The Day 60 Women Chose Themselves
And everything it taught me about connection, energy, and doing the thing anyway
Last weekend, I hosted my very first urban day retreat in Melbourne… and honestly, my heart is still catching up.
We had 60 women in the room.
Most of them came alone.
And within minutes, they weren’t.
There’s something so powerful about witnessing women choose themselves in real time. Not waiting for the perfect moment, not waiting for someone to come with them just deciding, I need this… and I’m going.
And what unfolded from that?
Pure. magic.
Connection Doesn’t Take Years… It Takes Alignment
One of the most unexpected (and honestly, beautiful) moments of the day happened before we even opened the doors.
I looked out to the car park and saw women laughing, chatting, already connecting. Women who had arrived alone… already finding their people.
When I asked how they knew each other, the answer was almost always the same:
“We just met out here.” And it hit me. Maybe connection doesn’t need time.
Maybe it just needs alignment.
For so long, I believed deep friendships took years to build. But what I’m witnessing again and again, is that when you’re in the right room, with the right people, connection can happen instantly.
No masks. No overthinking.
Just “you feel like my kind of person.”
We Are So Much More Depleted Than We Realise
Every conversation I had that day came back to one thing:
“I didn’t realise how much I needed this.”
These women — like so many of us — are doing the most.
Holding businesses, relationships, families, communities… constantly pouring out.
And what they were craving wasn’t more productivity.
It wasn’t another strategy or self-help tool.
It was to be held.
To be nourished.
To not have to think for a moment.
We created a space where everything was taken care of — from the food, to the flow of the day, to the energy in the room. And what that allowed was something so simple, yet so rare:
Permission to just be.
And the wildest part?
That feeling didn’t just last for the day. Women are still telling me they feel more energised, more motivated, more themselves… a week later.
It really doesn’t take much.
But it does take intention.
We Need More Feminine Spaces (Like… Desperately)
Hosting this day made something so clear to me:
We are craving feminine spaces. And we’re not getting enough of them.
Spaces that feel soft.
Flowy.
Considered.
Safe to land in.
When I look at the world around us — workplaces, gyms, the general pace of life — so much of it is built on masculine energy: go, do, achieve.
And while that has its place… it’s not where we refill.
This day retreat felt different.
You could feel it in the room.
Women relaxing into themselves.
Feeding off each other’s energy.
Letting their guard down.
And it made me realise — this isn’t a “nice to have.”
This is essential.
The Moment the Mask Drops
There’s a moment I’ve come to recognise when hosting these spaces. It’s subtle… but unmistakable.
You see it in someone’s eyes, this little shift where the mask drops, even just for a second. And suddenly, you’re looking at their real self.
And I always have the same thought ‘Oh… there she is.’
That moment happened again and again throughout the day.
Because when you’re in a room full of people you don’t know… there’s actually nothing to perform. Nothing to uphold. No version of yourself to maintain.
So you just… become yourself.
And the most powerful part?
You’re met with love, acceptance, and connection anyway.
The Business Lesson I Didn’t See Coming
Now for the part that might surprise you… This event cost me money.
It didn’t hit the financial expectations I had set. And if I’m being really honest, a past version of me would have cancelled it.
She would have played it safe.
Avoided the discomfort.
Protected herself from the “failure.”
But this version of me? The 2026 Claire, did it anyway.
And thank god I did.
Because what I gained from that day, the energy, the connection, the community, the momentum is something money literally can’t buy.
Since the event, I’ve seen a ripple effect across everything:
Retreat spots selling
New interest in our Bali retreat offering
A deeper connection with my community
And a whole new level of trust built with them, and myself.
It was never just about the event. It was about taking aligned action.
Do The Thing (Even If It Doesn’t Look Perfect)
If there’s one thing this experience has cemented for me, it’s this: Do the thing.
Do it before you feel ready.
Do it even if it doesn’t go to plan.
Do it even if it costs you something.
Because the most aligned decisions?
They don’t always look “successful” on paper.
But energetically?
They change everything.
This day was a reminder of why I do what I do.
To create spaces where women can return to themselves.
To feel seen, held, energised, and inspired.
To remember who they are underneath it all.
And honestly?
We’re only just getting started
Sending you my love,
Claire🤍
