Just booked my annual self-guided winter retreat at the amazing (and award winning!) Wild Rice Retreat in stunning Bayfield, Wisconsin. Slow introspective days spent creating art in a Scandinavian-inspired cabin, mindfully moving in the Peace Pod yoga studio, and exploring the brisk and refreshing boreal forest on snowshoes and Nordic skis. This, punctuated by delectable and nourishing chef-prepared meals. Truly a special place.
It was here, one year ago in January, that I consciously made the decision to pivot in my professional life, moving away from nearly two decades of corporate employment and leaning in to and embracing my one true passion: creating art. The decision came as I contemplated the future. At the time, I had a contract role in big tech that was set to expire the following June, and the prospect of reentering a tumultuous job market was not at all appealing. The longer I stayed in and advanced in my professional career, the further and further I was moving away from the creative aspects that initially drew me to the field. I was no longer fulfilled by how I was spending such a large portion of my time.
So as I sat in my cozy cabin, carving little mushrooms from driftwood (what I call little drifty shrooms 🙂) and gazing out the windows at the mesmerizing treetops undulating in the gusty Lake Superior winter wind, I made the decision. Immediately I felt lighter. I experienced an incredible sense of reprieve combined with an actual physical sensation of completeness, wholeness, and peace.
And then the nerves kicked in.
This is a big change! I had to develop a roadmap, a timeline, a project plan!
Business Caroline took the wheel, but immediately Retreat Caroline wrested it back and said, “Not now.
Not here.
Here, in this truly special place, we rest.”
So I returned to carving little drifty shrooms, practicing yoga, relaxing in the sauna, and immersing myself in the winter wonderland that is Lake Superior in January.
And I rested.
My week at Wild Rice soon came to an end and upon my return home, a happier and truly enlightened Business Caroline began planning her transition to fulfillment. It’s been an incredible year of transformation and growth, as an artist and as a person. And it all started in that truly special place.
I can’t wait to go back.
