Dropping In
There is a familiarity to the space when I arrive to prepare the room for my retreat, Spring Awakening for Women Leaders.
The space feels welcoming, like a cozy sweater I haven’t worn since last season, and I can almost feel what it’s like to put it back on.
As the retreat host and facilitator, I can prepare the experience as thoughtfully as possible, but no amount of preparation removes the need to be fully present to what unfolds in the room. Like a wedding that has been dreamt of, coordinated, and focused on for months, the day comes and you have to trust that what will be, will be.
There is a dance with the moment. An opportunity to practice the leadership superpower I believe most of us are discounting or ignoring altogether: presence.
Each retreat group is unique. The women arrived with different expectations, things they were holding, and curiosities about what our time together might bring. What became clear pretty quickly with this group was a willingness to be vulnerable with one another and a genuine sense of care for each other. There was a genuine curiosity about one another from the beginning. People listened closely when someone shared, gave each other space to speak honestly, and connected quickly.
My experience of the group was that while there is often a level of nervousness walking into something like this, that initial “What exactly did I just get myself into?” feeling, there was a collective dropping in with these women that felt rare. That dropping in created space for deep rest, vulnerability, experimentation, and an exploration of parts of ourselves we do not always make space to explore in everyday life.
This is what becomes possible in this kind of space.
When you are willing to step out of your everyday life and into a beautiful setting, ready to explore what wants to emerge with care and openness, things can unfold that you may not have expected.
With all of the preparation and care I put into creating the experience, what I could not plan for was the impact my grandmother’s transition from this lifetime during the retreat would have on me.
My family told me she had begun hospice care the week before the retreat. My grandmother had lived a long life, and for that I was grateful. But despite my desire to help the retreat participants feel whatever was coming up for them in our time together, I noticed a resistance to doing the same for myself.
As the host, I wanted to hold space for the group, to be fully present to their needs, and to stay in flow with what they were bringing into the space. I wanted to appear competent. Like I had everything together.
Can you relate?
So often we push through whatever challenge is in front of us for the sake of following through on our best laid plans, missing the opportunity to be present to what is actually happening in our lives.
When we do not actually let ourselves feel what we are feeling, it does not simply go away. It stays with us, often showing up in our bodies, our relationships, and the way we lead.
How could I hold the field for transformation if I was not being honest about what was happening within me?
A moment presented itself. In the middle of one of our group circles, while I was sharing a teaching, I glanced down at my phone to check the time. My eye caught a text from my dad.
“Grandma’s breathing has gotten heavier...”
And there it was.
The realization that my grandmother was about to pass.
The moment threw me off.
I had a choice. Keep talking as if nothing had happened, or allow myself to be as vulnerable with the group as they had been with each other and with me.
My choice to share created a beautiful opportunity for the group to hold space for me, just as I had been holding space for them. It deepened connection, openness, and trust. It allowed me to be fully me, as the human facilitator.
We get to choose in every moment how we want to show up.
My invitation to you this week is to notice where you have an opportunity to be vulnerable and choose genuine connection with a colleague, family member, friend, or even a stranger.
What happens when you take that opportunity?
What happens when you do not?
And if you do not, what was the feeling underneath that choice that you did not want to feel?
So often, the deeper connection we say we want is sitting right on the other side of vulnerability.
A few reflections from participants after Spring Awakening:
“It’s difficult to put into words how impactful this retreat was for me. Nicole created a space where I felt both deeply supported and challenged in the best possible way.”
“I left feeling more grounded, more connected to myself, and clearer about how I want to lead.”
“The level of openness, honesty, and connection that developed in such a short period of time was unlike anything I’ve experienced.”
Save the Date:
The next women’s leadership retreat will be held October 15–18, 2026 on Cape Cod. More details to come.
If reading this stirred something in you, feel free to reach out. I’d love to hear from you.
Hi! I’m Nicole Bliss. I partner with founders, executives and teams to lead with more clarity, presence and courage, so their impact matches their ambition. To learn more about how I can support you and your team, please visit www.leadwithbliss.com and connect with me at nicole@leadwithbliss.com.
