Retreats, retreats, retreats! This has been my life in a nutshell over the previous 12 months. In 2022, I traveled over 5 months of the 12 months and went on 10 retreats world wide. These journeys coated every little thing from private {and professional} growth to well being and health. I favor these sorts of immersive, group-travel experiences over another trip. Here’s why.
Retreats are all about development: mentally, emotionally, bodily, and spiritually. You’ll be taught the significance of self-awareness, the facility of mindfulness and meditation, the influence of constructive considering and angle, and the advantages of setting clear intentions and making a imaginative and prescient on your life.
With a mix of interactive workshops, group actions, and particular person reflection time, retreats are designed that can assist you acquire a brand new understanding of your self and your home on this planet.
Imagine your self in a paradise of lush surroundings, surrounded by like-minded people all on an analogous journey of self discovery. With a staff of specialists to information you thru the method, you’ll escape the every day grind and get to concentrate on your self and your well-being.
In 2023, there’s no higher time to embark on this inside journey of exploration. The world wants good leaders. The world wants extra mild, laughter, and love. Through retreat experiences like these, you’ll not solely change your self, but additionally the world round you.
Ready for an journey that can change your life and aid you change into the very best model of your self? If you’re trying to push your self out of your consolation zone, acquire new views, and are available out feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, then be a part of me in exploring this thrilling world of private growth and mindset retreats.
Here are some key classes and takeaways from my 10+ retreats over the previous 12 months!
1. If you need to be completely satisfied, don’t be afraid to specific your self
This is the important thing to residing a cheerful life. It could appear easy, however the actuality is that most individuals will not be residing their lives in an genuine manner. Many are afraid to specific themselves (together with their feelings, beliefs & wishes) for worry of judgement and rejection from others. They are afraid to be foolish and susceptible. Fuck that – that is no technique to reside. Having to put on a masks day-after-day carries an incredible quantity of weight and results in pointless struggling.
Expressing your self authentically is a breath of contemporary air. It provides your soul a voice and in addition permits you to be true to your self. Imagine with the ability to converse your thoughts with out worry of judgement, with the ability to present your true colours with out worry of rejection. It’s like having a weight lifted off your shoulders – it’s tremendous liberating!
Being genuine (and sincere) additionally lets you construct deeper, extra significant relationships. When you’re capable of categorical your self authentically, others can get to know the REAL you and join on a deeper degree. Plus, whenever you’re true to your self, you entice individuals who additionally worth authenticity.
And let’s not overlook, expressing your self authentically might be a whole lot of enjoyable! When you’re true to your self, you’ll let your creativity and individuality shine. You can faucet into your distinctive skills, passions, and pursuits and use them to create one thing really particular.
So, right here’s to authenticity and honesty. Let’s take a step in direction of being true to ourselves, and embrace the liberty and pleasure that comes with expressing ourselves on this manner. It’s time to let your true self shine!
2. Find the enjoyable in all issues
Retreats have taught me the last word lesson in life: comply with your highest pleasure and pursue enjoyable and pleasure in any respect prices! After all, if it ain’t enjoyable, it ain’t value it. Whether it’s a routine, behavior, or way of life change, if it doesn’t carry you pleasure and pleasure, it’s not sustainable in the long term.
Think about it – whenever you’re doing one thing you like, it doesn’t really feel like work. You’re so engaged and within the second, that point flies by and also you’re left feeling fulfilled and energized. But whenever you’re caught in a rut, dragging your self by way of a tedious job or a boring routine, it appears like an eternity.
Take train as an example. While some folks might not discover operating or weight lifting significantly pleasurable, there are numerous methods to make bodily health into one thing enjoyable. Sign up for pickleball at a neighborhood fitness center, go mountain climbing with a gaggle of individuals, watch yoga movies on YouTube, or strive mountaineering. I assure you’ll discover one thing on the market to make exercising enjoyable. If you haven’t but, then you definately haven’t regarded laborious sufficient.
