Transition with Intention
A 10-week immersive experience for high performers to slow down, reflect and discover what’s next alongside a community of peers
Our Fall ‘24 Cohort Begins October 8th
Welcome to the world’s first decelerator program for high performers in transition.
All of this unfolds within a nurturing and intentional community, limited to just 12 Downshifters, to ensure a deep sense of belonging and lasting connections. Our community is intentionally curated to cultivate vulnerability, empathy, and growth, creating a foundation where every member can flourish.
Our Fall ’24 cohort kicks off on Tuesday, October 8th, with a four-day in-person retreat in the Catskills region of New York.
Rachel Ford, Spring ‘24
“I am finding that I am way more capable of accessing my intuition and tapping into feeling what is right. This has not only been helpful in my day-to-day commitments and how I'm spending my time, but is also proving to be very helpful as I evaluate what comes next.”
Nate Aune, Spring ‘24
“Downshift arrived at just the right moment after I exited the company I spent over a decade building. The program gave me the space and guidance to pause, reflect, and realign my path during a time of deep transition. I learned to slow down and truly embrace the liminal space.”
We integrate a diverse tapestry of activities, including:
Kick-off 3-Day Retreat
Begin your journey with an in-person retreat in the Hudson Valley to help you decelerate and solidify the community, combining rituals, meditation, and reflection in nature.
Individualized Work
Weekly assignments with curated readings, videos, and prompts, to deepen your knowledge and self-understanding.
Weekly Workshops
2-hour virtual sessions each Tuesday blending lectures with group exercises, discussions and coaching.
Closing Ceremony & Ritual
A day-long virtual ceremony culminating our journey to solidify learning, foster self-appreciation, and embody faith and trust moving forward.
Weekly Guest Lectures
1-hour virtual sessions each Thursday with experts who share insights, wisdom and experiences on successfully navigating transitions.
[Optional add-on] 1:1 Coaching
Opportunity to add four individual coaching sessions, tailored to help you integrate daily practices and shepherd you through your process.
Faith McCoy Scriven, Spring ‘24
Downshift has positively evolved my perspective on work, achievement, and life. I now prioritize my well-being and alignment with my values over merely achieving goals.”
Igor Sereda, Spring ‘24
“Downshift influenced my trajectory and my transition in a major way. I’m still working on piecing everything together, but I’m certain that a few years later, when I look back, I would call Downshift an inflection point on my lifeline.”
Downshifter (noun)
“A professional who consciously chooses to decelerate, go inward, and nurture their mind and body during pivotal moments of change. This individual seeks to uncover their core values, innate gifts, and sources of fulfillment, with the intention of aligning their life more closely with these discoveries.”
Our Transformational Promise
At the end of the 10 weeks, you’ll emerge with a variety of tools and capacities to consciously navigate life's transitions and author a life that is aligned with your true self.
Here’s what you can anticipate by the end of the program:
Articulate your current stage in the transition journey
Enhance your emotional and embodied presence
Develop a greater sense of interconnectedness with the world
Cultivate a healthier relationship with ambition and money
Build the capacity to work through inner resistance
Deepen your connection to core values
Reconnect with your innate creativity and playfulness
Harness curiosity and energy to identify your next steps
Develop the ability to conduct micro experiments
Integrate Downshift practices into your daily routine
Articulate and express your unique Zone of Genius
Enhance your capacity to be with uncertainty, mystery and darkness
Cultivate trust and patience in your journey’s unfolding
Anne Lebleu, Spring ‘24
“Downshift not only provided the time but also the space to reflect on my deepest desires and to learn from others’ experiences. Being able to brainstorm, share personal stories, and connect with other likeminded individuals, I began to open up to many more career possibilities than I ever anticipated.”
Lola Wajskop, Spring ‘24
“As a society, we've created rituals around important moments of transition: getting married, having a child, moving to a new home. However, we haven't created rituals around professional transitions. Until Downshift.”
Meet our Guest Lecturers from Spring ‘24
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Matthew Immergut
Co-Author, The Mind Illuminated
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Holly Whitaker
Coach & Author, Quit Like a Woman
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Katherine Liggett
Holistic Mental Health Coach
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Andy Johns
Entrepreneur & Mental Health Advocate
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Simone Stolzoff
Author, The Good Enough Job
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Alice Wells
Founder, One Breath Circle
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Jonny Miller
Founder, Nervous System Mastery
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Kelly Wilde Miller
Coach & Author, Creative Dysreguation
Financial Investment
The cost to enroll is $7,500 upfront or 4 installments of $1,875 throughout the program.
