Weekly Affirmation

After a week long amazing RETREAT in FRANCE!

I’m writing this on the plane as I fly back from France to the U.S., reflecting on what has been a truly wonderful experience leading a small, intimate group of women in yoga, pilates, and mindfulness at The French Retreat in Chalais, located in the Bordeaux region.

I have to admit, just before I left, I had regrets about committing to a week away from my boys. I was nervous, anxious, and unsure. I hadn’t led a retreat since 2012, and my mind was full of thoughts that were keeping me from feeling excited about the trip. Instead, I was in a more negative mindset. I boarded my plane on a Friday, set off for my adventure, and arrived in Paris early Saturday morning. And immediately, I felt at home.

I’d been to Paris on four separate occasions: once with my ex-husband and three other times alone, filming videos for a French production company called Coach Club. I’d spent two weeks at a time in Boulogne-Billancourt, across from the Bois de Boulogne. We shot at least 30 videos each time! I met incredible people and had unforgettable experiences working and exploring the city.

On my way to the train station in Montparnasse, I met a woman named Marie Christine (my name is Kristin Mary) on the subway. She had been practicing yoga for 40 years, which you could see in her eyes. She invited me to have tea with her while we waited for our train, and it was a lovely moment. She’s a fabulous artist, and I had the chance to see her work on her phone as she brought up various pictures.

I later grabbed lunch in the station and waited to meet my guides for the week, Jeanne and Louise, both from Brussels and in their twenties. They were honestly the sweetest, most awesome girls ever. Jeanne had helped with other Revamp retreats before, and Louise was her sidekick, documenting the trip through photos. At one point before leaving for France, I spoke to Kori, who owns Revamp Retreats, and she told me Jeanne would be my helper. It’s so funny that I thought, "Oh, I probably don’t need help with this retreat." But let me tell you—having them both there was the BEST thing ever. I am grateful to Revamp as well for organizing all of the logistics. I had originally been hired to lead a river boat cruise in Provence and then discovered around 100 people would be on the boat. I didn’t think it would be possible but had started advertising to my students and some had already booked flights etc. so I knew I couldn’t let them down. I went online and found The French Retreat and then reached out to Revamp to see if they could help me pivot and line something up.

We took the train to Angoulême and then a car to Chalais, arriving a day earlier than my students to settle in. Emma, the owner of The French Retreat, is beyond amazing. She and her daughter, along with their friend Julie, took care of us all week, providing the most delicious home-cooked meals and wonderful conversation. Emma mentioned that this was the earliest they’d had guests, as they usually welcome visitors from May to September when the weather is warmer. I’m hoping to return in June one day to see all the sunflowers in bloom.

Emma’s husband passed away unexpectedly in October, and I felt grateful to be there during this difficult time, offering her the comfort of our presence. I’ve honestly never met a better host. She and her late husband are originally from England, and together, they bought and restored the old property and home eleven years ago. They hosted many retreats for couples themselves and rent the place out for other retreat leaders. And I must admit, I fell in love with her cat, Stephanie. She spent many evenings curled up on my bed, purring all night, and I found it very comforting, reminding me of my own cat, Lucky.

Our first evening meal was incredible, and I was so excited to meet the women who had signed up for the retreat. Some I had met in person before, either at Peloton or at other events. Everyone began arriving on Sunday at various times. A few of us took a walk into the local town that afternoon (soon we’d be walking in daily it was so much fun and great exercise) and then gathered for an opening circle and practice back at the retreat center and once all the women arrived. Each of us wrote down our goals or intentions for the week on a card that we could later paint. I handed out “shine from inside” mantra bracelets that I had made for each guest from Little Words Project.

We enjoyed a lovely meal that evening and started to get to know each other. Every morning began with coffee and fruit, followed by yoga practice. Afterward, we had breakfast: croissants, homemade bread, the best butter, jams, my all-time favorite natural yogurt, farm-fresh eggs, and French press coffee. One morning, we had overnight oats, which were magnificent. We had downtime to paint, explore, run, or walk. Often, we’d walk into town and stop for cappuccinos, taking in the most beautiful terrain on our roundtrip. The scenery was magical, and the fresh air was invigorating.

We had another afternoon practice before dinner, and some evenings included a meditation session. One day, we visited a local vineyard run by two sisters who had taken over their grandparents’ farm, producing cognac and a few wines. I’d never really tasted cognac before, and we learned all about the challenging process of making it. We sampled six varieties, from the youngest to a 30-year-old cognac. Let’s just say that evening’s practice was very restorative!

On Thursday, I had a massage, and, wow, the therapist was magical. She had such intuitive hands, and her presence was warm and soothing. I didn’t want it to end.

There was also a pool where we could do cold plunges, and I can only imagine how refreshing it would be in the summer. Every meal prepared by Emma was incredible. From the salmon to the loaded potatoes, each dish was thoughtfully prepared, fresh, and organic. I stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried new foods (and yes, I ate dessert every single night). The chocolate mousse was my favorite, though everything Emma made was delicious. The tiramisu was incredible, and we had homemade chocolate cake one evening to celebrate one of the guests’ birthdays. Her husband had gifted her this trip for her birthday, and it was the first time she had traveled alone since having her three boys—one of whom has a condition related to his 16th chromosome and requires her full-time care.

What made this trip so memorable for me, besides the stunning landscape, location, and meals, were the women. I nearly cry as I write this. I’ve never met a more generous, beautiful, and supportive group of people. Each woman was going through her struggles, but all of them showed up with positivity, love, and compassion. At our closing circle, gathered around a fire pit under a sky full of stars with a crisp evening air, one woman said, “There was not a single bad apple on this trip.” That couldn’t have been more true. The retreat center itself was simple and rustic, which could have been a challenge if a group was expecting luxury accommodations. But this group rallied, celebrated each other, and made lifelong friends. We shared yoga, stories, laughter, and tears. It’s a week I will never forget, and I know I’ll stay in touch with these women for many years to come.

Looking back to the time before the retreat, when I was uncertain, feeling guilty, uncomfortable, and unsure of what to expect, I realized the mantra that came up in my meditation practice on the last day: “I STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN.”

The only guarantee in life is that there are no guarantees. Life will throw us curveballs—whether it’s divorce, cancer, starting a new business, having a child born with a disability, caring for aging parents, or losing a loved one. We have no control over what comes our way, but we do have control over how we embrace it. Every woman on this retreat showed up with courage, strength, grit, and grace. They are handling tough things with optimism, gratitude, and bravery. They took the risk to try something new, and so did I.

All I can say is thank God we did.

So this week, when you're debating whether to take the trip, run the marathon, or start that new project, I invite you to take the risk. Step into the unknown. You may not know what’s on the other side, but you’ll never know if you stay on the sidelines of your life. Go dive in!

Close your eyes, soften into your breath, and quietly repeat in your mind:

I STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN

I STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN

I STEP INTO THE UNKNOWN