It’s all about engaging not retreating!

This is a sponsored post written by Jennifer Keilty-Frieson on behalf of We Move Forward.

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I’ve developed 3 firm beliefs about travelling. I believe there are good people who will help me in a pinch, wherever I go. I believe the most exciting adventures are the ones not planned for, which means any itinerary is really just a guideline. And I firmly believed that there are endless places to go, see and explore on this beautiful planet, so I soak up the flavour of each place, knowing that I may never be back.

With the exception of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. This is the one destination I keep going back to – to move forward that is…..

Isla Mujeres, or ‘Isla’, as it is more commonly known, is not just mysterious – it’s down-right magical. The Mayans figured this out hundreds of years ago, when they appointed Isla Mujeres, The Island of Women, as a sacred place to build a temple for the Goddess Ix Chel, the Goddess of Women, Healing and Abundance. Having a name that translates to the “Island of Women” is very apropos. Like many of the women I respect and admire, Isla is complex but clear, grand while remaining simple, evolving with a nod to the past, and always worth visiting. She’s also a lot of fun.

Getting to Isla involves flying to Cancan and then a quick shuttle to a bright, clean ferry terminal. From there, Isla is a short 17 minute ride on an ultramodern catamaran, across the transparent turquoise Caribbean water. This ride is like a passageway from one world to the next.

Once on Isla, I always realize I’ve chosen the perfect place to reboot and recharge. White sandy beaches, a walkable, safe, cozy and colourful town, funky cafes, bars and restaurants, yoga classes, and little shops all situated under the warmth of the sun and wrapped up in a lulling tropical breeze. It’s no wonder Isla beckons travellers back time and again. I’ve been four times – with plans to return again.

My yearly girlfriend getaway

When I visited Isla for the third time in 2012, it was to experience something as magical as the place itself – The We Move Forward International Women’s Day celebration. I couldn’t think of a more fitting place to celebrate women’s day than on The Island of Women. I would join girlfriends that were total strangers. 70 of them. Every size and shape, every age, every background – they became the reason I now think of Isla as my yearly girlfriend retreat.

We had all come to We Move Forward not knowing what to expect. By this point I thought I had seen most of what Isla had to offer. Not true. We Move Forward was an experience that could only be described as life-changing. Over the course of three days, I had the opportunity to hear regular “Janes” speak about their extraordinary accomplishments. I took part in yoga and Qi Dance on the beach, had huge laughs with new friends, spent time with local women, and also learned about the importance of the Isla’s Mayan roots from Mayan elders. I left inspired and revitalized, and with a new group of adventure-lovin’ girlfriends.

Now in its third year, We Move Forward has matured into a must-not-miss annual event.  I’ve already booked for 2014, and I’m taking four friends from home with me.

Exploring reinvention, creating my next chapter

I must admit, when getting on the plane after last year’s conference, I thought about whether I should be travelling to other places. Not yet, I decided. I’m going back to Isla to move forward.

Visit the We Move Forward website today and take advantage of the WMF Winter White Sale – on sale until December 31st.

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To comply with a  long list of regulating bodies, possibly even Geneva Conventions and in the interest of transparency, GoGirlfriend will be traveling to We Move Forward (WMF) as a social media correspondent and brand ambassador. Our expenses will be sponsored by WMF but all opinions expressed are those of GoGirlfriend.