Am I a loser for going away alone?

You know how to hold it together in a room full of strangers. You know how to come across well, how to say the right things, how to make sure people see the version of you that has it sorted. You've probably been doing it so long you don't even notice it anymore. It just feels like personality. In this episode, you'll hear what it actually costs to live like that, and what becomes possible the moment you stop. Lucy shares the story of arriving at a retreat in Italy convinced she was a loser for going alone, spending the first few days performing impressiveness at people she'd never met before, and then something unexpected happening anyway. Slowly, without a five-step plan or a breakthrough moment, the armor started to come off. And in its place came something she hadn't felt in years: the experience of being genuinely seen. Not the polished version. The actual version. This episode explores what it means to let a room of people meet you as you actually are, why that is so terrifying for high-achieving women in particular, and why it tends to unlock the clarity that no amount of journaling or strategizing has been able to produce. You'll hear why a good retreat doesn't give you answers, and what it does instead. And you'll understand why the decisions that had felt impossible for years can suddenly feel completely obvious once you've had enough ground under your feet to trust what you already know. If you've been wondering whether something like this is for you, or whether you're the kind of person who does this sort of thing, this episode is probably the most honest answer you'll get. Find out more at www.lucymaeve.com.