Am I Worthy of Making a Commitment to Myself?

By Cathi Cherry-Liston
ETJ Retreater, Yogi & So Much More *

Am I worthy of making a commitment to myself? Can I move beyond my fear? Who dare I trust? Can I manifest my heart’s desire? What is my heart’s desire anyway?

PRESENT (2025) opened the pathways to remarkable POSSIBILITIES (2026).

I feel moved to share the transformation I experienced during the PRESENT retreat in Maine last September. I arrived emotionally spent, a sad creature. I left as a Monarch Butterfly!

PRESENT…I felt numb…went through the motions and poses of yoga…then found myself in Opening Circle.

“Who am I”?

“What is a clever adjective or phrase to introduce my future self”?

I wanted to say “authentic” but I was afraid I wasn’t. My circle mates were kind, comforting, compassionate. I wonder if they knew how much they carried and held me through that evening.

By the time I arrived in Winthrop, Maine, I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! I felt no joy in my life and blamed my daughter-in-law. My goal was to discover my authentic self and reveal it to her so she would see the positive qualities everyone else saw in me.

The back-story seems insignificant compared to the human woman I have become. In one sentence, because my details could be replaced by any of your challenges: My daughter-in-law thought I was an awful person who/whom she did not trust with their children, my grandchildren. (I have a lump in my throat as I write that one sentence.)

Being a longtime “Twelve-Stepper” I have learned that my happiness is my responsibility. In addition, I was reading Let Them by Mel Robbins. Not only does she teach acceptance and ways to detach from the people, places and things that cause us pain, her theory includes “Let Me” take action and responsibly for my life. I have skimmed through Worthy by Jamie Kern Lima. I learned enough to know I must get back to that.

This story could go on for a few more pages. I know ALL the details, however, here’s the gist of how my reality slowly began to change: Sacred Art, Silent Sacred Sunrise, The Wisdom of the Medicine Wheel, befriending a tree, The Power of the Pause, Yoga and Reiki, Soul Joy, The Channel Panel…

There are no coincidences. I was meant to be PRESENT, a vessel containing the wisdom from previous retreats, spirit guides, ancestors, earth, wind, fire, and water. I dared to trust the activities and adventures the retreat leaders and presenters offered. They guided me to say YES, to be my authentic self for ME, no one else.

These are my YESES since September 2025 to today:

First, I joined Heather McGuire’s Miracles Club on Tuesday mornings. At the same time, I envisioned creating a Medicine Wheel. Then I committed to ETJ Yoga led by Kate Lemay, Christina Alexa, Missy Manville and Kendra Burrows. Imagine beginning your day with them and the ETJ community! I started to journal daily using The Art of Conscious Evolution by Kate Lemay card that was pulled at the beginning of every yoga class. The sweat lodge! I enrolled in a 20-week course in manifestation. After Sandy Island (2026), I joined Sue Penney Bergman’s Soul Subscribing (TM) Society. Japa mantra grounds me~~ “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya: Thy will not mine…” That is how my day begins. At bedtime~~ “Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om…mmmm…” the seed sounds of each chakra to clear and balance my energy. Thank you, Christina Alexa.

Guess what? I figured out a few of my heart’s desires and miracles happened. My daughter-in-law and I sat at her kitchen table and we laughed together! My husband and I read The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. We’re still practicing, but we are beginning to speak each other’s love languages. Manifestation changed my reality. But I had/have to BELIEVE that anything is POSSIBLE.

I walk my path in gratitude.

With love,
Cathi Cherry-Liston
ETJ Tribe Member

P.S. January 2026 I turned 70! I’ll be celebrating all year. Here’s what has brought me joy so far: para-sailing, seeing James Taylor in concert, also Paul Simon in concert and zip-lining. I wonder what my next adventure will be…

 
Invitations:

• Join Kate Lemay to explore her thoughts on Closing the Loops.
• This week Christina Alexa contemplates, What Camp Gives Us, at Any Age.
• Early Bird Rate is extended for Camp Hi-Rock in MA, Oct 16 – 18! Join us for Clarity in MA!
• Win the Golden ticket! Join community in a FREE Sacred Sunday Yoga class, every week 8 – 8:40 am!