Announcing our special SURPRISE Women on Fire retreat speaker!

by on February 27, 2015
Our biggest and best event of the year – the 2015 Women on Fire Retreat – will be held in Chicago, April 23-25, and we have a surprise for you!

We are thrilled and proud to announce that Sheri Salata, president of the Oprah Winfrey Network and Harpo Studios, will be our guest speaker on Saturday, April 25. Sheri is one of the most accomplished and prominent professionals in television today.  And, at the same time she is one of the kindest, most caring and genuine women I’ve met. You will LOVE her!
She first joined Harpo Studios in 1995 and served as executive producer of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from September 2006 through its finale in 2011.
She only occasionally speaks outside of her industry, so it is a special honor to have her on our Women on Fire stage.During her session, you will learn about her life and work, her ups and downs, and you’ll be able to ask her your questions!As a Woman on Fire, you are invited to attend this amazing weekend retreat, which will be filled with inspiration, strategies and support and much, much more.  Please check out all the details for this nurturning and uplifting weekend here.

There are are only 21 seats remaining, so please grab your seat now. When all seats are taken, there will be no more available and the Retreat will be SOLD OUT. We keep these events small and intimate so that you can have the best experience possible.

If you have already registered, good for you, and you are in for a major treat to hear Sheri in person!

You also will walk away from our weekend together refreshed, re-energized and re-inspired after meeting other like-hearted Women on Fire and learning from roles models such as Sheri.

To register now, please go here.  Or contact Dianne@womenonfire.com

Thank you for being a part of this incredible community of women who lift each other up to live the lives we dream of.

Love,
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Announcing Keynote Speaker for Women on Fire retreat

by on February 13, 2015

I am absolutely delighted to announce the first of our keynote speakers for the 2015 Women on Fire Retreat in Chicago!

ABC News Correspondent Mara Schiavocampo, author of the popular book Thinspired: How I Lost 90 Pounds — My Plan for Lasting Weight Loss and Self-Acceptance, will share her insights, strategies and inspiration for overcoming your toughest obstacles so you can live the life you dream of.

Step Into Your Dreams ~ and Fly is the theme for this year’s event, which will be held at the beautiful Doubletree-Magnificent Mile in Chicago from April 23-25, 2015.

You are invited! And, if you haven’t yet registered, please do so now!

With only 35 seats remaining and the cost only $399, our retreat is expected to sell out soon.  (To help you with this important investment in yourself, there is a special two-pay option available.)

Please don’t wait and miss out on this incredible weekend to be energized, inspired and connected to other fabulous women — just like you!

You will leave this phenomenal gathering with your next steps in hand toward what you truly want in your life … and so much more.

And …

Once word is out on who our other special guest speaker is, all seats will be gone and we will be SOLD OUT.

Please don’t miss out on Women on Fire’s biggest and best event of the year.

Please register today.  And if you are already registered, please consider another amazing woman who needs to be here, and share this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with her.

Thank you so much for being a part of this powerful circle of women who support each other to live our dreams.

Love,

Debbie

P.S. Please don’t worry. If you’ve already registered, you’re on the list!

P.P.S. As New York Times’ best-selling author and lecturer Marianne Williamson says, “Women on Fire is the ultimate ‘you go,girl’ community for inspiration and support to manifest your own inner light.” No place better than our annual Women on Fire Retreat to shine your light!

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Time Sensitive! You don’t want to miss…

by on December 17, 2014

If you’re like me, you are running around like crazy preparing and planning for the holidays.

So I only want to take one minute of your time …
To tell you that our 2015 annual Women on Fire Retreat — Step Into Your Dreams ~ And Fly! — in beautiful downtown Chicago April 23-25, 2015 is officially open for registration!
And … if you register now and before December 31, 2014, you will receive an EXCLUSIVE INVITATION to join me and some of our special guests for a private VIP reception the night before the retreat for FREE. (If there is even space available at the reception after December 31, it will cost someone $125 to attend.)  Register today and you’ll be coming for free!
You will find ALL of the fabulous details and registration right here. With only 120 seats available and nearly 50 spots already claimed during our pre-sale for Women on Fire monthly members, this event is sure to sell out!
For any questions, please be in touch with our Member Care Director Dianne@womenonfire.com.
Come Spring, I see you strolling down Magnificent Mile, relishing in the inspiring energy and the joy of being part of this amazing community of Women on Fire! What better way to propel yourself into the New Year than by making time to work on your best life, while surrounded by unconditional love and support, in one of the greatest cities in America?
Now, that’s a present to give yourself to go into the year with:-) Please register today!
Love,
Debbie
P.S. Is there someone you want to share this special weekend with? A sister, daughter, mother, best friend or co-worker can make the weekend even more amazing! Many women are bringing someone they love and want to enjoy time with. And don’t miss out on the special pricing for women between the ages of 16-26!

