Unless you're one of the lucky alumnae who's had the opportunity to attend this incredible institution or you're part of the P.E.O. Sisterhood (238,000 members and counting), chances are you've never heard of Cottey College. 

While this liberal arts college for women may be small in size, this approach is intentional. It's a huge advantage for them to be collaborative, integrated and focused. With a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, it's no wonder that Cottey breeds success. And as you'll find, their legacy, mission, financial backing, accomplished alumnae and continual efforts to foster women leaders are nothing short of a BIG deal. If this is your first introduction, it's my pleasure to give you the download. 

Cottey is the ONLY nonsectarian college in the U.S. that's owned and supported by women, for women, and they're kicking off their first-ever "Going Places" Tour this month. Their first stop? DENVER! Full details on their visit are below, but first, here's the scoop:

COTTEY IN NUMBERS

• Since 1884, more than 8,900 women have graduated from this leading liberal arts college. Virginia Alice Cottey founded the college with the firm belief that women deserved the same quality of education as men. 
• Since 2009, the college has been developing a curriculum to meet the needs of women in the 21st Century, allowing new faculty the flexibility to create their ideal curriculum. 
• 350: Cottey's residential student population of women that typically represents 40 states and 27 countries. 
• Over $40 million: the amount raised in a recent campaign that allowed them to break ground on a new Fine Arts Instructional Building. 
• $1 million: the largest single cash gift in the history of Cottey from Thelma Serenbetz, which has allowed the formation of the Serenbetz Institute for Women's Leadership, Social Responsibility and Global Awareness.

If I could do it all over again, I wish I would have known this college existed. In 2000, Cottey started sending their ENTIRE sophomore class to study in a European city during spring break. And the best part? Students don't pay for these trips through their tuition and fees. They're paid for out of the college's operational reserves. Past visits have included London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Madrid and Barcelona. Cool, right?!

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP: THE STATS

According to a press release from Cottey College, the inequality of women in the workplace and the need to empower women through leadership development are increasingly evident. Note Michelle Obama’s White House initiative for equality for women; Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, her TED talks about how, “women aren’t making it to the top of any profession anywhere in the world;” and the United Nation’s International Day of the Girl designed to raise awareness of gender inequality. 

Ensuring that women reach key leadership positions within companies is good for the business community and for our economy overall.  A variety of studies show that companies with larger percentages of women in leadership roles significantly outperform companies with reverse gender ratios in leadership.

• Harvard Business Review reported a 2012 study of leaders in a range of successful businesses showed that men are more often placed in leadership roles, but that women at every level were rated as better overall leaders than their male counterparts.
• Forbes reported a DDI/Conference Board study that found, in companies that have the top 20% of financial performance, 27% of leaders are women.  Among the bottom 20% of financial performers, only 19% are women.
• A recent Catalyst study showed that companies with the highest percentages of women board directors outperformed those with the lowest by 53% for return on equity, and by 66% for return on invested capital.
• Forbes also reported from the Center for American Progress that just 14.6% of executive officers in the 500 highest-grossing American companies are women. Only 4.6% of CEOs in those companies are female.
• A Catalyst study, headlined, “Still No Progress After Years of No Progress,” reports that women held only 16.9% of corporate board seats in 2012, and no significant gain for the 8th straight year.
• From a political empowerment standpoint, the US currently ranks 60th out of 136 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2013 Global Gender Gap Index.
• According to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, out of 190 heads of state, nine are women.
• 57% of men entering a new position negotiate for salary compared to 7% of women.
• Women have outnumbered men on college campuses since 1988.
• Women outnumber men in earning undergraduate business degrees since 2002.
• Women as equity law partners, medical school deans and corporate executive officers remains at a mere 10 – 20%.
• Women’s “share of voice” – the average proportion of their representation on op-ed pages, as television pundits, on corporate boards and in Congress is just 15%.
• From 1990 to 2010, the U.S. fell from having the sixth highest rate of female labor force (among 22 countries) to 17th on the list.

THE ALUMNAE

From scientists and astronauts to journalists and entrepreneurs, Cottey's alumnae represent almost any industry.

View Cottey's Bachelor Degrees. 
View Cottey's Associate Degrees.

