This was our 3rd annual UNPLUGGED Retreat. Each year we explore the art of human connection through nature and creative expression. People were comfortable, nestled in their own rooms by night and nudged out of their comfort zones by day. We played, we laughed, we slowed down and we learned- together. This is the art of living and the art of human connection. This is Unplugged at its best.

The greatest compliment I heard was "Wow! I never thought about nature as a metaphor to inform my life or work. That's really useful!!"

If I can get people to slow down long enough to gain presence and perspective- an entirely new outlook on life and problem-solving emerges. It's profound, if and when we're willing to slow down to explore. At one point one person learned how being too comfortable in her life was affecting her bravery in stepping up in her business. Another re-discovered her sense of trust and 'gut-instinct'. Another found stress-reduction tips through laughter and intends to use them at her next staff meeting. These insights are real and powerful, and were found through play, walking barefoot through tall grasses and inquiry through nature and creativity. Easy stuff! It's the slow-down that's hard.

Our group was small yet powerful. Nurses and artists were the theme this year. Last year it was teachers and leaders. Who knows what next year will bring! The point is we serve people through a creative perspective to help them remember the power of presence. We all yearn to belong and be heard. And when we're so caught up in our tremendously busy lives we make mistakes, miss opportunities and create messes in life, at work, in our relationships, and in our bodies.

In an increasingly disconnected world, it’s important to find creative ways to reconnect to ourselves and one another, especially when facing change. It’s all about the process! When we explore the wholeness of life through a creative lens, solving fundamental problems is not just easier, it's blissfully refreshing!