Plan Your Own Solo Retreat
Have you ever felt like you just need to get away from your life?
Not run away forever but just get some breathing room?
Well I have.
I have many times found myself daydreaming of a tropical island with a hammock, swim up pool bar and plenty of peace and quiet. Sometimes I check in with my calendar or my bank account and come back to reality.
I have recently planned several 1 or 2 day retreats for myself over the past year and the benefits have been phenomenal! Just giving myself the dedicated space and time to “retreat” every couple of months has allowed me to return to my day to day life with increased energy, clarity and mindfulness. I am able to do the tasks of daily living like laundry and dishes (my two least favorite) with less resistance and handle what comes my way with a less stressed response. I am able to show up in my relationships fully and enjoying my time with loved ones.
If you are in need of some “me time” I have written a few tips on how to create your own retreat:
Block out the time- Find a 1-3 day window of time that nothing is planned yet. Enough time out to do what you need to ensure you can get away like asking for time off from work, arranging for child care, saving some money to make it happen. Being a busy mom and business owner I usually plan it 2-3 months out. Block this time off in your calendar and protect it!
Decide what you need more of- This one is really important. Why are we trying to get away and what are we looking for? Is it more quiet time, more fun, adventure, more sun and sand, connection with nature or our spirituality? These questions will help you decide what elements would be important to include. If you are looking for more creativity finding a fun workshop or class and building your retreat around that. If you are looking for more quiet then finding a space where you can cultivate that…a private airbnb in a remote location perhaps?
Pick a location- Depending on your time and resources you can be very creative. To make things easier for myself, I generally choose local but a flight somewhere can be exciting too just make sure you don’t use all your time on travelling part. How much time you have will indicate how far you may want to travel. I usually choose somewhere in 2 hour driving distance…San Diego and Palm Springs being some of my favorites! I love to use apps like hotels tonight or air bnb to find the right space. You can find something for every budget! Click here to see read more about my private retreat for under $250!
Set an intention – What would you like to get out of your retreat? How would you like to feel on your way back to your home and life? For me the intention has changed every time. Some of my intentions have been “to allow more joy in my life” to “release my fears and step into my power”. What ever the intention is make sure to plan with it in mind.
Plan the details- What things do you love to do in your free time, what things do you wish you had more time for and what elements will add to your experience….keeping your intention in mind. I often feel my best when I have more meditation, yoga, art and swimming in my life so my solo retreats generally include a pool/hot tub, a good book, my yoga mat, and candles and incense to take my meditation to another level!
If all of this sounds great but a bit overwhelming to plan yourself then getting some support is an important step. At Intuitive Healing Journey we offer help planning or facilitating individualized private retreats and we offer fully planned small group daytreats and retreats if you just want to immerse yourself in the experience without the hassle of planning.
