Wow, the last month has been a whirlwind of travel, growth, coaching, learning, and lots of…wine and cheese.
I recently returned from Auros, a small village located about 45 minutes from Bordeaux, France. I led two retreats there: one was specifically for coaches, and the other one I co-led which was for people seeking personal development as they create the next chapter of their lives.
I learned so many lessons I want to share, and I thought it would be best to start with the biggest and most valuable lesson I learned.
I learned about the power and gift of ADAPTABILITY.
If you’re familiar with the Enneagram, Type 9 is the Adaptive Peacemaker whose core motivation is the need to have peace, balance, and harmony. Type 9s display characteristics of going with the flow, being inclusive, non-judgmental, and avoiding conflict.
My core type is NOT Type 9…it is Type 3 whose core motivation is to be the best, outshine the rest, and strive for success and efficiency.
One of the many reasons that I love the Enneagram is how it is a developmental system that explores the polarity that exists within all of us. It shows us how we have access to different choices other than our core type’s default way of doing things.
It is not by accident that one of the biggest growth opportunities for Types 3s is to stretch to Type 9. That entails shifting from the need to “do” and having a predetermined image of what success looks like, to learning to truly relax, go with the flow, and adapt to whatever needs to happen…AND still trusting that the outcome can be successful.
The theme of the retreats was “la vendange,” which means the wine harvest. Each year in the fall, winemakers only have a few weeks to harvest all of the wine grapes to make the season’s wines.
We incorporated picking grapes at local vineyards as part of the retreats and weaved in the question, “What are you harvesting next in your life and business?”
During the Coaches Retreat, I learned that it’s not possible to pick grapes in the rain due to the extra water and moisture that will dilute and ruin the wine.
As luck would have it, the day we were planning to pick grapes, it was going to rain!
We had to quickly move things around and switch days in order to ensure our grape picking day would be rain free.
We had to rearrange a lot of activities and I really leaned into the “Type 9” to adapt and go with the flow.
Luckily, many of the coaches on the retreat were Type 9s, and they truly were not bothered by the last minute changes in the agenda. In fact, they were very supportive and reassured me that everything would work out exactly how it needed to.
I was very grateful to learn about adaptability and the self-compassion and compassion received from others that comes with it.
After the Coaches Retreat, we had a two day break before the second group arrived for the Personal Development retreat.
My co-facilitator, Natasha and I were grateful and relieved that the weather was going to be warm and sunny all week for the second retreat. Perfect weather for grape picking and no need to rearrange everything around at the last minute!
Well, apparently the universe still needed to teach me about adaptability because a day into the retreat, both Natasha and I tested positive for COVID!
Coincidentally, or perhaps not so coincidentally, the second retreat was also full of many Enneagram Type 9s!
Natasha and I were able to adapt by having coaching sessions outside, sitting at a different table for meals, wearing masks, and staying on the other side of the room whenever we were inside.
We told one of the vineyards where we were planning to pick grapes about the COVID, and they understandably canceled our harvest visit!
Our bed & breakfast hostess Megan acted quickly and was able to find another vineyard that they’d never been to who permitted us to come and participate in their wine harvest! (Natasha and I stayed outside and apart from the group while picking in the vineyard.)
It turned out to be a great day! We discovered a new vineyard and everyone had a blast and discovered a lot.
With Natasha and I both having COVID, the lesson of adaptability continued.
Despite the setbacks, these unexpected twists became opportunities for growth and reflection. Each hurdle reminded me that adaptability isn’t just about reacting to change—it’s about embracing it and finding meaning in the process.
The experience of leading both retreats reinforced the importance of adaptability in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. From unexpected rain and last-minute schedule changes to contracting COVID during the second retreat, I had to learn how to let go of rigid plans and trust that things could still work out—even if they didn’t go as originally planned.
This was a humbling reminder that sometimes the best outcomes come from embracing the unexpected and finding new ways to move forward.
Ultimately, adaptability is not about giving up control but about finding balance between flexibility and intention. It allows us to navigate change without losing sight of our goals while opening up space for new opportunities that we might not have seen otherwise.
As I return from these retreats, I’m taking this lesson with me: life, much like a good wine, matures through patience, resilience, and a willingness to adapt.
Whether we’re harvesting grapes or navigating our personal journeys, the key is to flow with life’s unpredictability and trust that, in the end, everything will come together just as it should.
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