The importance of taking time out for a Personal Retreat

Have you been on a retreat? Do you know what a well-being retreat is? I looked up the meaning of the word ‘retreat’ in this context and discovered it means:

a quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax.

a period or place of seclusion for the purposes of prayer and meditation.

Recently I was listening to the ProBoomer Podcast with Paul Long and in particular, the episode Redefine What’s Next . His guest Nancy ‘Autumn’ Nesslor from An Intentional Life is a a Certified Retirement Options Coach who specializes in assisting women make the transition from full-time professional to a life others dream about. 

During the interview Nancy explained the importance of taking time out in ‘retreat’. She and her husband take an annual retreat to step out of the world for a time, to focus on their individual and shared goals, to reconnect with themselves and each other.

A friend of mine who lives in Canada has recently taken two weeks away with her husband for their annual ‘technology’ break. I saw a photo of her and she looked so relaxed and happy.

Retreats aren’t quite the same as holidays but rather a time of seclusion and self-awareness practice. They can be as short or as long as you need or want.

2020 has been a year that we all want to forget or at least to be over. It has been a year of stress, anxiety, lockdowns, social distancing and uncertainty.

Now that restrictions are easing perhaps it is time to look at the idea of planning an annual or (more often) retreat.

2020 for me has been a year of trying new things despite COVID-19. I’ve completed my Group Fitness Instructor course and now take classes in the Strong Healthy Women Virtual Studio which I love. I’ve completed a Yoga Life Coaching certification and also overcame my lack of self-belief to start a Podcast which I’m very proud of.

All of this learning and work is enjoyable and fulfills me. However as I wrote in a recent post ‘2 questions to ask yourself when life overwhelms you’, I can easily get carried away and over-commit myself to the point of feeling overwhelmed. Can you relate to this?

My answers to the two questions provided a catalyst for me to re-evaluate my path and my purpose. I took a mini retreat with myself to step back and have a day where I could just ‘be’.

When the opportunity was offered to work in collaboration with Carol Wedenberg from Harmony & Healthy Yoga on a Retreat program, I immediately agreed. Yes, I hear you reminding me that I’m taking on another project to work on, but I’ve let go of other projects that aren’t energising me and I’m excited to be working on my contribution to this retreat experience.

I’m stepping out of my comfort zone again and utilising my learnings and talents as a Life, Health and Wellness Coach to work in collaboration with Carol Wedenberg from Harmony & Healthy Yoga. It is something I’ve wanted to do for some time – help Women Over 50 to Live Well and to rediscover who they are by becoming more self-aware.

Carol and I are excited to have launched our first half-day Numala Forest Retreat which will be held in the beautiful Gold Coast on November 1. We also have plans for virtual mini-retreat programs.

A Retreat of Self-Discovery to Find Harmony and Happiness to Live Well
“A Holistic health and self-care wellness retreat with a difference”

Watch the video below and then you can find more information on the Retreats page of the website.

Taking the time to re-evaluate what you need is important to keep healthy.

Balance is the key to living well and the retreat is a good starting point to help you focus on nurturing yourself and creating a Signature Self-Care Toolkit that is created by YOU for You. This is the workshop I’m offering at the the Retreat and through inter-active exercises I will be providing you with your TLC toolkit.

What do you do to step out of the world and retreat for a time? I’d love to hear your thoughts.