Below are just SOME of the notable alumnae. Ahem, notice the first three? They're doing great things in Denver...

• Nicole Vap, Executive Producer at 9News in Denver, Colorado and winner of Alfred I DuPont-Columbia Journalism Silver Baton for excellence in broadcast journalism
  
• Jennifer Brown Koenig, Education, Legislative and Health care reporter at The Denver Post
• Lynn Bartels, Political Reporter, The Denver Post, Featured writer covering the Oklahoma bombing trials
• Dr. Carol Belt, Meteorologist, completed astronaut training as a Major in U.S. Air Force
• Miriam Stephens Kindred, First woman manager and stockbroker at E.F. Hutton
• Stacy Kerr Wooters, Former special assistant to Nancy Pelosi, now assistant vice president at Georgetown University
• Maggie White Brooks, Founder of Maggie B Natural body products for adults and babies
• Erica Rounsefell, American diplomat posted as Education Officer
• Jen Mele, Product designer for Michael’s Stores, Inc.
• Katie Miller, Production Associate, CBS This Morning at CBS News
• Julie Hunsaker Grandi, Career at Jet Propulsion Laboratories
• Julie Wilson, Wells Fargo Bank, managing clients with sales of $20 million to $200 million
• Nicole Facciuto, Designer on hit shows “Restaurant Impossible” and “Fix This Kitchen"
• Jamie Gray, Assistant professor at the Kansas City Art Institute
• Christine Fuller Scheuneman, Litigation partner at one of the nation’s leading law firms
• Kim Krause Haddow, Head women’s golf coach, University of Arizona, member Golf Coach Hall of Fame
• Carol Littleton, Oscar-nominated film editor for E.T. Other credits include The Big Chill, Places in the Heart, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Accidental Tourist, Benny & Joon (and many more)
• Kelley Smith Tunney, First general manager of the Associated Press and current vice president
• Jamie Eslinger, Former Director of Marketing for Baskin-Robbins and Bertucci’s, author and creator of The Promise 365
• Francine Irving Neff, Former United States Treasurer, signed the 1976 $2 bill
• Marijana Kolak, Former advisor to the Serbian Minister of Energy and Mining
• Morgan Shaw, Senior manager – North American Communications at Nike
• Darya Zhuk, Film producer/Media Analyst at HBO
• Heather Coffin Gerban, Opera singer in New York City
• Robin McClellan, Former U.S. Diplomat, currently Director of Minerals Research Initiatives for Curtin University in Perth, Australia
• Yuliya Smyk, Crude oil trader, British Petroleum
• Jo Anne Youtz McFarland, College President
• Joseryl Beckley, Professional Singer and principal of the Ballanta Academy of Music, Freetown, Sierra Leone

THE "GOING PLACES" TOUR

While in Denver, Cottey College will announce its new, interdisciplinary baccalaureate degrees that are supported by the Serenbetz Institute for Women’s Leadership, Social Responsibility and Global Awareness – degrees designed to help women become more confident, prepared leaders in a global society. Cottey's President, Dr. Judy Rogers, will be speaking at many of these events and in attendance at all of them. If you're interested in meeting with or interviewing Dr. Rogers, please email brit@britstuevenpr.com ASAP.

THE SCHEDULE

President’s Wine and Cheese Reception
Thursday, September 25th 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location:  Sage Room, Oxford Hotel, 1600 17th St., Denver, CO  80202
Hosts:  Dr. Judy, Dr. Glenn Rogers and Nicole Vap
Title:  Leadership Training for Women: From the Classroom to the Real World
Audience:  Donors, PEOs, Alums, Women of Influence, Women’s Organizations
Speaker:  Dr. Judy Rogers

>>> If you're interested in attending the President's Reception, please email brit@britstuevenpr.com ASAP for more info. Space is limited!

Denver Area Cottey Club Brunch
Date:  September 26th 9 a.m.
Location:  Pinehurst Country Club, 6255 W. Quincy Ave. Denver, CO  80235
Audience:  PEOs, Alumnae

The President’s Student/Parent Brunch
Date:  September 27th, 10 a.m.
Location:  The View House, 2015 Market St., Denver CO  80205
Audience:  Prospective students, parents, high school counselors, PEO Scholarship committee members
Speaker:  Dr. Rogers 

Cottey College Alumnae Event
Date:  September 27th, 2 p.m.
The Tavern
Audience: Cottey Alumnae

Welcome to the second to last stop of the Skinny Dip Society Blog Tour! I'm so glad you're here. 

