Two Weeks of 'Me Time' -- Ideas, Please
Chime in, readers.
A friend of mine has been handed a gift, yet she's not sure what to do with it. We want your input.
"Patty" is a happily married 46-year-old mother of two teenagers. She has had successful career experiences and happily spent time at home with her kids. This summer, her husband has offered her a two-week reprieve from her workaday life. She can go wherever she wants and do what she chooses, alone or with others. Money isn't an object, although she's not necessarily seeking luxury. Relaxation might be nice, but it's not the goal.
During conversations with Patty, I hear words like "reinvention" and "self-discovery." In short, she's seeking an abbreviated personal version of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert's lengthy journey that followed a painful divorce.
Put yourself in Patty's shoes. You have two weeks to delve into life a whole new way, to see a place you haven't, to experiment with new thoughts, to acquire knowledge you don't know is out there, to tap talents of which you're unaware.
We welcome suggestions. (Don't bother with "Oh, poor thing" comments; I'll delete them. I'd love to hear personal stories, though, both successes and failures.)
Speak up,
Rona
www.RonaGindin.com
A friend of mine has been handed a gift, yet she's not sure what to do with it. We want your input.
"Patty" is a happily married 46-year-old mother of two teenagers. She has had successful career experiences and happily spent time at home with her kids. This summer, her husband has offered her a two-week reprieve from her workaday life. She can go wherever she wants and do what she chooses, alone or with others. Money isn't an object, although she's not necessarily seeking luxury. Relaxation might be nice, but it's not the goal.
During conversations with Patty, I hear words like "reinvention" and "self-discovery." In short, she's seeking an abbreviated personal version of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert's lengthy journey that followed a painful divorce.
Put yourself in Patty's shoes. You have two weeks to delve into life a whole new way, to see a place you haven't, to experiment with new thoughts, to acquire knowledge you don't know is out there, to tap talents of which you're unaware.
We welcome suggestions. (Don't bother with "Oh, poor thing" comments; I'll delete them. I'd love to hear personal stories, though, both successes and failures.)
Speak up,
Rona
www.RonaGindin.com
Posted by Rona Gindin at 12/6/2010 1:03 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: selfdiscovery parenting women vacation selfdiscovery reinvention women travel
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: selfdiscovery parenting women vacation selfdiscovery reinvention women travel
How wonderful for patty! What a great opportunity. I need more information from Patty, what does she want from this experience? As a certified life and business coach, I have been counseling individuals with the "Best Year Yet" Life coaching method as integral part of my career since 9/11 to achieve their goals. First we communicate to identify what they may be. She doesn't need to "know" each goal, but perhaps figure out what they may be. Does she want to do it alone? Does she want to be with a friend ? Does she have specific interests that she wants to pursue? For example, personally I have taken trips alone to Israel for 6 weeks traveling freely on a journey of my roots, I have also done a health and wellness spa yoga retreat with a friend in Mexico for a week, that was wonderful, then there was a revival after an break up to the south of france that was an eating and partying and staying with friends in st. remy and paris, for 10 days. Big goal of mine that will always be treasured when I attended cooking school at LA Varenne in France which helped me break out in my career path immensely. I would be happy to talk to Patty have her call me at (212) 769 2198. I would be delighted to help her Rona. xooxo Nathana
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Good for you Patty! I wholeheartedly endorse time away for yourself, though I've only been able to take a few days at a time up until now. My two kids have both just left the nest, essentially, so I'm looking at new horizons myself. Even when I had toddlers I managed to get a weekend here and there thanks to a wonderful husband. It's amazing what even a weekend away can do for your sanity and spirit. A couple of months ago, I decided to finally FINALLY, allow myself to plan for a 2 week workshop at Penland School of Crafts this coming summer-- something that's been on my list for at least 20 years. The thought of spending two weeks immersed in creative pursuit, surrounded in a community of like-minded art types sounds like utter bliss to me. SO I guess my answer is that my first choice is to do something that will feed your spirit. Travel is also on my very short list-- a European trip is a high priority and could serve the same purpose as well, in my book.
Bon voyage and good luck with whatever choice you
make. I hardly think you could go wrong.
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I have wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail ever since I climbed Mt. Katahdin in Maine 42 years ago. If I had two weeks and the freedom to do it, I would pick a beautiful section of the trail and start the journey. It's obviously not enough time to do it all, but life may not hold that for me.
Patty can't cram an "Eat-Pray-Love" experience into two weeks, but she can start.
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