Women Who Can’t Not: The Woman Who Stopped Waiting

Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t finding the time. It’s waiting for everyone else’s schedule to line up with yours.

For years, Christina loved skiing but found herself running into the same challenge many women face. Her friends were busy. Her children were busy. Life was busy. Ski trips were always something that sounded great in theory but rarely happened in practice. Joining a ski retreat with women she had never met felt completely outside her comfort zone, but saying yes ended up opening an entirely new chapter of adventure, friendship, and confidence.

What made you decide to join a ski retreat with people you didn’t know?

Charlotte: Tell us your name, where you like to ski, and how you like to spend your days.

Christina: My name is Christina.

I love skiing, although I wouldn’t call myself a great skier.

I’ve skied all over the world.

I learned to ski in Tahoe, California. When I lived in Asia, I skied in Japan, including Nikko and Hakuba.

Japan is probably one of my favorite places to ski.

Somehow Mother Nature knows to snow at night and leave fresh powder waiting for you in the morning.

That feels magical.

I’ve also skied throughout Europe because I lived there for about a decade.

These days, life is busy.

I work out, handle all the admin tasks of everyday life, and spend most of my time with my two children and their very busy schedules.

Charlotte: How did you find the retreat, and what made you interested?

Christina: The retreat with Charlotte was awesome.

It was a real eye opening experience for me.

I had never joined a retreat where I didn’t know anyone.

One of the things that attracted me was that I genuinely love skiing.

At this stage of life, my children are older and busy with their own activities. Most of my friends work, and many don’t ski.

We always talk about organizing trips together, but it rarely happens.

Life is too short.

This ski season, I decided I was going to stop waiting and make it happen.

I found Charlotte on Facebook and decided to take a leap of faith.

It turned out to be such an amazing experience.

What almost stopped you from booking?

Charlotte: When you first discovered the retreat, did you have any hesitations about signing up?

Christina: Absolutely.

I was really skeptical.

These days there are so many scams online.

I’ve never been scammed, thankfully, but I’m not someone who usually joins groups from social media.

It felt scary.

It really was a leap of faith.

I requested a phone call with Charlotte, and that immediately put me at ease.

Charlotte: What were some of your biggest concerns?

Christina: First and foremost, I worried it might be a scam.

You’re paying deposits and booking fees before you’ve met anyone.

When I spoke with Charlotte, I could tell there was a real person behind the business.

We talked for about thirty minutes.

She was warm, thoughtful, and easy to talk to.

That made me feel much better.

I was also concerned about whether I would connect with the other women.

Part of having a great trip is meeting people you genuinely enjoy spending time with.

And then there was skiing.

I’m not a strong skier.

One of my biggest fears is getting lost on the mountain.

I’ve gotten lost before.

Luckily I’ve always found my way back, but it’s definitely something that makes me nervous.

Charlotte: Why did you decide to say yes anyway?

Christina: Life is too short.

I didn’t want another ski season to pass while I waited for friends or family to say, “Yes, let’s do it.”

The dates worked and I enjoy trying new things.

Maybe it would be amazing. Maybe it wouldn’t. But I wanted to find out for myself.

What was it like arriving and meeting everyone?

Charlotte: Once you were on your way to the retreat, what were you feeling?

Christina: The drive to Tahoe was an adventure all on its own.

I don’t usually drive long distances by myself.

I’ve traveled solo for work many times, but not often for holidays.

A five hour drive felt surprisingly intimidating.

The hardest part, though, was committing.

I booked very last minute, so there wasn’t much time between signing up and actually arriving.

But once I committed, I was excited.

Joining the group chat helped tremendously.

Everyone seemed friendly and excited.

That really eased my mind.

Charlotte: Was there a moment that made you feel especially happy you were there?

Christina: Charlotte.

She was such a warm person.

She set the tone for the entire group.

The whole experience felt relaxed and joyful.

All the women brought their own unique personalities and energy.

There was one woman I skied with almost every day because we were at a similar ability level.

Everyone brought something different to the experience.

What surprised you most about the experience?

Charlotte: Were there any activities that helped you connect with people or learn something new?

Christina: The activities were fantastic.

I love yoga, so starting the day with yoga after a long drive was perfect.

But the surprise hit for me was the watercolor painting class.

I’m not particularly artistic.

It’s not something I would normally choose.

But it was so calming.

After two full days of skiing, it was exactly what I needed.

It introduced me to something completely new.

In fact, I think I’m going to keep doing watercolor painting after the retreat.

Charlotte: How did the experience compare to what you imagined?

Christina: Honestly, it was exactly what I hoped for.

I wanted to ski.

We skied every day.

I wanted to meet new friends.

I did.

But most importantly, I wanted a break from making decisions.

My everyday life is full of decision making.

Work.

Kids.

Schedules.

Planning.

I wanted a few days where I didn’t have to organize anything.

That’s exactly what the retreat gave me.

It felt like a holiday without stress.

Everything was planned.

Everything was handled.

I could simply show up and enjoy it.

I’ve honestly never experienced anything quite like that before.

How did the retreat change what you believe is possible?

Charlotte: Did this experience change how you think about doing things solo or trying something new?

Christina: Absolutely.

The biggest gift was confidence.

It gave me confidence in traveling alone.

It gave me confidence in joining experiences with people I didn’t know beforehand.

I still love traveling with my family and friends.

But life changes.

Everyone is busy.

Schedules don’t always line up.

This retreat opened up an entirely new world.

Now I know I don’t have to wait.

I can create adventures on my own timeline.

I definitely want to ski with Charlotte and these women again.

And I’m already thinking about other solo adventures beyond skiing.

What would you tell someone who is considering joining?

Charlotte: What is one word you would use to describe the ski retreat?

Christina: Awesome.

Charlotte: What would you tell someone who is thinking about joining?

Christina: Do it.

Charlotte: What would you tell your group chat about this trip?

Christina: Live life.

Charlotte: If this trip were a movie, what would it be called?

Christina: Girls on the Slopes.

Charlotte: What was your spirit animal on the trip?

Christina: An antler.

Ready to find your people on the mountain?

Whether you’re waiting for friends to commit, wondering if your ski ability is good enough, or simply craving an adventure that fits your schedule, you don’t have to keep waiting.

Ready to find your people on the mountain?

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