Dropping Below the Surface
Dropping Below the Surface
To celebrate my recent retirement from teaching, my family gifted me participation in a one-day retreat, hosted by Drop Below the Surface, alongside my daughter last fall. The summer flew by—as it always does—and suddenly, it popped up in my calendar that it was approaching time for our retreat.
I was excited for the quality time with my daughter—but a retreat? Doing what? What silly things would they ask us to do and why? To say I was a skeptic would be an understatement. (The truth I now understand is that I was also quite fearful of appearing vulnerable in front of strangers.)
It is hard to accurately describe—and I have tried—the level of care and attention given to each one of us participants during that ten hour retreat. From a survey sent out ahead of time that allowed Tracy Cutler and Carrie Johnson, founders of Drop Below the Surface, to stock our personal favorite beverages and snacks, to the luxuriously soft blankets distributed to fight off the chill of the cool morning—the entire retreat day was designed to make each and every participant feel intentionally cared for. That care allowed us to be suspended for a time in a safe, ensconced world of beauty, the magic of nature, and—as it turns out—a genuine community of women that became friends and supporters of one another and our individual dreams.
In all honesty, I come to this interview as a biased cheerleader of my experience, one that has not been forgotten and that I wholly appreciate for helping me both reflect upon my 35+ years as an educator and clear a path to accepting whatever new lies ahead.
Something else I simply must share: We all ate the most incredible food throughout that day. Healthy and delicious meals and snacks were brought to every new setting we found ourselves in. From a sunny meadow, to a deck surrounded by wildflowers, to a wooded trail—we were nourished and pampered, while all of our senses were being awakened, yet soothed. As a cohort, we were, as Cutler and Johnson explained, “Rediscovering what makes you magical.”
My curiosity led me to reach out to this dynamic duo to catch up, but also—selfishly—to inquire as to what other offerings may be available to me. I have found myself craving the DBS experience, as well as a way to stretch out the connections, learning, and celebration of ourselves I experienced last autumn.
Well, not only are they offering additional retreats (a one-day retreat in Lancaster on June 23, as well as a three-day retreat in Maine this October), but they are also expanding—offering a Dropping Deeper Community, with support from a number of successful businesswomen.
Johnson and Cutler excitedly shared the evolving and expanding details of this new offering.
“So many women who participated in the retreats have asked to find a way to enrich and expand the experience,” they told me. “The connections made with these incredible women and the day(s) spent taking time to affirm the energy we carry around with us needs to not be limited to a few days.”
They continued, “We want to be able to celebrate each other's successes and nurture each other when needed. We can do this virtually and in person.”
This new Dropping Deeper Community will include those women who have previously participated in their retreats, and also anyone interested in a new, growing community, which will exist both virtually and in person. Dropping Deeper is an invitation to allow ourselves to grow to be our personal best—in our businesses and our communities—and to expand our curiosities.
This duo envisions their growing community offering a range of learning and discussion opportunities for its members, as well. Cutler and Johnson have also begun collaborating with other groups, as they did this spring with an adventure skiing retreat, Rippin’ Chix.
These two women—already so successful in their own endeavors (Tracy Cutler is the executive vice president of the Lancaster County Community Foundation and Carrie, the co-founder and former executive director of Girls on the Run of Lancaster, is a leadership coach at Carrie Johnson & Associates)—together, came to the realization that they could offer a new and unique approach to the care and nurturing of women.
Their vision is of a community of diverse, talented, and supportive women, partaking in a collective that offers intentional gatherings where deep and thoughtful questions are explored, pampering rituals and celebrations are enjoyed, time is dedicated to nature bathing, pausing, reflecting, and being still. A community in which women can listen or ask for help, can laugh, and can be given the space to connect with our most vulnerable selves. The Dropping Deeper community will bring together the Drop Below the Surface retreat participants and women who seek a community of true inspiration and growth.
These two incredibly talented women, who have tirelessly dedicated themselves to improving our larger Lancaster County community, are now using their talents to offer all women a space to discover and unearth our very best selves.
On the morning of my autumnal retreat, I went in as a closed-off skeptic, having experienced false positivity and forced team building many times in the past. However, I emerged grateful and uplifted—and not just for a day, but in the time since. As I think back to the lessons I learned that day, as well as the affirming support I received by all involved, I cannot help but know that I am not alone. How could I be? After all, I belong to the Drop Below The Surface badass community!
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Drop Below The Surface Retreats
www.carriejohnsonassociates.com/retreats
By Marian Pontz