So, what is the Skinny Dip Society? Don't worry. We all keep our clothes on. ;) 

Katie Den Ouden puts it perfectly:

That's where the blog tour comes in. 20 WOMEN. 20 DAYS. 20 WAYS to Feed Your Soul. Free Your Body. Love Your Life.

Time to get deep, my friends... 

When Katie asked me to join, I was so honored, excited, and to be honest, a little surprised! A few clicks around the fabulous contributors' posts and it's clear that these women are embracing their truth, story and way of life. They seem to have it all figured out. They're not stuck or confused. They're truly free and leading the way.

I purposely chose this date not only because it's my lucky number, but also because I needed proper time to marinate on exactly what I'd share. And as this day grew nearer, the further I fell into a funk and the less fitting it felt for me to share my story or advice on, well, loving life. The doubts set in: 

"Who am I to tell people how to be truly happy...especially if I'm not over-the-moon loving life right now?" 
"What makes me an expert on life, freeing your body and feeding your soul?" 
"Do I have credibility for this sort of stuff? I'm not established enough." 

THEN, it all hit me, as it always does when I'm reaching the end of a rut. I was reminded for the thousandth time that life is not about arriving at some glorious destination of happiness and perfection. It's a 24/7 work in progress that's messy and beautiful all at once. Every single one of us has an amazing story coupled with even better advice inspired from our individual journeys no matter what our profession is or how "established" we are.

Yesterday, I soaked in some amazing advice from my husband (embrace the negatives, shift your perspective and ask what you can learn), listened to my heart and realized this: 

Being truly alive means embracing our everyday challenges for what they are (no matter how massive or mundane) and appreciating what they're teaching us. Being truly alive means connecting to others with authenticity, stopping to smell the roses (literally) and reveling in our ability to create our own destiny. Being truly alive means facing our fears and ditching our comfort zone. 

So what feeds my soul? Here's just SOME of it. I hope you find snippets of inspiration for your own path.

FUNKS

That's right. Not your typical inspirational topic, but I secretly love ruts and challenges. Each time I've felt stuck or "not there yet," I've gained that much more patience and gratitude in my personal journey and especially in my business. 

It's what happens at the tail end of these "off times" that brings me the most clarity. But the secret is to embrace it and not bury it. Next time you're in one, face what you're feeling and LISTEN to what the tension in your heart is telling you. You'll discover magical things.

Be grateful for the curve balls life throws you. The second I catch what these unexpected pitches are throwing at me, I feel SO alive, and I'm reminded that great things take time. Some of the biggest realizations from my life events haven't hit me until years later, and it's those "AH HA!" moments when everything begins to make sense. My soul lights up and my heart feels electric. 

Only positive things can come from shifting your perspective about the negatives. 

FLOWERS

Flowers symbolize so much for me. 

Flowers symbolize what inspired me to follow my heart + start my business. They are always a reminder that we have the ability to create our destiny, and sometimes we have to let nature take its course. When I decided to take a 180 from my corporate path, one of the driving forces was my craving for COLOR, creative freedom and working with people who created a business around what they LOVE. 

So, I decided to approach The Perfect Petal, a gorgeous flower shop meets garden-inspired boutique meets mega-talented event design team. They've been around for almost 20 years and have played a huge role in supporting emerging and established designers while giving back to great causes. 

From the first conversation I had with Owner Cindy Ollig, everything just fit. It's where my whole business journey began, actually. But the best part? Starting a business happened by accident. It happened ORGANICALLY. By following my heart and taking a chance on what fueled my soul, the doors continued to open, and the ideas continued to bloom. When you're doing what you love, people pick up on it. They thrive off of it. Making that first leap is beyond terrifying, but I have NEVER, I repeat, NEVER heard anyone speak regrets about letting their heart lead the way.

