Build the future you want to live in.
I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as refillable instead of half-full or half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. |
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The retreat that came out of building something with others, not alone. |
Dear Empowered Reader,
I've built my whole framework around three levels of change: Self, Social, Systems. I write about it. I teach it. I put it on slides.
And then this spring, I once again was living it.
For the past several months, I've been sitting around tables, real ones, virtual ones, sometimes just emails back and forth with three women I now call my co-conspirators. Rachel Gilbertson of Art of Presence. Taylor Tix and Cris Bickman Otte of Taylor & Co. Together we've been building the Wisdom of Winter retreat, happening February 25–28, 2027, at True North Resort in Nisswa, Minnesota.
Here's what nobody tells you about building something meaningful with other people: it is not tidy.
We've dived into tough conversations about budgets. We've each brought our own definition of "enough" to the table and had to find where those definitions overlap. We've shown up to calls tired, unsure, second-guessing our own ideas out loud in front of each other. That's the Social work. That's the part of the E.M.P.O.W.E.R. model I haven’t talked about in a while because it's the part that asks the most of me personally.
I could have designed a retreat by myself. I've done that before. It's efficient. It's controllable. It's also lonely, and it caps out at whatever one person's imagination can hold.
Instead, Rachel, Taylor, Cris and I found each other through a series of inspired actions (shout out to Rachel for teaching me the phrase!). And what we're creating together is bigger and truer than anything I would have built alone.
Rachel Gilbertson, Art of Presence — Rachel has spent nearly two decades helping people trust their own intuition instead of outsourcing their answers to everyone else. She's a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach and a mindfulness facilitator, and she'll be co-facilitating the Mountain 10 process with me during the retreat, helping guests access their own inner wisdom rather than handing them someone else's script.
Taylor Tix and Cris Bickman Otte, Taylor & Co — Taylor is a registered nurse and Reiki Master who turned profound personal loss into a wellness practice built on coming home to yourself. Her mother and business partner, Cris, brings 30-plus years in patient care and movement instruction, and will be guiding yoga and Centergy sessions throughout the weekend. Together we hold the Systems piece, the logistics, the lodging, the meals, the structure.
None of us are doing our own solo version of this retreat. We're doing one retreat, together, and it's better for it.
That's the whole point of Social change, isn't it? It was never meant to be a nice-to-have. It's the thing that keeps Self-work from turning into isolation, and keeps Systems-work from turning into a machine nobody actually wants to be part of. |
Curious about the retreat? Here is more information
Wisdom of Winter Retreat
When: February 25–28, 2027
Where: True North Resort, Nisswa, Minnesota
What: A restorative winter retreat for women, built in partnership with Rachel Gilbertson of Art of Presence and Taylor Tix & Cris Bickman Otte of Taylor & Co. Three nights of lakeside lodging, sauna and hot tub access, nourishing meals, daily guided practices, and the Mountain 10 process to help you access your own inner wisdom before you step into your next season. No packed itinerary. No rigid resolutions. Just space to slow down, reconnect, and be held by people who've done their own work to hold you.
Learn more and reserve your spot → |
AFFIRMATION "I do not have to build alone. Asking for support is not a failure of capability; it is an act of wisdom. I trust the people I've invited into this work, and I trust myself enough to be seen by them, budgets, doubts, and all." |
True North Resort. Where we are hosting the retreat. |
PRACTICES FOR THIS SEASON Name your table. Who are the people you're building something with right now, even informally? Have you actually named them as collaborators, or are you still quietly carrying the load solo? Say the uncomfortable number out loud. Pick one conversation you've been avoiding because it involves money, capacity, or a boundary. This week, say the actual number or the actual limit, instead of the softened version. Thank a co-conspirator. Send one message this week to someone who's building alongside you. Not a task update — an actual thank-you for being in it with you.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS For your journal, your walk, your quiet morning Where in your life are you doing Systems or Self work but skipping the Social layer entirely? Who would you invite to the table if you let go of needing to have it all figured out first? What would it feel like to let someone see the messy, unfinished, budget-arguing version of your work not just the polished version?
More in two weeks. Take care, dear reader, Julie |
All My Relations by Dr. Gary Boelhower |
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Luminary Conference Presentation When: September 2026 What: I am thrilled to be taking the stage at the upcoming Luminary Conference! I will be sharing actionable frameworks on sustainable leadership, thriving through large-scale organizational transitions, and shifting workplace cultures from a state of survival and overwhelm into a space of abundance and clarity. To learn more, click here.
Wisdom of Winter Retreat When: February 25 to 28 2027 Where: True North Resort, Nisswa, MN What: In partnership with Art of Presence and Taylor and Co., Empower Possible is hosting a winter retreat. Surrounded by peaceful lake views, snow-covered forests, and the quiet beauty of winter, this retreat is designed to help you slow down, reconnect, and restore. Come as you are. Leave feeling rested, grounded, and renewed. Learn more: https://taylorandcoapothecary.com/2027-nisswa-retreat/
Mountain 10 Workshops What is Mountain 10? During this three-hour workshop, we will focus on accessing your inner wisdom to bring about the changes you deeply desire in your life. We will use the Mountain 10 process, a proven, new technology for deep reflection on human change. It is based on the conviction that every person has the most important answers about direction, purpose, and calling within them.
For a Mountain 10 experience join the Wisdom of Winter Retreat. Can't make it to the Wisdom of Winter retreat? Join the waitlist. Click HERE
Please reach out if you have any questions: info@empowerpossible.com
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Connect with me on social media! |
Copyright © EMPOWER Possible |
Northfield, United States
EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation.
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Disclaimer:
This newsletter contains content that has been modified and inspired by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. While we use ChatGPT to enhance our content, it should not be considered professional advice. For specific concerns or decisions, please consult with a qualified professional or trusted source. The newsletter authors are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided by or inspired by ChatGPT. |
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