If we focus on why we cannot do something, we’ll always talk ourselves out of it. There is always something else waiting to take our time and money. Some objections to attending a retreat include the following:
“I won’t know anyone there.” “What about my other responsibilities?” “I can’t afford it right now.”
Depending on the season of your life, these could be valid reasons. If your anxiety level prevents you from experiencing an opportunity, perhaps therapy to overcome that is a better investment of time and money.
Caregivers don’t always have a plan b or someone who can fill their role. Is this a sign that you must build a community of support through friends and family or respite care workers? There is a difference between being literally no one who can replace me for a weekend and finding help being hard or feeling guilty for taking time away for yourself.
While money can be an obstacle, we find the money for things we deem important and necessary. We spend money on festivals, daily coffee, the ‘must have’ of the season, gifts, subscriptions, games, or hobbies.
Now that we’ve explored reasons not to attend a retreat let’s create a pro list.
Relaxation and inner peace
Whether or not you have kids, you likely find yourself in a caregiver role. This retreat will provide time to relax and forget life’s stressors, demands, and pressures.
You’ll be able to focus on your needs, rest, relax, and renew your mind, body, and spirit, which is how you refill your cup, enabling you to better care for those around you.
Long-term benefits
When we consider getting away, we typically book vacations instead of retreats. BUT— they serve different purposes, and vacations are not necessarily relaxing.
A lot of time goes into trying to fit in all of the sights in a small window of time, manage the kids, rearrange schedules, or continuously check social media or work emails, and we return home from our vacation needing a vacation.
Alternatively, retreats have a different intent- escape your daily routine, reflect your innermost desires, and connect with like-minded guests while you find perspective.
When you return home from a retreat, the benefits outweigh those of many vacations.
Self-care
Women, we need to incorporate self-love and self-compassion into our lives. We often hear that we cannot pour from an empty cup; theoretically, we know that. Still, if we make it on the list, we end up at the bottom of our lists. One of our biggest challenges is loving and caring for ourselves with as much passion and vigor as we do for others.
Attending a retreat confirms to you and your family that you matter and are worth the time, money, and attention you give everyone else in your life.
Appreciate Nature
Have you noticed how walking, watching a sunset, or exploring nature alters your perspective?
Nature gives us something to be grateful for; even when we take it for granted, the sun rises daily, waiting for us to notice.
Nature relieves stress, invigorates us, and reminds us of the world around us. How to make it happen:
Decide if now is the right time.
If you feel called to attend a retreat- trust yourself and make it happen. You, your family, and those around you will benefit from you saying yes to you. You’ll return nourished, inspired, with a fresh perspective ready to take on the world.
List all the reasons you should go on a retreat and how it will benefit your current and future self. Next, consider how your life changes if you go and if you don’t.
If you are interested, but the dates do not work, you can purchase the recordings and receive a workbook to complete at your convenience. If you chose this option, select a weekend to get away, listen to the recordings, and do the work. You can do it alone or with a friend.