Flowers remind me to slow down and drink it all in. These delicate beauties, whether blooming near city sidewalks or sitting pretty at a special event, always catch my eye and remind me that even the smallest things can make a big impact. They represent endless possibility, BEAUTY and organic growth.

TAKING FLIGHT FROM THE FAMILIAR 

Saving the best for last, it's time to talk about my favorite topic: DITCHING THE COMFORT ZONE. All the best things in my life have resulted from doing something out of my everyday bubble of comfort, and every time I've stepped out of it, it's fed my soul and enriched my journey. Here are some of my favorites:

COUCH SURFING IN NEW YORK. My senior year of college, I contacted every woman on BUST Magazine's masthead telling them how badly I wanted to come intern for them. That itself wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I was so determined. It felt so right. Fast forward two weeks into the internship, and the gal I was subletting from was moving back from Miami. Luckily, my sister's friends from college took me under their wing and let me couch surf until I went home. For this Colorado girl who'd never lived out of state, living with three guys (who are now considered my older brothers) out of a suitcase was most certainly out of the ordinary, but I LOVED it. I wouldn't trade that summer for the world. I felt so free, adventurous and happy. I learned SO much about myself, others, and what I wanted to do with my career path: work with WOMEN!

TRYING STAND-UP COMEDY. I used to frequent the Squire Lounge on East Colfax on Tuesday nights for their open-mic comedy night. I lived nearby at the time and LOVED the eclectic crowd it would draw. There was always a great mix of comedians (veterans and rookies), but there were hardly any women who'd get behind that mic. So, my friend Will and I came up with some routines (I thought it'd be wise to impersonate Harry Caray and Bobcat Goldthwait...no big deal...) and tried it out. I WAS SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. Unfortunately, they scheduled me to go on second to last, which meant I had a handful of hours to drink my nerves away. Let's just say I had a few too many vodka sodas and most certainly bombed, BUT it's one of my favorite memories, it's a story I'll always remember, and my friends got quite a kick in the pants over it. When I went back a year later, the bartender totally remembered me and impersonated my act. Mission accomplished. 

GOING ON A BLIND DATE. This is how I met my husband. My mom and my now-husband's aunt actually conspired the whole thing, and this is hands down the best decision I have EVER made in my life. Being open to the possibilities even though it scared me to the moon and back? Well, it worked out...

STARTING DANCE PARTIES IN UNEXPECTED PLACES. I. LOVE. DANCING. THAT is what makes me come alive. Need I say more? 

TRYING A HANDSTAND ON THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. First off, just going to China alone sparked some big-time anxiety, but it was a life-changing experience I am so grateful for. It changed my world so much that I wanted to document every experience I could through emails to family and friends in the States. Here was the first paragraph: 

This is my first real international trip. I traveled to Vancouver in college, and the longest flight I've ever been on was to Hawaii. I never studied abroad or did the post-college-backpacking-through-Europe, and I certainly never had any interest to hit Mexico. In fact, when David first told me he would be traveling to China for work and suggested I join, my response was an immediate no. I didn't want to deal with the long flight or spend all the money to visit a place I had never wanted to go to. I imagined it would be like Times Square on steroids, with overwhelming crowds, no fresh air, entirely too much madness, and no flexibility for the everyday germophobe. (OK, so all those assumptions now ring true, but I'll get to that in a bit.)

You can read my full journey here.

SO, once you pop that comfort bubble, there's a ripple effect of fun decisions that follow. While on The Great Wall, I asked David's boss to do a handstand with me. While I complete;y butchered my attempt, (and unfortunately, there's video footage), it was in this moment that I felt truly alive and free.  We were all laughing so hard. I loved it. 

DOING A SURPRISE FATHER-DAUGHTER DANCE. This was my DAD's idea. How cute is that? Nailing this dance at my wedding scared me more than walking down the aisle or exchanging vows in front of everyone, but it's one of my favorite memories of ALL time. Talk about LOVING that you did something so frightening. OK, now go watch the dance. 