That’s why it’s important to infuse your every day life with actions and habits that carry you pleasure and pleasure. Whether it’s dancing round your front room, taking a hike in nature, doing enjoyable actions with pals, or studying a very good guide, ensure you’re doing issues that mild you up. And when you end up in a state of affairs the place it’s not enjoyable, ask your self, is that this sustainable for me? If the reply isn’t any, it’s time to make a change.
Life is just too quick to be depressing and sad. So, benefit from it and pursue your highest pleasure. By making enjoyable and pleasure the last word objective, you’ll thrive in each facet of your life.
3. Community is every little thing
Going on retreats has taught me the significance of neighborhood. In this digital age the place folks favor Netflix over going out and dealing from house relatively than in an workplace, it’s straightforward to reside in a solitary manner. However, it’s whenever you encompass your self with like-minded people who magic occurs.
Think about it – whenever you’re on a hike with pals, the journey up the mountain is a lot extra pleasurable when you could have somebody to share the breathtaking views with. Similarly, whenever you’re doing yoga with a gaggle, the power within the room is electrical and it helps you push your self additional than you’d by yourself.
But it’s not nearly having enjoyable – being in a neighborhood additionally helps you be taught and develop in methods you by no means thought attainable. During a chilly immersion retreat I did in Iceland final 12 months, we spent our days doing chilly plunges in ice chilly rivers and lakes and mountain climbing to the highest of a mountain in only a bathing go well with. Needless to say, it wasn’t straightforward! But doing this with a enjoyable and supportive group made this the great expertise that it was.
When you’re in a gaggle, you’re additionally uncovered to totally different views and methods of considering. It helps you broaden your horizons and see issues from a unique approach. Plus, whenever you’re going by way of a troublesome time, having a supportive neighborhood could make all of the distinction.
In 2023, I’ll proceed to hunt out alternatives for extra group journey experiences. I encourage you to do the identical!
4. We are SO a lot stronger than we predict we’re
This is maybe my greatest takeaway from the previous 12 months. I didn’t be taught this from a guide or YouTube video; I realized this whereas pushing myself to my absolute limits throughout a Wim Hof retreat in Iceland.
From mountain climbing a snowcapped mountain in only a bathing go well with to leaping 9 meters into Europe’s coldest lake, I discovered my edge on this journey. I pushed past my fears and self-imposed limits and acquired after it. Here’s what I realized:
As mammals, we have been born with a toolkit of highly effective psychological schools and bodily talents. With the suitable mindset and constant effort, we will do just about something we set our minds to. This contains plunging into ice chilly water throughout the winter months.
Of course, you don’t should submerge your self in icy waters to beat your self, your fears, and your limiting beliefs. But rattling, does it work wonders. And I can’t think about a greater place than Iceland to just do that!
Another expertise that helped me discover my edge was Body Camp Mallorca. During my week at this world-class health retreat, I labored out for 3-4 hours every day. This helped me crush my limiting beliefs round how a lot every day train my physique might deal with. While relaxation and restoration are necessary, I realized that the physique will adapt to the workload regardless of how difficult it’s.
Like anything in life, observe makes excellent. To unlock the deep layers of energy and energy that every of us possesses, it requires us to constantly problem ourselves and push our bodily and psychological limits.
There’s a lion within you simply ready to be unleashed; retreats like these will aid you learn to faucet into that power.
5. Setting boundaries and studying to say “no”
Learning to say “no” is the last word superpower. It provides you the flexibility to decide on what you let into your life and what you retain out. It’s not straightforward to set boundaries and converse up for your self – however boy, is it necessary. Retreats have helped me get there.
I spent the primary 28 years of my life as a folks pleaser. I might typically decide to issues I didn’t need to do and spend time with individuals who drained my power. My objective was to be appreciated by everybody, which put me at odds with myself. How can you reside life to your full potential whenever you’re giving all of your time and power to everybody however your self?
Retreats have given me the chance to observe these expertise, as they supply a protected and supportive surroundings to discover my limits and learn to talk them successfully.
And it’s not nearly saying “no” to exterior calls for – it’s additionally about setting limits by yourself self-imposed expectations. Additionally, saying “no” generally is a type of self-care. It permits you to prioritize your individual wants and well-being, relatively than continuously placing others’ wants earlier than your individual.
