In my other posts, I have ranted and raved about the St. Pete Girl Boss group and how they have brought so many incredible connections and opportunities into my life. Well, it happened yet again.
The other day, one of the beautiful ladies in the group, Madeline Rose with The Balanced Rose, invited me to attend her workshop titled, “Return to YOU”. This girl’s retreat was to feature a sound bath, breathwork, reiki, massage, painting with numbers, and somatic movement – all things that are highly aligned with my interests outside of work.
With hurricanes Helene and Milton hitting back-to-back in September and October, I lost a ton of revenue in the Halloween Make-and-Take classes I was forced to cancel, so I didn’t have the extra funds to spare like I normally would. I told her I wasn’t going to be able to make it, even though I desperately needed it.
Madeline got back to me a few days later and insisted that I come, all-expense paid. I was beside myself. Here I was asking God to please give me a break and here he sent Madeline to give me exactly what I asked for.
Tonight was the retreat and it was absolutely earth-shattering. We began the night with the sound bath. Everyone brought yoga mats and laid with their heads facing the bowls while Madeline walked us through a guided meditation to release any pent up angst, anger, anxiety, or other stuck negative emotions. She played singing bowls that she got from her time studying in Nepal and the effects were so unbelievably therpeutic.
Next, we went outside to do somatic movement. This was new for me, but it reminded me of being a kid. When you used to flail your arms, spin in circles til you were dizzy, or shake your hands and kick your feet. These kinds of movements were not frowned upon as they often are in society, but encouraged, and it released so much pent up stress that I had stored in my hips.
Following this, I received a massage from Girl Boss Paola Perez. She did a great job and it really helped alleviate some of the pain I’ve been feeling in my neck from hunching over my wreaths for the past four months. Then, Kathy Houston with Run Your Life Coaching did some intentional tapping which helped relieve tension in pressure points and the lymphatic system, enhancing blood circulation.
Finally, we ended the night with “Painting by Numbers” a very immersive experience led by Izabella Davis. While the entire night was unforgettable, this part was my favorite. I’d never painted before (except when forced to as a kid, and I made no attempt to try because I thought I was no good at it). I actually tried this time, and my painting turned out incredible. I bonded with the ladies over the experience and got to leave with a beautiful painting of a butterfly fracturing into flower petals that I personally hand painted.
This is just another unforgettable experience attributed to the St. Pete Girl Boss. I’ve been so stressed with everything going on, and desperately needing an escape. I asked God to give me a break and he brought me Madeline. Thank you Madeline for including me in this unforgettable experience. I will absolutely be back for the next one!
There’s a lesson here about paying it forward. Madeline went out of her way to include me and help me out when I needed it, and in doing so, she made a client (and friend) for life. Always pay it forward when you can. You’ll be surprised to see what goes around comes around. Find out more about Madeline and her services at the link below.