EMCEEING URBAN CAMPFIRE. A few weeks before the first Urban Campfire in Denver, Melody Biringer told me the woman who normally emcees these events wasn't making it. When she asked me if I wanted to do it, I said, "Well, no, but I HAVE to!" Scared yet again, I knew in my heart that I needed to do it. I had poured so much love into planning this event and finding the speakers that it just. had. to. be. done. AND guess what? I survived! It was a tremendous experience that had me feeling so alive, in the moment and wanting more. Everyone's feedback was so beyond positive, too. It was very eye-opening!

MOVING TO GERMANY. Ah, yes. Perhaps the biggest and most exciting adventure of my life awaits me in just a few months. My husband and I are moving to Dusseldorf for two years come this November! While scared (yet again), I'm overflowing with excitement for what this adventure will bring. THAT, my friends, is to be continued...

If you've made it all the way down here, congrats! Again, I hope you've found tidbits of inspiration for your own journey. Ready to read more from the other bloggers on the Skinny Dip Society Blog Tour? 

MEET YESTERDAY'S BLOGGER:

MEET TOMORROW'S BLOGGER:

Ready to create your own MANIFESTO? Join Katie Den Ouden and a sisterhood of women on this 10-day journey:

What do you think about when you hear the word "cleanse?" Before I dove into the two-week experience that is the Conscious Cleanse, that word triggered all kinds of things for me. Deprivation, powdered shakes, starvation, more shakes, frustration, pear and kale overkill, unexpected constipation (Yeah, I'm going there), hibernation, no energy, rule-breaking guilt, short-lived weight loss, and deep anticipation for it all to be OVER. 

Well, the Conscious Cleanse program is a complete 180 of this experience and not some short-term reset. It's about living and eating more mindfully while instilling healthy habits into your daily rituals. It's about working your way to your optimal health and focusing on how you FEEL. 

It's about being gentle on yourself, loving on yourself and knowing that there's no such thing as a quick fix or a wagon to fall off of.  The Conscious Cleanse is not about perfection. It's about commitment. 

On this cleanse, there are no calorie limits. You can actually eat meat if you want. There's an optional two-day purification weekend of soups and smoothies, but again, it's optional. And the BEST and most crucial part of this journey? THE COMMUNITY. Oh my WOW. It's just too good. 

But first? The back story. 

Jo Schaalman, co-founder of the Conscious Cleanse, is a walking success story...a comeback queen, if you will. A state champion gymnast and nationally ranked diver and diving coach, Jo has always been focused on a healthy, active lifestyle. But in 2004, just as she was prepping for medical school and leading a 3,000-mile cross-country bike trip, she was t-boned by a semi truck. The laundry list of injuries, including a shattered spine, left doctors feeling helpless and Jo in a funk. She was handed pain killers and antidepressants and told her life would never be the same.

Through her grueling recovery, Jo was determined to feel better and lose the 30 pounds she gained while healing her spine. She knew there was more in store for her. Through experimenting with whole foods, mindfulness, committing to clean eating and working with yoga and nutrition mentors, she healed herself with food. It's this incredible process that inspired the foundation of the Conscious Cleanse.

During these realizations, little did Jo know that she and her now partner in cleansing crime, Julie (Jules) Peláez, were independently beginning to look at food as medicine. Sharing their mutual love for yoga and whole food nutrition, this duo created and tested the Conscious Cleanse in 2010. Twenty people tried it out with a yoga detox program at Yoga Pod, and participants experienced life-changing results. Jo lost 15 pounds and her pain dramatically decreased. They were on to something.

With all that, you're set up for success, right? Well, I almost didn't even make it past the transition phase. Before Day 1 even kicked off, I was kicking MYSELF for eating donuts, pizza, beer and wine all in one day. (Talk about wanting more of what you can't have, right?) Everyone was posting their tidbits about what they started to cut out of your diet, foods they were beginning to prep, and here I was...the gluten-guzzling rebel. So, in a moment of panic, I decided to just spill it all for the group to see. I thought maybe someone would be struggling, too, or owning up to their indulgences. I thought maybe the coaches would provide some encouragement. 

So, I admitted to every last detail, worry, and fear about where I was at, and not even minutes after I posted, there was an outpouring of support from fellow cleansers admitting their own struggles and serving up advice. Then, there was this AMAZING comment from one of the coaches:

Total game changer, right? This woman was a godsend. This kind of response and support was exactly what everyone was receiving throughout the whole process. Inspired to treat myself well and indulge in a different kind of way, I dove into Day 1 with an open mind.

