La Dolce Vita Retreats

Today I attended the The Women’s Conference – The California Governor & First Lady’s Conference on Women.  This was not my first time.  I began attending years ago.  I remember being in awe of 1100 women coming together for a day of celebration of our roles!  I thought it was simply amazing that we filled the entire arena floor for a luncheon with plated lunches and had the privelege of hearing accomplished female trailbrazers as our speakers and having them share their stories.   In those days it was earth shattering and the energy was phenomenal.  Unbeknownst to me, my final journey began a decade ago, with the women’s conference.

I WAS IN AWE TODAY!  It’s been a few years since I last attended; in fact I think it was Maria Shriver’s first conference that I last attended because of my abundant travel schedule.  KUDOS, KUDOS to her.   I’ll be honest.  She was never on my top 10 list of women that I admired, or top 1000 for that matter.

But today, Maria Shriver touched my soul and inspired me in a most profound way.   I hope that she is on the top 10 list for our daughters, my daughters.   She has blossomed into a most beautiful woman, a real person - a wonderful mother, a poignant and loving daughter, wife, niece, cousin, … a woman who has found her passion and herself and her values.  She shared her soul and her humanity today, and she has never been so exquisite, or touched so many of us, as she did today. 

Imagine walking into a forum of 14,000 women – the energy could light up the entire western USA.  Today was the most exhiliarating experience for me because it reinforced my beliefs in living a passionate life; in being authentic human beings; in believing that each of us can make a difference; and that our relationships as human beings and families, and community members and global leaders are what bring meaning to our lives, and what make our country great.  I embarked on a journey that I believe in, for which I feel there is a need.  Is it sometimes scary?  You bet!  Does that little inner voice try to undermine my venture?  Right again!  But when you confront the fear and you contemplate what the loss is to you by not chasing your dream, it’s crystal clear.  Life must be lived passionately, authentically, joyfully and compassionately.

I truly believe that women have a special energy, an internal strength, a camaraderie that when brought together and celebrated, can solve many of the problems of the world. 

My dad used to say to me, “Janice, you can’t save the world.”  But, I watched him over the years, save people, by fulfilling their dreams, if not for themselves, for their children.  He did his deeds quietly but changed the world for many, never expecting anything or any recognition.  He was my mentor, my best friend, my role model.

In my mind, I still want to save the world but have resigned myself to making a difference.  I have founded La Dolce Vita Retreats because I feel that I am a living example to other women that we can create the lives we want to live despite adversities that befall us.  We can find the loves of our lives.  We can change careers and pursue our passions. If we can dream it, we can do it!  

I believe it is our responsibility to share that with our children and to set an example for them by living authentically.  We only are assured of this very moment, and I hope that each of us is living this moment authentically, passionately, fully, purely and proudly – setting an example for those following us.

I was very blessed in life.  I had a father who believed in me, who pushed me to excel, to come out of my shell, to face my fears.  I lost him too early.  But I always remember him saying to me, “You’re living in a gilded cage, Janice, but it’s still a cage.”  What he meant, of course, was that I needed to pursue my passion in life, that being successful meant more than a substantial bank account. 

As many of you know, La Dolce Vita Retreats is the culmination of my dream.  It is my passion….all the things I love to do, all the things I aspire to be and do, shared with like-minded women who are commited to making a difference, not only in the world but within their own lives.  We often nurture, reach out or sacrifice for others and neglect ourselves.  We must honor and cherish ourselves and replenish the energy we need to help and support others.  We each have a legacy we wish to impart to our daughters, granddaughters, great-granddaughters.  We each have dreams to be realized.

The resounding theme today was “Be all you can be, live passionately, be authentic, just do it!”  That is the essence of La Dolce Vita Retreats.  Come along and start living…la dolce vita!  Find your passion and live a fulfilling life.