Listen in this week as we do something a little bit different. Jesse interviews me! That’s right. I recently went on a retreat to Utah, and Jesse asks me questions all about it! I talk about my trip for a mastermind retreat with a group of women CEOs, a retreat focused on the theme of "flourishing" - exploring the gaps in their lives and how to move from areas that feel "dead or dying" to truly thriving.

I talk about the various activities that we did, including an adventurous Jeep tour through the rugged Utah terrain that left us covered in dust! We also had intentional discussion times, including a "one question meal" where each person took turns sharing in response to a thought-provoking question. One of the biggest takeaways for me personally was the importance of creating more space in my life. I realized that I needed to be more intentional about shutting down work earlier in the evenings in order to be fully present with my family, and this has truly already made a noticeable difference in my energy and focus!

The most impactful part of the retreat for me had to have been writing a letter to my future self, reflecting on the last five years of my life and envisioning how my new priorities will shape the next two years. I found myself very surprised by how much poured out as I wrote, feeling a sense of healing and clarity! Overall, this retreat provided me with valuable time for rest, reflection, and renewed intentionality around the areas of my life that matter most, and I am so excited to implement the changes that I identified and see the positive impact that they have, both personally and professionally!

In This Episode

[0:35] - Hear how I realized that my phone was under me the whole time as I searched for it!

[2:41] - My trip to Utah was one of three summer journeys.

[4:09] - What was the purpose of my recent trip to Utah?

[7:33] - I describe what the weather was like on my trip.

[9:08] - I talk about how the Jeep ride was bumpy, dangerous, and beautiful but left me utterly uninterested in owning one.

[11:41] - Hear how dust covered us so thoroughly that baby wipes revealed streaks of clean skin.

[13:32] - Our dinner began with reflections on flourishing and times of feeling fully alive.

[16:19] - I contrast empty success-chasing with the fulfillment of fostering and adoption.

[18:31] - Hear how serving behind the scenes at church rekindled my lifelong joy in organizing meals.

[20:40] - I cherished early nights and found healing in honest group sharing.

[23:38] - Via journaling and discussion, I realized that my biggest gaps were sleep and marriage.

[26:35] - Hear how I publicly committed to ending work by 7 p.m.

[28:17] - Early shutdowns improved my sleep quality and made me more present in my marriage.

[31:16] - Choosing “space” as my theme, I have delegated tasks and restructured priorities at home.

[33:36] - Leaving space in my days has increased gratitude, connection, and joyful laughter!

[35:46] - I talk about how writing a future-focused letter brought healing reflection and clarity for the next two years.

Links & Resources

Crystal Paine

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