The first three days were strong. They consisted of: 

• drinking a quart of lemon water in the mornings (which is such a great habit to get into for eight amazing reasons), experimenting with delicious smoothies and introducing new fruits into the mix like mangoes
• replacing oatmeal with quinoa, avoiding caffeine, gluten, dairy, sugar and alcohol
• drinking TONS of water (my weight in ounces and then some)
• appreciating protein intake as a true source of energy and eating lots of chicken, salmon and beans 
  
• eating when I felt hungry and savoring all the flavors of the whole foods I was nourishing my body with
• eating slowly and mindfully
• discovering new, delicious things like lemon cinnamon chicken (It was an accident...a delicious one, that is!) and toasted coconut flakes (so DANG good) 

I will say, on the first night, I didn't eat the gluten-packed dinner that was being served at this golf outing, but I DID cave and eat an ice cream sandwich. There was some guilt about that. ;) The next morning, I was anxious about a big event that night. How was I going to be "good" and not have a glass or two of wine...especially when it was a celebration for something I was part of? Well, after turning to the amazing Facebook group and putting it ALL out there again, here's what I got in return: 

Amazing. I could go on and on. So, I'll be even more honest with you. From an outsider's view of this cleanse, I broke tons of rules and it's time to fess up. However, in the root of these confessions are some amazing, personal realizations. Here goes:  

CONFESSION: I only FULLY followed the cleanse for 3 of the 14 days. *bites fist* *hides*

• REALIZATION: In those three days, I learned more about my body, mindset and relationship with food, booze and caffeine than I have in the last five years. Everyone sets their own intention at the beginning, and mine was to instill healthier habits into my morning and weekend routines. Well, I immediately fell in love with drinking lemon water in the morning and tons of water throughout the day. How GREAT it feels to be TRULY hydrated. I discovered a tasty smoothie combo of spinach, banana, parsley, nectarine, and of course, cinnamon. 
  
  This cleanse was not about deprivation or cutting things 100% out for the 14 days. For me, it was a jump-start to a ripple effect of routines that I will nail down over time. I wasn't in this for a quick fix. I was in this to learn small changes that will become long-term habits. The moment I was told there's no such thing as perfectionism, that I couldn't fall off the wagon and to pick myself up with love, boy, I latched on HARD to that. And it's made SUCH an impact on me from the inside out. 
  
  

CONFESSION: I reintroduced wine on Day 4. What?!

• REALIZATION: Wine is my weakness. (OK, that's not the realization. It's a well-known fact.) It's an indulgence and a ritual that my husband and I share that's too good to give up right now. PLUS, I was on vacation at one point of the cleanse, too. ;) But I will tell you this: I've since learned to SAVOR more and drink LESS. It's made a HUGE difference. It's a start!
  
  

CONFESSION: I didn't do the purification weekend (basically only consuming fruits and veggies for two days). 

• REALIZATION: Just because I didn't do it THEN, doesn't mean I can't do it ever again. I wasn't at a point in time that I could take the entire weekend to truly rest, reflect and get the most out of purification. I was nervous about running my system down and getting sick before leaving town. I love what Jo told me on one of the teleconference calls. She drove home not to force myself into anything but rather try to find a half of a day or corner of a week to do purification when I'm ready to fully commit and reap the benefits. 

CONFESSION: I miss my little community of cleansers and coaches.

• REALIZATION: This journey is not over, and I can do this again...and again if I please! There are tons of people who are doing this cleanse for the second and third time and experiencing profound things. Part of me is a little irked by the possibilities, and that's a whole other explanation for why I pooped out on the fourth day, but, hey. We are ALL different and work at different speeds, right?
  
  

While my confessions may have you thinking I didn't take this seriously whatsoever, that's by far the opposite. This experience has sparked a new way of thinking (that I could chat about for hours, apparently) and an inspiring path to live vibrantly. 

I'm SO blessed to have crossed paths with these ladies and truly hope you give this cleanse, ahem, lifestyle a shot. What's your take on cleansing? Have you done Conscious Cleanse? Spill in the comments below!