Learning to say “no” might be tough at first, nevertheless it’s a ability that may be developed with observe. And the advantages are quite a few – whenever you set boundaries, you’ll have extra time and power for the issues that really matter to you. You’ll even be extra more likely to entice folks and alternatives that align together with your values and objectives. This is little doubt one of many greatest classes I’ve realized whereas on retreats.
6. It’s SO necessary to get clear in your private values and beliefs
Having a transparent understanding of your values and beliefs is like having a map or compass to information you in life. It lets you make choices that align with who you’re and what you stand for. It additionally lets you set objectives which are in alignment together with your values and beliefs, and to reside a life that’s true to your self. Plus, whenever you’re clear in your values and beliefs, it’s simpler to acknowledge and say no to issues that don’t align with them.
Retreats have given me alternatives to get crystal clear on what my core values and beliefs are. This might be fairly an intentional train – requiring you to dive deep into unconscious patterns and ordinary behaviors.
Knowing your private values
To get clear in your core values, begin by asking your self these questions:
– What are the values that form your life and your every day choices?
– Are you pleased with them, and if not, what values would you prefer to embrace as an alternative?
It’s straightforward to make an inventory of values and fill them with buzzwords like love, laborious work, management, and gratitude. But with out defining what these values imply to you, they carry little worth.
Here are a few of my core values and what they imply to me – taken from my pocket book in the course of the Live Life Activated Retreat in Costa Rica:
- Authenticity: Letting my coronary heart information my life. Being actual with myself and others
- Boldness: Getting after it it doesn’t matter what
- High power: Bringing pleasure and excessive vibes to every little thing I do
- Curiosity: Having a ardour to continuously be taught and develop
- Freedom: Being to do what I need each time I need for my highest good
- Community: Prioritizing time spent with individuals who encourage me. Deeply connecting with others – bodily, mentally, and emotionally
- Adventure: Always in search of out new experiences
- Fun: Prioritizing play, laughing, and fooling around day-after-day
- Faith: Deeply understanding that it doesn’t matter what occurs in my life, every little thing will work out for me
As you possibly can see, these aren’t textbook definitions of core values. Each of those phrases and their meanings got here instantly from my coronary heart relatively than my thoughts or a dictionary. You don’t need to sound rehearsed or polished whenever you’re developing together with your private values. After all, they need to be pure (and particular) to you!
In addition, as a part of this train on core values, it’s necessary to make a distinction between your required values and the way you’re exhibiting up proper now. For instance, many individuals worth authenticity, however how typically are they really residing this fashion? The extra sincere you’re about this, the more practical you’ll be on this train.
Knowing your beliefs
Once you could have a stable understanding of your core values, it’s necessary to get clear in your perception programs. Ask your self – what are the beliefs which are at the moment serving you AND are holding you again?
Most folks spend their complete lives with out considering or altering their beliefs. They simply follow what they know – consuming content material that reinforces their opinions and discovering like-minded individuals who make them really feel protected and unchallenged. I’m not simply speaking about subjects like politics or faith, by the best way. This is about all your perception programs (primarily unconscious) that dictate your ideas, actions, and behaviors each single day.
One set of beliefs that I’ve essentially shifted over the previous years are my beliefs about misery. Like everybody else, I used to hunt consolation and ease. I beloved staying in my consolation zone, giving excuses for why I wasn’t reaching sure issues, and avoiding excessive ranges of bodily and psychological stress. I additionally did every little thing to keep away from emotions of worry and nervousness. Now, I search out difficult conditions on a regular basis – doing chilly immersion, laborious exercises, and retreats frequently. What’s modified?
I didn’t get up at some point and have this large awakening second. It took a whole lot of intentional, incremental modifications in my habits over time to vary the best way I present up in life. I absolutely settle for that typically life will suck, however I get to decide on how I need to present up regardless. By selecting to hunt out discomfort day-after-day, it makes the unplanned challenges appear manner much less scary.
Just keep in mind – life is a journey and it takes time to impact change. Don’t sweat the main points and set arbitrary deadlines for reaching your objectives. Just make progress day-after-day, regardless of how large or small. That is sweet sufficient. Enjoy the journey!
