A weekend in the desert, a few soul talks, and one truth that hit me like a lightning bolt.

I just got back from a few days in Nevada with three dear friends, fellow coaches, students of life, and beautiful souls who’ve become like sisters to me. Once a year, we carve out sacred space to reconnect in nature, laugh until our bellies hurt, share what’s unfolding in our lives, and reflect back the light we see in one another. 

This year, our nature adventure led us to Red Rock Canyon, a place that feels like God sculpted it with His own hands. Towering cliffs of crimson and gold surrounded us, shaped by time and wind and the living power of creation itself. As we hiked the uneven paths, I could feel nature supporting me - every step a reminder that even on rough terrain, I am held and protected. 

I found myself studying the layers of stone, imagining what it must have looked like thousands (maybe millions) of years ago. Was this all once underwater? Who walked here before us? What stories are held inside these rocks? It made me wonder if the canyon remembers - what it once was before it became a hiking trail in 2025. And maybe that’s what healing really is… remembering who we were before life reshaped us. 

I took a deep breath and thanked God…for the beauty, for the friendship and for the reminder of how ancient and alive creation really is. 

That peace stayed with me long after we left the canyon. Even back at my friend’s home the next night, I could still feel that grounded calm in my body…like the earth had quietly taken up residence inside me. 

We stayed up late talking, laughing and going deep - one of those nights where time just disappears. And in the middle of it all, my friend said something so casually that it almost floated past me. 

 “We’re all here to set each other free.”  

I stopped her mid-sentence and said, “Wait - say that again.” It hit me like a lightning bolt. The words moved through me with that unmistakable touch of divine timing, when truth arrives right on cue. 

It wasn’t only about being set free from others - it was about being set free from myself, from the stories I’d been replaying for far too long. 

Freedom, I’ve learned, often sneaks in disguised as something uncomfortable. Sometimes it shows up as a person who triggers us, a hard conversation, or a season that shakes our foundation. Sometimes it looks like a “mistake” we can’t stop replaying in our heads. 

Yet here’s what I’ve learned… life isn’t trying to punish us. It’s trying to teach us. (Though some days, the lessons could come with a little less homework.) 

Every circumstance, every moment of shame, regret, every “why did I do that” moment, every feeling of guilt is really an invitation -  a doorway to understanding, to healing, to grace. And when we don’t quite get the lesson the first time, life gently brings it back around (though sometimes the ride’s a little bumpy) - opening the door again and saying, try once more… you’re ready now, just to help us integrate it a little deeper. 

Eventually, the learning transforms us. The pain that once felt unbearable becomes wisdom. The patterns that kept us stuck loosen their grip. We begin to walk lighter, softer, freer. 

That’s freedom. 

It’s not perfection and it’s not pretending. It’s just about showing up, breathing through it and letting the process do what it came to do. 

And it’s not just the hard stuff that sets us free - it’s the beauty too. 

Sometimes we’re freed by the people who mirror our light back to us, who remind us of the goodness we’ve forgotten lives inside us. That’s what this weekend was for me. 

One of the questions that went around the circle was: 

“What do you love about yourself?” 

It’s funny how such a simple question can stop us in our tracks. We all had to pause and dig deep. When it came to me, the words that rose up were: 

“I love that I’m a miracle.” 

Because truly, I am. And so are you. 

After everything life has handed me these last few years, the loss, the rebuilding, the surrender - I can finally say that with peace and gratitude. 

We filled the weekend with laughter, good food and soul talk that lasts long after the suitcases are unpacked. On Saturday afternoon, we traded the red rocks for the glowing lights of The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere - an immersive experience that somehow wove itself right into the theme of our trip. 

Glinda’s words shimmered across the light.  

“You’ve always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.” 

And then came Dorothy’s realization, which seriously made me lean over to my friend Mandi and whisper, “That was powerful.” 

“If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.” 

That line hit deep. Even though the movie was made generations ago, its truth still carries wisdom that finds you right where you are. Because isn’t that what this whole journey is about - realizing that everything we’re searching for…love, peace, freedom, has always been within us? We just forget sometimes. 

So when life feels hard or confusing, maybe we can pause, take a breath, and ask ourselves: 

“This too is setting me free.” 

Until next time, 

Francine xo