I’m planning a sabbatical: Here’s what that means for you
A long note from my heart to yours
Yoke and Abundance turned 6 years old this month. It feels like a major milestone and a time for introspection and regrouping.
Over the last six years, from a professional perspective, so much has been accomplished. I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of incredible clients… I’ve produced panels elevating the voices of women, created a podcast with almost 200 episodes, hosted retreats, written a book, started a publishing imprint to continue to elevate the voices of women, and created programs that help guide women to profound and life-giving personal and professional changes and growth.
From a personal perspective, over the last six years, I’ve been on a roller coaster. I’ve worked to keep a fledgling business afloat, battled self-doubt, worked to change my fixed mindset to a growth mindset (still a work in progress), transitioned from a single person to a person in a long-term committed relationship, experienced the ending of a meaningful friendship, lost and grieved the unexpected death of a parent, and navigated the enormity of the global pandemic.
To say it’s been a wild ride feels like an understatement. I think about if I were my own client, I’d give myself a prescription for:
A sabbatical (to explore all of the ways I am not only my work)
A new personal coach (I’ll be working on the imposter complex with Tanya Giesler)
Go back to therapy (Ball is in motion to reconvene therapy)
Fun (Hmmm, I’ll be journaling about this one)
A retreat from social media (Already in motion)
Everything has a season, and this feels like my season for rest and regrouping.
I’m currently planning to take a two-month sabbatical in July and August of 2023.
To prepare for that sabbatical, I’m opening my calendar in a new way for clients. I have room for 20 new coaching clients in April that want to work with me 1:1 for one-quarter of targeted coaching.
This work is exclusively for women in transition. Could this be you, someone you love, someone in your circle, or someone in your family? Transition looks like…
Feeling stuck
Experiencing next-level feelings of burnout
Feeling like something is off or missing
Working through a divorce, empty nest, or retirement
The challenges of entrepreneurship
Working through a failure
Grief (grief can be caused by so many things, grieving a past self, the death of a loved one, the loss of a friendship, not getting a promotion or landing something you wanted)
A spiritual crossroads
Feeling like you have lost yourself after parenting for one month or several years
The after-effects of the pandemic
I’m not and have never been a career coach because our lives are more than our work. I’m a holistic life coach which means I use creativity and spirituality with practical applications to enhance your life. I take clients through a unique journey of personal discovery so that they can align with their true selves.
There are three main tools I apply as a coach:
First: Developing or returning to a creative practice/expression (even when the client doesn’t feel like they are a creative person);
Second: Research-backed positive psychology interventions;
Third: Developing, creating, and leaning into personal spiritual practices
In my coaching programs, we look at where you are, identify core values, work on bringing you into alignment with those core values, then we start to talk about your goals and dreams about how to move forward with them.
This work is a deep dive for people who are in transition and interested in using their transition as an initiation into growth, development, and in some cases, transformation.
On the other side of coaching is clarity, calm, and confidence plus a roadmap to dreams and a full tool belt of practices for when life gets challenging.
The two things I know for sure about my sabbatical are…
During my sabbatical, I’ll still be facilitating the year-long Alchemy Leap program and possibly parts of RAW, but RAW may be facilitated entirely or in part by one of my Yoke and Abundance trained facilitators.
When I come back from Sabbatical my coaching offerings will most likely NOT be the same as they are now, and I will not have as much availability for 1:1 clients.
If I can offer you a spark of magick, a push toward your true self, a return from isolation, or a guiding hand to help you find something you are searching for, now is the time to grab personalized and focused time with me.
The next time 1:1 coaching may be available late fall or early 2024. (At least 6-8 months from now.)
Applications are due by April 18.
Note on application deadline: The 20 coaching spots are available on a first come first serve basis, once the spots fill up they are gone.
As Always, Together We Rise,
-Alisha
P.S. If you’re craving a sabbatical too, you’re probably in transition. If you are unsure and would like to do a quick discovery call with me to see if it’s a fit, please sign up here. (I’m waving the discovery call fee in March)
Wonder what clients are saying about working with me?
"The time I've spent with Alisha, in both RAW and individual coaching has been instrumental in my development as a whole person. I initially booked my 12-session coaching package with Alisha, to focus on growing my business. She helped me quickly realize that some of the challenges I was facing in my personal life were actually impacting my business, so we began addressing those during our sessions. Alisha has helped me to understand that as a human, all the parts of us (work, personal, emotional, etc) play a role in the growth of each other. During our time together, she supported me as we dug deep, uncovered blocks, then looked at them and created ways to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. Alisha guided me in creating a roadmap for continued expansion in all of these areas. Working with Alisha was one of the greatest gifts I've ever given myself." -Amy Banocy
"Even at a crossroads, I thought I pretty much knew what I needed to do, yet still struggled with how to move forward. Turns out I was walking a path I deep down didn't want to follow. Alisha helped me realize that. Then she helped me navigate and focus on pieces of the larger picture I never even saw. Her wisdom was filled with practical tools that propelled me in new directions. She provided me the space to find my power and stand inside it." -Lyn Koonce
"I have worked with Alisha for the past 3 years, and I have had more growth during that time than I could have imagined. With her support, gentle yet firm wisdom, I feel like I know myself better than I ever have. She helped me realize what I truly want (and don't want). My thoughts about myself have completely changed. She is very thorough, asks all the right questions and really listens as she works out a plan to get you to your goal. Alisha is a person who "walks the walk." -Deanna Kennedy
"I’ve been fortunate to work with Alisha and participate in the Company of Women during the most transformative phase of my life. Alisha helped me to learn to see myself in a new way and to ask questions of myself I had previously not known how to ask. The support from Alisha and the community she has created has been invaluable for me as I’ve changed the course of my life in ways I didn’t even know were possible a few years ago." -Caroline Wilson
Alisha Wielfaert is a life coach and an expert facilitator skilled in the art of gathering women for meaningful connection and deep dives into spirituality and creativity. She is the founder of Yoke and Abundance, a platform committed to amplifying the emerging voices of women through her wise women podcast, press publishing arm, and individual and group coaching programs. Her first book, the best-seller, “Little Failures: Learning to Build Resilience Through Everyday Setbacks, Challenges, and Obstacles,” was published in May of 2022. Alisha is working on her second book, Little Rituals. In her spare time and stolen moments, Alisha loves watercolor painting. She is an avid traveler, writer, and speaker who enjoys working with anyone with a propensity to take action toward their dreams.