Happy New Year 2012! Believe it or not, despite our sunny skies and mild temperatures, we are in the middle of winter. On Sunday, January 22nd (the snowiest weekend we’ve had so far) a group of EFLI alum took time out of their busy weekends to attend the facilitator audition, ambassador and advisory meetings at our summer stomping grounds, the Eileen Fisher headquarters in Irvington, NY.

To start the day we were given tips on how to exude confidence and calm when given the chance to speak in front of an audience. The facilitator pushed us out of our comfort zones and gave us an opportunity to practice a skill that is undoubtedly difficult but so important to feeling confident and powerful!

After some reflecting on the workshop and filling up our mugs with HOT CHOCOLATE, we discussed what it means to be an EFLI Ambassador. We brainstormed what we could say to friends who might be interested in learning more about EFLI and reminisced about our fond memories from the 2011 summer. Some memorable quotes included:

• “We got to have interactive group discussions without judgment”
• “EFLI brings out our strengths”
• “We were never bored, there was always something to engage us”
• “Service learning and experiential learning”
• “It helped me meet new people who are going through the same thing”
• “I learned to belly dance and got a hip scarf! BAM!”

Following a delicious lunch provided by the guys at Good Life Gourmet, we began to shift gears as we were joined by some of the EFLI parents for the first Advisory Committee meeting of 2012. The Advisory Committee is made up of EFLI alum, parents, and some facilitators. The group, once fully formed, will meet four times a year. After an update on the plans for Summer 2012,  we brainstormed new ideas for Activating Leadership, Leading for Impact, the LIFE Fellowship, and the Mother’s Gatherings of 2012. We asked mothers if they had enjoyed the previous Mother’s Gatherings of 2011 and if they would be interested in more gatherings throughout the year; the answer was a resounding “yes!” to both questions.

Excitement was also building around ideas for the new second year program, Leading for Impact. The three week intensive will include a three day retreat to kick off the program and hopefully a field trip or two relating to the collaborative ‘deep dive’ action projects.

All in all, a very productive mid-winter Sunday and a great way to start the year!! It refueled the EFLI team with inspiration and motivation through the winter days. Check out some of the pictures from the day below. Are YOU ready for summer??