A STORY YOU KNOW

I know you might know me fairly well and my story, or have lived some version of it, but I want to tell it again with a purpose.

“Water always represents the realm below … the place of a new energy. It refers to the unconscious, going down into that realm and coming back out of it renewed." Joseph Campbell

I became a widower on January 23, 2014, after my wife Donna, my partner of 20 years, succumbed to a rare and disfiguring cancer. Our life together was a tapestry of successes, challenges,?and shared passions in art and technology. Together, we navigated the aftermath of 9/11 and endured the loss of an unborn child and subsequent infertility, a turning point that shaped our lives permanently. We were an unlikely pair - a mountain man from Western North Carolina and a Philly member of the Black Panthers - yet our bond was unbreakable.

After Donna's passing, I grappled with a dispiriting?loss of identity. This struggle led me to a transformative experience at a Joseph Campbell Foundation retreat, the Hero's Journey. There, I underwent a symbolic funeral for my identity as 'Joseph and Donna McElroy,' a poignant moment that marked the beginning of my personal renewal. A serendipitous discovery during the retreat - an old vessel filled with water in the forest - symbolized a new beginning, resonating deeply with Campbell's philosophy of renewal.

This experience heralded a new chapter in my life. Within three years, I found love again with Simone and celebrated the birth of our twins Henry and Anya. My journey through grief taught me that it never truly leaves; instead, it becomes interwoven with new layers of life.

My career took a new direction as I built a successful digital services business for Marriott, only for it to be upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. This upheaval was mirrored in my personal life when my new wife, a luxury travel agent, also faced professional setbacks. Despite these challenges, I found a silver lining in renovating my childhood home, the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC.

I implemented?innovative marketing concepts based upon emotional factors from academic research like Memorable Tourism Experiences and Elements of Happiness, and saw a quadrupling of revenue in 3 years to be 7 times the national average for a motel.?This project, while initially successful, is facing its own trials related to management and corruption, leading to another point of identity reinvention.

Today, a mature man?with young twins, I am redefining myself once again, embracing all facets of my identity: artist, poet, entrepreneur, marketer, technologist, and meditative seeker. This journey has culminated in the creation of the?Odyssey Of Renewal ?transformative retreat?concept.? As a retreat it is?a fusion of therapeutic, spiritual, and creative practices for dealing with loss and finding renewal.?I think this is an age?of living?with Loss and renewal of Life?in this world that has been riven?by Covid, war, and politics.??I am joined in this endeavor by top professionals in various fields, united by a shared vision.??

Our retreats uniquely intertwine therapeutic processes and rituals, creative expression, wellness, immersive nature experiences, and personalized transformation workshops, guiding participants from the depths of loss to the heights of newfound identity and beginnings. We will also be creating an online community modeled after successful wellness apps.

Our plan now is to transform the Meadowlark Motel into a haven for these transformative experiences. To achieve this we are first launching an?Indiegogo ?campaign to gather community support, raise funds for the retreat's development, and showcase its potential to future investors. This campaign is also an invitation to you - to join in a retreat, to find transformation or community in dealing with loss and renewal. Here is the?link .

Your support can help create profound experiences for others, just as I have experienced.?Join ?me in this journey of renewal and transformation.

Note:?As I've shared my journey of transformation and the creation of the Odyssey Of Renewal retreat, it's clear that renewal isn't just personal – it extends to our professional lives as well. This belief drives my commitment to offering specialized marketing services. Just as I've navigated personal and business challenges and emerged with new insights, I apply these lessons to help rejuvenate and grow travel and tourism brands. Whether you're seeking to revitalize your brand, increase customer loyalty, or navigate the unique challenges of today's market, I'm here to offer guidance and expertise. Let's embark on a journey to transform your travel or tourism business, harnessing the same spirit of renewal that has guided my path?Become part of my professional travel?community .?