of Present You that Future You will thank you for!
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