Spring Tips for Extreme Self Care: Planning a Personal Transformation Retreat

Spring is a time for renewal and a fresh start. As the days get longer and the weather warmer many of us feel the life’s cycle of change stirring within us. A great way to celebrate and honor this new beginning of growth within is to plan a personal retreat.

A personal retreat is both a transformational experience and a state of mind. It can be a time of journaling and deep contemplation, of simply being and seeing what comes up, or of a deep connective experience in nature. A personal retreat can be a weekend away from the family and friends or thirty minutes intentionally created in the middle of a busy day.

A personal retreat is time and space away, crafted and defined by you. Do you long for mini-retreats sprinkled throughout your week? Does a day or weekend away from the familiar call to you? What about an evening retreat under starlight or in the glow of candlelight? Or perhaps you are scratching your head and thinking, I have never even considered taking this kind of time just for me.

Pay Attention to You with a Self Discovery Retreat

The dictionary defines the word retreat as, “an act or process of withdrawing from what is difficult, dangerous or disagreeable; a place of privacy or safety; a refuge or a place that provides shelter and protection.” A personal growth, self-discovery or transformational retreat is a time for you to get reacquainted with you; it is the ebb in ebb and flow, a solitary sanctuary for renewal, a safe haven or a snug, protected den.

There are countless reasons women are called or compelled to nurture themselves by planning a personal retreat.
-- During times of passage or celebration.
-- When profound change thrusts you into transition.
-- When you are longing for a break or a timeout.
-- When you ask yourself “Who am I?”
-- When you mutter the words “I am stuck.”
-- When you long for a delicious window for creativity, quiet or inspiration.

The Who, When, Why, Where and What of Your Personal Retreat

Who: Most often retreat is best spent alone and in solitude. Bring along your dog or cat if you want. Invite your favorite authors or musicians and share your time with them.

When: A personal retreat can be planned any time of year. Escape to the mountains and camp in the woods during the summer. Travel to the beach in the winter. Self discovery retreats can even be scheduled throughout your week in small increments of time. Choose a scared place to walk alone during the day or after work. Create a secret hiding place to go each morning and clear your mind before you start your day.

Why: Make your intention clear before you embark on a personal transformation retreat. Your intention is a critical ingredient and serves as an invitation to an extraordinary experience. Ask yourself: “What do I most long to experience while on retreat?” Create a simple statement that reflects that longing. As you make your plans, keep that intention close to your heart.

Where: Think about what your intention is for the retreat and choose a location to support that intention. Be creative! Are you longing for reflective time? What about a picnic by a lake? Is getting clear about something at the heart of your desire to retreat? Find a location with a mountain view. Most importantly, choose a place that feels nurturing and safe, where you can relax into your most comfortable self. If you want to create mini-retreats throughout your week, think about crafting a special space in your home that is just for you.

What: What will you do on your personal retreat? Mix a bit of creativity with your intention and see what unfolds. Perhaps you will find yourself filling a journal, walking along a trail, lying in the grass watching clouds, howling at the moon or digging a hole into which you can lay issues to rest. What to bring? Create your own personal retreat kit. It could include: a journal, blank paper or stationery, pencils, pens, markers, paints, poetry books, novels, comfy and practical clothes, healthy food, drinks, bedding, incense, essential oils or camping gear if necessary. If you can avoid your computer and cell phone turn them off or leave them at home.

Once your intention is clear and you have embarked on this transformational journey of self-discovery remember this retreat is a place and time where you can simply be who you really are. Your inner voice may come disguised in many sounds, shapes and sizes; invite it all! Be curious, open and willing to be surprised.

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Self Improvement" article category.

People interested in the above article "Spring Tips for Extreme Self Care: Planning a Personal Transformation Retreat" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

Do You Really Know How To Deal With Other People

In all application of magnetism to persons, you are urged to remember that your very first goal, always and preeminently, is an agreeable feeling within their minds. You should never try to induce a person to act your way until you have thoroughly established in him a good feeling toward yourself. This is the prime initial step.

Signs of Compulsive Lying: 3 Telltale Signs That Someone Is A Compulsive Liar

A compulsive liar is someone who cannot seem to stop lying. As it’s not likely that they’ll tell you the truth about their condition, it’s up to you to figure out the signs of compulsive lying. While compulsive liars might not always be harmful, it’s best that you study the signs of compulsive lying so you can avoid being cheated or deceived. Here are a few telltale signs to help you.

Words for Thank You Notes: Thoughtful Words To Express Your Thanks

It’s highly important that you choose the best words for thank you notes. After all, you want to let people know how much you appreciate what they have done or given you. A simple thank you isn’t going to cut it anymore. Choosing words for thank you notes isn’t that hard. You can be as creative as you want to be, depending on the person you intend to send the message to. If you have a couple of thank you notes to send, here are some words you might find useful.

Do You Know? What's The Difference Between JUST A Job And A Vocation?

It seems all the news is bad these days - jobs are being lost; retirement is in jeopardy for millions - and no end in sight! But did you know? This is good news for those over 40! Sometimes we need a crisis to finally make positive changes in our lives. When it comes to changing our work, the crisis could be a layoff, a financial calamity, a divorce, or an illness.

How to Overcome Difficulties in Life Caused by Departed Ancestors

Almost all of us are affected by problems in our life where the root cause is due to departed ancestors' subtle bodies. This type of spiritual problem affects us regardless of race, cultural background or social status. While this is a spiritual problem, it can manifest in many different ways in our day-to-day lives. In some cases, people have gone through years of suffering only to find out that it could have been alleviated in a few days. The alleviation would only have come about if they knew the root cause, the remedy and if they had the required know-how to put it into practice.

Mind Control Stories: How I Convinced My Family to Visit Thailand

Mind control stories could be very helpful, especially when you want to get people to see your point of view. People can sometimes be either too closed-minded or they already have a fixed opinion. This can be rather frustrating, which is why I have decided to share one of my mind control stories with you. This story tells of how I managed to convince my family to go on a trip to Thailand instead of China. It might not sound like such a huge feat, but I have to say that the whole Thai experience was really amazing; and of course, so was the sound of victory.

Mind Control Stories: How Negative Words Can Ruin Your Mind Control Techniques

Getting people to do what you want, or to think in a certain way, can be as easy as pie. In the past, many of my mind control stories have something to do with gestures and other non-verbal cues. This time, however, my mind control story will concentrate more on the power of words.