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Were you in the room?!

by on March 3, 2014

I love you.

I thank you.

From the bottom of my heart, you are the most amazing women in the whole, wide world!

Proof was in the ballroom this past weekend at our 2014 Women on Fire Retreat in Naples, Florida! The way you loved and listened, uplifted and supported each other was truly like no other experience.

If you weren’t able to attend this year’s gathering with all of us, please promise me you’ll consider it next year. (We’ll be in planning mode soon to secure the date and location…in the crush of winter, Florida’s sun and 75 degrees seems to work out just right for a weekend respite 😉

I urge you so strongly to join us because you deserve this one amazing weekend of the year just for YOU. A weekend to learn and to be listened to and heard.

A weekend to connect with other like-hearted women and to celebrate just how far you’ve come in life!

A weekend to explore all your dreams and to think about your life’s next steps in the support and safety of women who care — and women who want the best for you.

All while listening to some of the most authentic and powerful speakers you could imagine. Here are some snippets from what we heard:

The root word of discipline is “disciple.” So the next time you’re complaining that you don’t have discipline, you have to ask yourself: “Do I want to be the disciple of my own soul?” ~ Nancy Aronie, NPR commentator, author Writing From The Heart and founder, Chilmark Writing Workshop

 

An educated girl can break the cycle of poverty in her family in just one generation. ~ Loung Ung, Cambodian genocide survivor, human rights activist, and author First They Killed My Father, Lucky Child and Lulu In The Sky

Joy needs to be a conscious choice. ~ Loung

To go beyond surviving to thriving means choosing your heart. ~ Loung

Thank you, fabulous Women on Fire sisters who attended and everyone who cheered us on. We know many of you wanted to be with us and weren’t able to come.

Next year my dream is for every Women on Fire sister to be in the room to be showered with inspiration and support.

Safe travels to everyone returning home from Naples. Look for a special email from me this week.

Thank you all so much for being a part of this life-changing community. When you have Women on Fire sisters at your side, you are never alone in your journey to live your incredible life!

Love,

Debbie Signature

P.S. Thank you to fabulous photographers Heather Stone and Rob Berkley for the wonderful pictures. More to come!

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Just a quickie! ;-)

by on June 24, 2013

Hope you won’t mind me popping in quickly to just say hi.

I’m in New York City with Rob celebrating my birthday and am squeezing out every single second in this fabulous city!

We’ve gone to the theater twice (saw performances of “Motown” and “Book of Mormon”; loved them both and recommend to you); had lunch at my new favorite restaurant Marea (author Toni Morrison sat by us!)

And we’ve walked, walked, walked including past my favorite Big Booty Bakery! Every time I see this sign I crack up, and Rob just happened to be there with his camera – ahem.

Women on Fire personal style consultant Holly Getty is headed over to pick me up in a few minutes — to go buy new bras from her special source. After our Women on Fire “Get Your Summer On” cleanse success, I lost 8 pounds and am now in need of new ones. (Sorry about the TMI!)

(More soon on how our fabulous group of Women on Fire, led by holistic health coach Amy Marzluff,did after our 21-day cleanse.  We can’t wait to share with you some of our favorite yummy, luscious, healthy recipes!)

Before I go, thank you to all the wonderful women who attended last Friday’s Women on Fire tea in New York City.

The tea kicked off my birthday weekend. And, just when I think a tea party can’t get any more inspiring, it does.  We had soooo much fun!  (We celebrated Kelley Black’s birthday, too! And, talented singer-songwriter Jaclyn Reilly gave us a little concert:-))

Photo by Rob Berkley

Women on Fire tea participants: Front row: Mary Ann Reilly, Jaclyn Reilly, Susan Perry, Teresa Goetz; back row: Meredith Schoenberger, Debbie Palocin, Darlene Wade, Holly Getty, Jan Nolte, me!, Lexi Baltazar, Kelley Black, Michelle Tenzyk and Shannon McCaffery. Missing from photo: Jenifer Madson and Pier Boutin.

Happy official summer to each of you! Thank you for reading The Spark! and being a part of this amazing community and for sharing Women on Fire with the fabulous women you love.

See YOU soon at a Women on Fire event!  I’ll be back next week … a year older and maybe even a week wiser:-)

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Best-ever Women on Fire Retreat!!

by on October 30, 2012

My heart is full.

What an amazing, inspiring weekend with women from 22 states and Canada at our annual Women on Fire Retreat held this year in Chicago!


The fabulous women who attended the Retreat! (Photos by Heather Stone)

Next week I’ll say more about what it was like to be in the energy of all these dynamic, creative, supportive women who are making a difference in the world.

