A moment during my recent retreat that changed everything for me

There was a moment during my recent retreat at Kripalu that I cannot stop thinking about.

We were in a quiet room filled with women who were exhausted from holding so much for so long. Careers. Families. Expectations. Invisible emotional labor. The pressure to keep it all together and smile through it.

Then someone quietly shared something that sent a wave through the entire space.

“I do not know who I am anymore. I only know who I used to be.”

Every head nodded.

Everyone felt it.

And I realized how many of us are walking around with that same feeling. We are still measuring ourselves against old versions of who we were. The body we used to have. The work we used to enjoy. The dreams we used to chase. The energy we used to wake up with.

No wonder we feel stuck.

Here is the truth that revealed something powerful for all of us that weekend: We cannot step into who we are becoming if we keep trying to fit into who we used to be.

So we did something major… we let the old versions go. Not with force. Not with shame. With love. With recognition. With gratitude.

And something new emerged for each person there. A clarity. A spark. A tiny shift in how they carried themselves. It was subtle but undeniable.

Which is why I want to share the heart of the retreat with you:

The Manifesto

This was the centerpiece of our weekend. It became a declaration. A turning point. A pathway to declaring THIS IS WHO I AM NOW… and really meaning it. 

And I want you to have it too.

This Is Who I Am Now is a powerful declaration of identity and transformation. It’s about standing in your truth and acknowledging that you’ve evolved, shed old layers, and are ready to claim the next version of yourself without apology or hesitation.

At its essence, this means:

• Acceptance: You’re no longer fighting who you’ve become. You’re honoring the human you are now, in this chapter.
  
• Release: It’s about letting go of who you thought you “should” be, or who others expected you to be.
  
• Empowerment: You’re stepping into your power by saying, “I decide who I am.”
  
• Integration: It’s not about rejecting the past, but weaving together all your experiences, the messy, the magical, and the mundane, into a clearer, truer expression of self.
  

This title invites you to do the same: to pause, reflect, release what’s outdated, and realign with what feels right and authentic now. It’s an invitation to meet yourself again with compassion and truth.

Keep it. Print it. Save it on your phone. Read it when you feel lost or when you feel that familiar pull toward who you used to be.

Let it be a reminder that you are allowed to grow and evolve and claim the version of you that feels most true now.

And I have some exciting news. Kripalu has already invited me back to teach again this August! If you were super bummed to miss this November weekend and feel called to be there this time, join the waitlist to be the first to know when registration is open. The retreat sold out and private room housing was gone so you’ll want these first spots!! You can even share which date you prefer. I would love your input.

I’m so curious to see how this next chapter unfolds, for all of us.