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Celebrate Yourself With Your Own Personal Retreat
story by Holly Harrison and Shannon Stage
Nearly 75 percent of all adult women in this country are active in the U.S. labor force. Most get up every day, get dressed, and go to a traditional job away from home. Some get up every day and work from home, putting in the same hours for pay. The other 25 percent of adult women may not draw a paycheck, but they are working hard too, tirelessly taking care of their families and their homes. And after taking care of their jobs and homes, many still find time to volunteer in their communities.
Women are always doing what needs to be done and taking care of business. So, celebrating Women in Business this month means celebrating all women—the mother, the CEO, the teacher, the doctor, and the woman who cooks the meal for someone less fortunate. All of us. And more importantly, isn’t it time we celebrated ourselves? We need to give ourselves the kudos we deserve.
If you love to travel, do it. If you enjoy a nice meal, take yourself out to
eat. Spend more time indulging in the company of good friends who fill
your tank. And surround yourself with beauty and create spaces with room to breathe and refresh. If space in your home allows for a craft room, a workout room, or a quiet room for meditating or praying, start planning today. Make that extra room in the house yours. If you do not have the luxury of a lot of extra space—and most folks do not—carve out a corner, a nook, or just make one room that is shared with another family member feel more personal. A privacy curtain or room divider may be helpful. A sanctuary does not have to be spacious, just relaxing.
Your retreat can simply start with a chair you love that is soft and comfortable. Pull it near a window with a view, or into a corner
196 | September 2025 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living