Some days the news headlines are bleak. Some days the contrast between overflowing Walmart parking lots and empty spaces in front of local establishments can leave me feeling dismayed ... despite it all, those feelings never last for long. Around every corner I can find people who inspire me by their words and their work in the world.

Sierra is a woman who fits that bill. Reflecting her passion to be a stay-at-home and to support local businesses and fair trade products she launched The Green Women Merchantile.

Through her business she offers an assortment of gifts for conscious living and conscious parenting.

• Gratitude Gift Baskets
• African Market Baskets
• Children's Music ... and more.
  

To learn more about Sierra and her company, The Green Women Merchantile, and to support a woman making a difference in her community and her world ... go to Spotlight on Exceptional Women.

I LOVE taking time away from my day to day life on retreat. In the past few years I have taken many and each time I have been astounded by the results: renewal, clarity, and centeredness.

The farther I get from my last retreat, the more I forget the benefits. If I slow down though, I notice some tell-tails signs that a retreat would be a great thing:

• I feel restless and unable to focus.
• I find myself out of touch with my creativity.
• I am looking for a breakthrough of some kind that does not present itself easily.
• I hear the call - there is really no other way to say it.

Where do I go on retreat? It depends. I have taken off for some solo camping at one of my favorite spots on the planet - Cumberland Island, I have booked a few nights at a cabin within an hour or so of my home, and most recently I headed to Savannah for four days. The opportunity to spend some quiet time reflecting and kicking off writing of book two in The Woman's Field Guide series popped up when a gracious family member said, "Come on down! The house is all yours!"

As I arrived in the land of live oaks and inter-coastal waters, I immediately settled in to a retreat rhythm. No agenda, no have-to's, and no work to do. I took long strolls under Spanish moss canopies, I wrote as words flowed and honored the process when they paused. I ate light and simple, drank lots of water, wandered at dusk.

It is truly amazing to me the clarity that sparkled in areas of my life I was not expecting and the exhale I felt from some physical challenges that have been up for me. Every retreat I have ever taken has provided its own splendid gifts.

Clients ask me, why take a retreat? It is honest to say that I find it nearly impossible to give language to all the benefits. My response to their question, "In order to answer that question you must take a retreat and find out!"

I recently traveled to British Columbia, a land that left me in awe and wanting to go back very soon to discover more! The landscape is magical and diverse, the people extraordinary, and my experience was delicious in every way.

I say delicious because it was just that. Amazing  colors, smells, and light were on display at every turn, and not just the kind nature dishes up. I witnessed the handiwork and heart of many creative souls on this adventure. This led to me embracing a theme along the way. I began looking for ways that creativity showed up and ways I could view with a creative eye. Let me tell you, there was no end to it. Here is a peek from my vantage and some facets of creativity at its finest:

A sandcastle - can you believe it !!!!

A buffet of colors combined by a master gardener.

A statue crafted with such emotion and heart.  - Butchart Gardens

and the view from a camera lens of nature's beauty.

I share my theme of creativity with you to encourage you look for the abundance of creative expressions in your world and your neighborhood and to slow down long enough to really enjoy them.

For me, having creativity in my mind's eye during my trip was like viewing life through a lens that had been cleaned up and polished - everything sparkled and radiated. Exceptional viewing contributed to an exceptional trip!