What I discover from Rich Roll in Tuscany

Last week I traveled to Tuscany for Rich Roll and Julie Piatt’s Plant Power Way Retreat, looking for guidance. I wasn’t alone; we were all looking for something and connected by a simple red thread common to classic stories: the death and rebirth of identity.

I started listening to Rich’s podcast eight years ago and had his retreat on my watch list in 2018. I hesitated to sign up, and then the pandemic hit. When I heard they were hosting it for one last time, I didn’t wait – the timing was perfetto.

As I’ve shared, our pandemic trauma, my Mom’s passing, cycling across the country, and taking on the herculean effort to launch my app chipped away at me. I was literally and figuratively limping into 2023, but I know that being around like-hearted, not like-minded, people is nurturing, so I set a goal to be with people this year.

My experience was life-changing, and as I flew home yesterday, I tried to understand why. Yes, our accommodations were beautiful, and the food was out of this world, but I’ve been lucky to travel to some beautiful White Lotus-like destinations and taste exceptional vegan food throughout my life.

Then I thought, maybe it was our spiritual yoga practices, holotropic breathwork, or my sunrise gravel bike rides, but I do these things here.

But somewhere over the Atlantic, I realized I didn’t know, and then I got worried. The trip wasn’t cheap, and it was a long way to go, not to come back with clarity.

So I took a nap, and when I woke up, it hit me.

On two of the nights, we had massive bonfires. The Tuscan night sky began to sparkle as the fire warmed the cool air. We all looked up and, without saying a word, realized that none of us had it all figured out. The universe has a way of demanding our humility, and there’s something extraordinary about sitting with others who feel the same way.

I don’t know the future, but I’m more optimistic about it after spending time with these like-hearted humans looking to ripple something worth rippling into the world. Today, I have more questions than answers, but I know myself better and found an excellent ‘peloton’ to ride with.

We might not know where we’re going, but we trust it will make a fantastic story.

Until next week, have fun storming the castle!

Ciao,

Michael

p.s.,

Tomorrow is May 1st and Mental Health Awareness Month in The States. It’s also time to start our Ripple Challenge® and take a small step each day to enhance our mental and physical well-being.

And it’s not too late to sign-up and ripple something worth rippling. Click the green button above and do something nice for your health.