When you think back to your childhood, do you recall spending hours outside riding bikes, exploring trails and creeks? Maybe you lived in a bigger city; did you find your way to the science center or a dinosaur museum? How did you feel when you were having those adventures? Were you in awe? Did you contemplate just how small we are in this big universe? Did you breathe in new experiences and adventures? When you returned home were you excitedly telling your parents all of your adventures of the day? Were you energized and eager to do it again?
Do you remember that last time you had that feeling? Today? Last week? Last year? 10 years ago?
Creating a personal retreat is an experience AND a state of mind. Retreats allow you to bring back that feeling or pure joy, happiness, living in the moment that we had as children. It can be time just for you where you are in deep contemplation, it can be an experience where you can deeply connect with nature or it can be a coffee at the corner Starbucks. Retreats are defined solely by you for you.
Retreats allow us the time to celebration passages of time, they allow us to energize ourselves during times of crisis or transition, and they allow us to connect to our authentic self for rest and renewal. Retreating for me has always meant connecting with my personal vision, creating clarity, tuning into my truth.
I think that many people feel that retreats need to be a year cross the global journey to multiple countries to meditate in the most sacred places or maybe two weeks in Bali intensely studying yoga under a master yogi. When you think like this, it is hard to imagine that you would ever be able to actually go on a retreat. A retreat can be as simple as 30 minutes created with care just for you. Some ideas would be 30 minute yoga class, a picnic in the park for lunch or a concert in the park one starry night.
Often we are sideswiped by life’s little challenges; crazy schedules, family and responsibilities, and the cost of getting away. And there are those other little things that pop up in our head like; we are being selfish, it sounds scary, how will I handle the emotions that I will encounter.
It is true things might come up, things might feel uncomfortable and that is okay. You can handle them.
As coaches I believe that we need to lead by example, we need to practice the strategies that we offer our clients. I
believe that as coaches we often find ourselves emotion and physically drained from working with people as often as we do. We NEED to create retreats for ourselves. You can walk through this process or you can lead a client through it.
Personal Retreat Outline
The first thought of retreat, what are the emotions that come up? Journal with them or talk about them.
Start with small steps, what would be a 15 minute retreat that you could do this week? What would be a 30 minute retreat you could do this month?
Where will you retreat? What environment are you looking for?
When you are getting ready for you retreat, what is your intention? Rest and Renewal or clarity about a particular question? Or something else?
Ensure your time is distraction free, no electronics, no books, no working, just you in your body being in the moment with yourself.
Keep handy all the things you might need; pens/pencils, paper, water, healthy snack, candles, music, and whatever fits into your retreat plans.
Be open and in the moment. Allow your body, mind and spirit to speak to you and show you how much you are loved and whole just as you are. Listen for messages.
It is important whether your retreat is 15 minutes or a week, that you take time to celebrate your journey. Journal about your experience and what you have learned, what was your most important take away? Most importantly, plan your next retreat!
Lori Lynn Smith is a passionate and an authentic teacher who shares her real life experiences about creating a more nurturing and fulfilling lifestyle. As women, mothers, lovers, sisters, friends we often forget that we need to re-charge our batteries. We need to take care of ourselves; we need to love ourselves FIRST!