7. Get out of your thoughts and into your coronary heart
One of the largest classes I’ve realized over the previous 12 months is that the thoughts is a good servant, however a horrible chief. When you lead with the thoughts, you let unconscious biases cloud your judgment and discuss you out of issues which are necessary to you.
I’m not saying that it’s best to forgo the thoughts utterly. No – I’m not that a lot of a hippie. Absolutely use this unbelievable psychological college that you’ve got, however use it as a software for reaching your coronary heart’s wishes relatively than let it management you.
If you typically end up fastidiously planning issues that you simply say and do, then you’re working from the headspace relatively than the coronary heart house. If you end up speaking about stuff you “have to” or “need to” do, then you definately’re main from the thoughts. Though I’m tremendous aware of it now, I nonetheless discover myself hanging out extra within the thoughts than I would love. It’s a-okay although…we’re all human!
On all my retreats, I’ve realized many highly effective methods to open up the guts. Here are a few of them beneath:
Heart-opening workout routines
- Meditation: Practicing meditation will help you to quiet your thoughts and join together with your coronary heart. It can even aid you to realize perception into your ideas and emotions, and to develop higher self-awareness.
- Mindful respiratory: Focusing in your breath will help you to shift your consideration out of your ideas to coronary heart. It can even aid you to calm your thoughts and scale back stress. Cold immersion, which requires conscious respiratory, is among the greatest methods for me to maneuver from the thoughts to the guts.
- Gratitude journaling: Writing down stuff you’re grateful for will help you open the guts house. It can even aid you to attach together with your inside self and to specific your self authentically.
- Yoga or different bodily practices: Yoga, dancing or different bodily practices will help you to attach together with your coronary heart and the remainder of your physique. It can even aid you to launch stress and to realize a higher sense of inside peace. Kundalini yoga is one among my favourite coronary heart openers.
- Nature walks: Spending time in nature will help you to attach together with your coronary heart, feelings, and emotions. It can even aid you to realize perspective and really feel grounded.
- Creative expression: Engaging in inventive actions equivalent to drawing, writing, music, will help you to attach together with your increased self. It can even aid you to specific your self authentically and to realize higher self-awareness.
- Mindful listening: Listen to others attentively, specializing in their phrases and feelings. In doing so, your coronary heart will open as a aspect product.
When it involves residing a satisfying and genuine life, working from the guts house is the best way to go! It permits you to join together with your feelings and emotions, to make choices that align with who you’re, and to construct deeper, extra significant relationships.
So, let’s quiet the thoughts and take heed to our hearts. It’s time to reside authentically and in alignment with our values and beliefs. It’s time to let our hearts information us on this journey of self-discovery and development. Don’t simply assume…really feel (and reside) from the guts!
Why it’s best to embark on a journey of private growth proper now
Humans have been meant to be robust, completely satisfied, and wholesome. Our our bodies – which embody trillions of cells, muscle mass, tissues, and organs – have been designed to hold us by way of the largest trials and tribulations in life. We weren’t supposed to spend most of our time indoors and on the sofa, consuming junk meals and worrying about petty issues. The world proper now’s full of worry, weak spot, and victimhood, nevertheless it doesn’t should be that manner.
In the journey forward, you could have two choices: (1) to hunt out consolation day-after-day or (2) to hunt out challenges and alternatives. If you select possibility one, life received’t be straightforward. The world is a troublesome place, even brutal place at instances. If you need to pursue consolation and ease, you may be left with nervousness and melancholy – if not now, sometime sooner or later when life will get robust (it all the time does). Life received’t be straightforward with possibility 2, both. But within the course of, you’ll go on adventures. You will be taught, develop, and sharpen your expertise. Life goes to throw loopy shit your manner, however you may be ready to face them.
There’s an outdated Dutch proverb that claims tall timber catch a lot of the wind. By selecting a path of private growth and transformation, you’ll face adversity. But additionally, you will acquire the facility and energy to resist no matter life throws your manner, and impact significant change on this planet within the course of.
If you need to change the world, all of it begins with your self.
– Lots of affection, Jon
