Towering pines and distant snow-capped peaks
Blessings of a Writing Retreat, Lisa Nalbone
Cozy nest of pillows and blankets prop my laptop
Peace, gratitude, and loving memories
Commiserating and laughing while chasing word counts
Fuel this morning’s stories
I meet weekly with a group of women writers. Sometime between 2015- 2016 we started gathering at a local wine tasting room to spend two hours working on our own projects. Sitting beside each other, sipping each person’s beverage of choice, we check in about life and the current writing project. Usually we get down to business, especially if a certain very focused and productive member of the group is there. Sometimes we ask for feedback or advice. Other times we get sidetracked by life and world events. But each time we meet, we commit to making time for our creative work.
At some point, we began dreaming: what if, instead of 2 hours, we had a whole weekend? What if we made our own writer’s retreat? Luckily, that certain someone in our group took the bull by the horns and as a birthday present to herself and made our first writing retreat happen back in 2019.
It was blissful and eye opening. When we arrived, we went around the table to share what our focus and goal was for the weekend. I, who had been struggling for several years to complete the LIfeSPARKS Series, was in awe of their very specific topics and word count goals.
Oh –that’s what real writers do?
Time to ante up and set a goal for myself. For me, even picking such a clear and specific topic for the next two hours of writing was new. And then counting the words per session? I’d always been resistent to any measuring that felt like competition or grading. But I was here to learn, so measure I did. Unsure where to start – I listened to their word count goal and cut mine by 1/4th.
And wow, what a difference it made. It was by far my most productive writing time ever. Even when I had trouble concentrating and sitting still, espeically in comparison to my fellow writers. Illuminating. I was shocked that people could sit still and concentrate and write for that long? I remember a light bulb going off, oh maybe I do have some of the ADHD that seems to run in my family. So many insights filled the weekend of productivity, creativity, and deepening friendship. When could we do it again?
Fast forward some years.
Weekly writing continued through Covid. Zoom allowed us to connect and write but retreats were postponed.
Fast forward more years. More books published. More changes in our lives. Time for a weekend together became more difficult to arrange. Hmm. Those milestone birthdays are good points of reference. Our fearless leader, hitting. new milestong, said let’s do this. And so we did.
Our writing retreats are more than writing.
They are space for connection and support. We celebrate life, creative endeavors, and friendship–and it’s absolutely worth the effort needed to make it happen. The gift of extended hours together to laugh, to commiserate over challenges, and continue to see each other as we evolve is priceless.
We encourage and witness each person in whatever stage they are in. It is such a rare and wonderful gift to be able to discuss anything and everything, all cards on the table, knowing you can be fully yourself. I am so grateful to have these friends and experiences–a community of support– that so enrich my life.
We absolutely need supporters and truth tellers in our lives.People we can trust to be honest and challenge us, who hold us when we need rest, who help us learn, and live. Especially on the days we feel we can’t learn one more thing.
Chapter 7 Connect: Presence, Self-Compassion, Support of Harness the Power and Joy of Learning for Your Life
Chapter 7 details experiences from my early 20’s that shaped my approach to self-directed, heart-centered and connected learning and the strategies I used to support my learning. It’s amazing to see the parallels in my writers group with me in my 60’s. Wishing you connection in support in all your lifelong learning adventures.
How do you create/find connection and support for new learning in your life? I’d love to know.
Wishing you connection and support in all your lifelong learning adventures,
Lisa.