Your Evolving Nest
Reclaiming the Woman Inside the Mother
A Rite of Passage Retreat
Becoming a mother is the most radical identity shift a woman goes through in her lifetime.
Until … her child leaves home.
The radical identity shift repeats.
Both events mark a Rite of Passage.
The first one is celebrated.
The second one … is not. In fact, it doesn’t even get a mention.
Transitioning out of full-time mothering is often referred to in our culture as entering the empty nest chapter of life. But are you empty? Or … are you evolving? When your child leaves your nest it’s not an ending. It’s the beginning of reclaiming yourself – the woman inside the mother.
This retreat is for you. Not your child. They’ve graduated, had their rite of passage with all the celebration. They’ve taken flight from the nest.
This is a moment to mark and celebrate all that you’ve been doing for the last 18 years (raising a human!), to reconnect with who you are now, and even more exciting … with who you want to become. It’s a time to switch the lens and focus on yourself. A time for you to allow a piece of your heart to be witnessed.
Your life has been busy. It was more than enough. But somewhere along the way during the last 18 years you lost yourself – the woman inside the mother. Maybe you didn’t even notice. Now you don’t know the woman looking back at you in the mirror. Getting reacquainted feels like something you’re not prepared for. Asking yourself what you need and want now takes courageous inner exploration and vulnerability.
Why is this important? Because what was enough when your child was home won’t feel like enough now.
Navigating this new season, the second half of your life, requires an intentional pause to reflect. Creating space to listen. And finding a guide to walk with you across the bridge from who you were before … to who you are becoming.
“A Rite of Passage is a ceremony or ritual which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society.”
Welcome to Your Evolving Nest Retreat. Your own Rite of Passage!
A three hour virtual retreat.
Saturday, October 2nd
10:00AM – 1:00PM PST
Cost: $110 USD
DETAILS
During Your Evolving Nest Retreat:
We will witness, honor and celebrate you – the mother!
You will be invited to reflect on who you are right now and then step into “what’s next” for you, into the woman you want to become.
You will join a community of moms who are walking through this same transition, the beginning of a sisterhood.
You will leave with practices and tools to carry with you as you continue to navigate this new chapter.
The retreat principles are:
- Come as you are.
- There is a value in this time of your life.
- You belong in this new season of your life
- This is about you.
This will be held and experienced through:
- Visualisation
- Storytelling
- Reflection
- Affirmation
Sessions
Part 1: Honoring and celebrating the mother
- Listen to Jean’s experience of discovering the woman inside the mother after her daughter left for college
- Reflect on your own experience and hear the stories of others
- Honor and celebrate who you are as a mother
Part 2: Awakening The woman
- Reflect on the struggle to claim our self, voice, purpose and belonging in this new season
- Consider the impact of this season on your relationship to yourself and others
- Reflect on who you are as a woman and what you want more of in your life
Part 3: Imagining Who You Want To Become
- Honor both parts of yourself: mother and woman
- Begin to imagine who you want to become
- Walk away with a positive sense of your ongoing journey and the beautiful possibilities ahead
Book your place for Your Evolving Nest Retreat. Your own Rite of Passage!
A three hour virtual retreat.
Saturday, October 2nd
10:00AM – 1:00PM PST
Cost: $110 USD
Jean Dawkins
So how on earth did I come to lead this retreat?
Hi, I’m Jean and I am consumed by a passion to honor mothers who have sent their children off into the world and to support them in rediscovering the possibilities ahead.
When I fall asleep at night and wake in the morning, my head and heart overflow with an unstoppable passion for supporting women. I am here experiencing this with you, walking with you as you reclaim yourself, your voice, your purpose and belonging in this season of your life.
Bringing my decades of teaching experience into this work, I have also become a Mama Rising Accredited Facilitator, a trained coach and am currently completing The Motherhood Studies Practitioner certification.
Together with this training and my own experience, I have created Your Evolving Nest. This is a place where we can honor who you are as a mother and hold you as you imagine who you may become.
I may not know who that is, but I do know that the answer is within you. There is a community of women who are walking the same path and Your Evolving Nest is a place for us to explore this new season together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does investing in myself feel so hard to justify?
Investing in yourself may feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable, perhaps because you haven’t done it in so long. Your resources have likely gone toward investing in your child. This retreat is the beginning of claiming your voice, self, purpose and belonging in this season, and imagining who you want to become, honoring both parts of yourself as a mother and a woman.
Why is it important to be acknowledged for this rite of passage that I’m transitioning through?
This rite of passage retreat has been created to hold you as you begin this transition – a transition that will impact every area of your life and all of your relationships. This is about you, about holding you wherever you are, helping you uncover who you are now and beginning your exploration of what’s next for you.
What can I expect during the retreat?
You are welcome to come exactly as you are. If you’re feeling reflective, if you’re feeling numb, if you’re missing your child dearly, if you feel like crying, if there’s resistance, it’s all welcome here. We are here to witness, honor and celebrate you.
How will the retreat work?
We’ll be connecting via Zoom. During our time together, you can respond to the rhythm of going inward and outward at your own comfort. We will do this by sharing conversation, journaling, and personal reflection time. The call will not be recorded. Please plan to have your video camera on during the zoom call. We want you to be fully present for each other, ready for heart-felt conversation and support.
What do I need to bring?
Create a cozy space to nest in for 3 hours where you won’t be interrupted. A warm cuppa, a journal, and your presence is all that is required.
What are your refund/cancellation policies?
When you make this investment, know that it’s a commitment to yourself. While we completely understand that emergencies happen, please make every effort to honor this commitment to yourself and the community of women you’ll be meeting in this retreat. Raise yourself up and believe in yourself and your ability to show up and matter. If you need to withdraw from the retreat due to unforeseen circumstances, please notify me withing 24 hours and we can move you to the next retreat date.
What if I can’t afford it?
Scholarships are available. If the cost is a barrier, simply send us an email and we’ll let you know if there’s a place available. There’s no need to disclose the details that have led you to request a scholarship, simply send us an email at jean@youhavetojuststart.com and we’ll let you know if there’s a place available.
What if I can’t make the current date?
Sign-up to my e-news here and I’ll let you know when the next retreat will run.
Join us for Your Evolving Nest Retreat. Your own Rite of Passage!
A three hour virtual retreat.
Saturday, October 2nd
10:00AM – 1:00PM PST
Cost: $110 USD