But right now, those of us on the East Coast are preparing for the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and I am sending love and hope for everyone’s safety.

Meanwhile, please join us in a few Women on Fire moments from the weekend! More pictures next week.


Chicago host and Woman on Fire Debi Lilly cheering!


The wise and talented Sophfronia Scott, publisher of the next Women on Fire book, shared our plans for inviting co-authors to participate. Very exciting!


Kim Davis, Dana Frost, Nancy Neal and Cindy Clendenin listen intently to Margo Frazier sharing what she is “on fire” about in her life!


Blue Women Group? Not exactly! Dreaming Big was this year’s Retreat theme.  Everyone received a blue-gel mask to promote relaxation, better sleep, good dreams!


My sweet mother Mary Lue Phillips attended her first-ever Women on Fire Retreat. Here she is, happy in the moment with Laura Benton, Meredith Schoenberger and Arlene Alexander.


Enjoying the Retreat with my best friend Jan Allen, a coach and life strategist, who moderated a panel on Career Leaps and Changes and also discussed on her experience giving a TEDx talk. (Photo by Jamie Eslinger)


Yoga teacher and trainer Laurel Hodory led us to discover techniques for becoming centered and grounded.

To everyone who participated in this powerful, engaging, life-changing Retreat, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Safe travels home.  And stay tuned for next year’s Retreat date and city!

If you haven’t attended a Women on Fire event, I hope you will soon. No better way to fill your cup:-)

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Something to “wine” about!

by on July 23, 2009

New York, NY – An invitation I couldn’t resist!
Who:   Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach
What:   Wine tasting!
When:  A steamy summer evening in NYC
Where: Astor Wines 399 Lafayette Street, NYC (in their gorgeous new facility!)

If Laurie Forster is involved, you’re assured of three things:
1)    Wine will flow
2)    You’ll learn something (or many) things you didn’t know about enjoying wine
3)    You’ll have fun!

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Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, superbly demystifies wine one glass at a time!

Laurie is a Vision Day alumni and Women on Fire book co-author.  With great love and pride, I’ve watched her transform her passion and knowledge of wine and food into becoming nationally known as The Wine Coach® and author of The Sipping Point.

(She used to be in software sales.  You can read about her inspiring journey from software to sommelier in Women on Fire: 20 Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets (and Save You Years of Struggle!)

Back in the uber elegant, wine-tasting kitchen at Astor, Laurie chose a selection of summer wines for us to taste.  Even though I can’t even pronounce most of their names, Laurie takes the mystery out of wine so you can just enjoy!

I also had my good friend and Woman on Fire member Melissa McClain there to share in the fun with!

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Melissa McClain swirling her wine while listening to The Wine Coach!

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Both Women on Fire, Melissa McClain and Laurie Forster met in person for the first time

Weeks of no bread or cheese (Rob and I have been following Dr. Mark Hyman’s no-wheat, no-dairy eating plan since early June), I sipped wine and savored every morsel of bread and cheese☺

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Here are Laurie’s 7 summer picks from white to blush to full-bodied and sparkling red:

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Tastings of the featured 7 wines -- prior to empty glasses!

Gruner Veltliner “Wogenrain” Soellner ’08 – Austrian white wine nicknamed “Groovy” and known for its “pucker” factor has green apple, citrus, white pepper flavor; good pairing for asparagus and artichokes (two veggies that are apparently tough to pair with wine…who knew? See what I mean about having The Wine Coach® for a guide??)

Burgans Albarino ’08 – Spanish white wine, crisp and peachy; very yummy!

Susana Balbo Torrontes “Crios” ’08 – white from Argentina made by famous female wine-grower; Laurie pointed out this full-of-apricot flavor wine has a “big personality.”

Puzelat “KO” Rose ’08 – French wine; light pink in color, cherry, berry, earthy flavor; good with salads and seafood.

Glatzer Zweigelt “Riedencuvee” ’06 – Austrian red; good to pair with spicy, Mexican, Spanish food.

Juan Gil ’06 – Spanish red with hints of chocolate, coffee, vanilla; good with burgers, steak and chicken.

Brachetto d’Acqui “Rebecca” ’07 – A sparkling red dessert wine; if  you nibble a little  chocolate with it, you’ll swear you’re in Heaven!  (But we had no chocolate, so I just ate the rest of the bread basket…works with that, too!)

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So fun to experiment with different taste combinations of wine and cheese

Best news of all?  Each wine was fantastic and no bottle cost more than $18.99.

If you don’t know her, I hope you get a chance to meet The Wine Coach® or visit her website where you can register for her free wine tips.

Cheers to you for a happy and spirit-filled summer from Melissa, Laurie and me!

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Three Women on Fire toasting The Wine Coach after a very fun and successful evening!

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