This includes complete access to our programming, your cohort of peers, accommodations for the in-person retreat, and lifetime access to our resources, templates, and alumni community.
For an additional $2,000, you can enhance your journey with four 60-minute 1:1 coaching sessions and unlimited voice-memo access to Downshift coaches.
At Downshift, we’re committed to making our program accessible to all who seek support during moments of transition. We offer scholarships to ensure that anyone who feels drawn to this journey and is right for this cohort can participate, regardless of financial constraints.
FAQs
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Downshift is the first decelerator, designed to help professionals slow down, reflect, and realign with their deeper values and desires. Unlike accelerators that focus on rapid growth and scaling, decelerators emphasize introspection, self-discovery, and intentional living to foster personal and professional transformation. Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping indefinitely, giving up your ambition or losing out on opportunities. Downshift is designed to help you take a pause to gain clarity and realign your life.
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Downshift is unique because it brings together high performers in transition, consciously opting to slow down instead of remaining in high gear. We provide a blend of in-person retreats, personalized coaching, educational content, group discussion, practical exercises, and community support. Our comprehensive approach, developed from coaching countless high performers in transition, years of study, and personal experience, specifically addresses the intricate challenges of navigating work-life transitions for individuals facing significant questions about their career, life, and selfhood.
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The kick-off retreat will take place at the in the Hudson Valley. Our carefully selected location offers the ideal blend of comfort and serenity, setting the stage for our time together. The retreat is not just a getaway but a foundational step in our program —designed to establish our community container, introduce Downshift fundamentals, assist in setting intentions, and provide a space to release anything that needs to be let go. Attendees can look forward to nourishing meals made from fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and a carefully curated mix of group activities, personal reflection, meditation, and opportunities for solo connection with nature. All retreat expenses are included in the tuition, aside from transportation to the retreat location. We are eager to share this enriching experience with you.
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Downshift primarily accommodates participants from North America and Europe based on programming times. However, we welcome participants from all over the world, provided they commit to full participation in the programming, including the in-person retreat. Virtual gatherings, workshops, and Q&A sessions are scheduled to maximize engagement, with specific timings provided for planning. These typically take place at 12pm EST.
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Absolutely. While Downshift welcomes professionals from these fields, the program is beneficial for any high performer seeking meaningful change and alignment with their deeper values, regardless of their industry background.
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The ideal Downshifter is someone ready to embrace change, with the ability to fully commit at least 6 hours a week to fully engage with our program. You are keen on self-exploration, willing to examine your behaviors, habits, and thought patterns, and open to integrating daily practices like journaling or meditation into your routine. A strong sense of community is important; we look for individuals eager to both contribute to and learn from our supportive group environment. Additionally, an innate curiosity about yourself, your life, and the broader world, combined with a genuine empathy for others, are essential. This combination of qualities ensures a meaningful and enriching experience with Downshift, fostering both personal growth and deep connections within our community.
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While Downshift is designed for high performers in transition, it also benefits anyone feeling stuck, questioning their life trajectory, experiencing burnout, seeking more alignment and intentionality, or longing for a deeper connection to their work and life. Every participant in our first cohort was either ending a chapter or navigating a liminal space. If you're contemplating significant changes or seeking clarity and purpose, Downshift can provide valuable perspectives, insights, and tools.
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Participants are encouraged to carefully consider their commitment prior to applying due to the transformative and intensive nature of Downshift. If you decide to leave the program or are asked to leave for any reason, we will work with you to find a solution that suits both you and Downshift.
Here’s how our policy works:Initial Reflection Period: We understand that committing to a transformative program is a significant decision. We encourage you to take time before applying to reflect on your readiness and ability to commit to the program's demands.
Refund Timeline: If you choose to leave the program within the first two weeks, you may be eligible for a partial refund. After this period, refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Customized Solutions: In situations where participants must leave the program due to unforeseen circumstances, we aim to provide flexible solutions. This may include deferring your participation to a future cohort or receiving credit for other Downshift offerings.
Communication: Open communication is key. If you are facing difficulties, we encourage you to reach out to us as soon as possible. We are committed to working with you to find a resolution that honors your investment and respects the integrity of the program.
Our policy reflects our dedication to the value and impact of the Downshift experience, ensuring that each participant can fully benefit from their journey.