Often, the best way to move forward in life is to retreat. When we retreat, we give ourselves the time and space to renew and restore. I love retreats and have taken part in many. Some were business related and others for personal and spiritual growth. All of them inspiring and most changed my life in some way for the better. Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about making the most of any retreat I attend.

1. Clear Your Head. You’ve chosen your retreat, and you’re preparing to go. And, it’s likely you spent a chunk of your hard earned money to attend. You want to empty your head of all the little details at work and home to be ready to leave it all behind. It might be as simple as setting your out of office messages on your voicemail and email, or telling people you’ll be out of touch. If traveling abroad, be sure your passport is up to date. Have you made arrangements for the dog or cat? Do you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes if needed. I liken to clearing out my closet to make room for something new. I want my head to be as uncluttered as possible to allow space for new ideas and insights.

2. Be Intentional! I think this is one of the most important preparations to make the most of any retreat. Spend some time each day in quiet reflection before leaving for retreat. It might be a few minutes each morning while sipping coffee or tea or it may be more structured time I give myself. Perhaps you do your best reflection while walking in nature? The idea is to give attention to your inner wise self and ask important questions. What is my soul asking for? What do I want to get out of this retreat experience? If there is a particular part of my life I want to change? You might ask yourself what it will feels like to be in this new state of change? Sit quietly and listen. Avoid judging your insights and allow whatever comes with a childlike curiosity.

3. Stay Open and Curious. Setting your intentions is an important part of this process. Second to that is going into a retreat with an open heart and beginners mind. Change is never comfortable. Moving forward means letting go of something. You’ll be challenged and may feel uncomfortable, excited or perhaps scared. You might feel anger when your beliefs are challenged, or find yourself resistant to what’s happening. Know that you’re moving beyond the edge of your comfort zone – to the place where real, lasting change happens. Stay curious about what you might learn from these situations. Embrace the discomfort with a playful curiosity. I love to ask “what if?”. What if I try this? Could I see this as an experiment and be open to what I discover? What if my belief about this (retreat, activity, etc.) isn’t true? What might I learn about myself?

4. Honor Your Needs. Retreats are lovely in that everything is planned for you and the best retreats combine experiential learning with plenty of time for self-reflection and solitude as well. Know that you don’t have to participate in everything that is planned. Listen to your body, honor what your needs are, and do what feels right for you. All growth requires radical self-love and this means responding compassionately to what you are feeling and experiencing. And, asking for what you need. As women, we often fall short in this area. A good retreat leader will honor where you are and respect your needs.

Finally, Celebrate whatever change or insight you discover in your retreat forward!

The changes we experience in life, no matter if we label them big or small, are the natural shift in consciousness as we become more aware and awakened to our inner magnificence. Be in gratitude for all of it, and find support if you need it. I’ll say it again. Most women aren’t accustom to asking for what they want or need. This in itself may be a reason for your next retreat.

In any case, find post retreat support if you need it. Your retreat leader will likely follow up with you post retreat and may extend a special post retreat coaching offer. I also recommend connecting with some of the women you retreated with. This is a great opportunity to celebrate each other as we move through change and we all know, when women support each other, incredible things happen.

From my heart to yours,

Looking for a unique retreat experience? Join me and 13 other spectacular women to Nurture Your Inner Goddess in Tuscany, Italy, October 7-14, 2018!

Photo by Sweet Ice Cream Photography on Unsplash