Retreat was real stand-up event

As you read this, I am standing at my newly cleaned desk. You might wonder why I am sharing such trivial and unimportant information. Well, it turns out it’s not so trivial and not so unimportant.

Sitting all day, every day is bad for my health. It’s bad for everyone’s health. It’s become the modern-day equivalent to smoking. According to the Mayo Clinic, those who sat for more than eight hours a day, with no physical activity, had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking.

Though more study is needed to know exactly what type of risks extended periods of sitting pose, enough has been done to show that standing and movement helps dramatically. People need to take a break from sitting at least once every 30 minutes.

This also helps one’s mental well-being, especially as we age, and boosts energy and weight loss. Certainly, that cannot be bad.

Standing and moving also can help reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and back pain.

As for the reason behind cleaning my desk, the answer is quite simple. It removed unnecessary clutter. Removing that helped clear not only the physical space but my mind as well. Piles of things that need to be addressed have a way of impacting our thinking. They become nagging reminders of undone tasks or unpleasant memories.

These were just a few of the things I learned at the Women’s Leadership Retreat presented Saturday by the Boulder Dam Credit Union.

The retreat brought experts in the fields of finance, emotional intelligence, essential oils and wellness to share their insight. They also tailored their messages specifically for women, offering statistics, facts and solutions to issues that we typically face more often than men, such as taking time off work to care for children or an aging parent, the challenge of tuning out emotions when reacting to certain situations and the need to put our needs first.

I know I’ve faced all those situations and I could almost guarantee I’m not alone in these choices and actions.

We also learned about the good deeds being done by credit unions around the world through the Global Women’s Leadership Network.

In addition to the educational components, the retreat included a community service project. We created soft, cuddly blankets for children at nearby hospitals. The activity, which involved some cutting and knot tying, helped boost the camaraderie and kinship created earlier as we shared experiences that brought us there that day and that shaped our lives.

We began the day as acquaintances and strangers, but left with feelings of sisterhood.

Plus, we enjoyed a darn good lunch served by the folks at Forge Social House, where the retreat was held.

Eric Estes, CEO of the credit union, said the response was so positive it is planned again for next year.

I would heartily recommend attending. And depending on the topics, I may just go again myself. I suspect it will be a standing-room-only event.

Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.