Looking back, I can pin point almost every major life decision happening in my twenties after experiencing the transformational power of a retreat. There’s magic that happens when you have the time and space to step away from the busyness of day-to-day life, reflect on what you want to do next, and what dreams you want to put into action.
It all started with a volunteer and wellness retreat in Mexico I attended three years ago, when I knew I was burned out from my high stress career and wanted to do something different, I just didn’t know what… I had been exploring yoga at the time as a tool to heal my anxiety, and one morning after sunrise yoga on a mountain top, I was overcome by the deep knowing that I wanted to teach. My passion for yoga led me to teach the tools of meditation and mindfulness to others that were struggling with their mental health and well-being.
Fast forward to 2019, I’ve been teaching yoga at retreats, producing and hosting wellness events and workshops, and starting to grow into my new role as a holistic health coach. I was doing everything I’ve ever dreamed of – teaching yoga, educating my community about mindfulness, writing, running my socially conscious business Beldi Collective. And yet, the irony was that in focusing on supporting others, I started to let my own health slide to the back-burner, and I knew I was moving at a pace that wasn’t sustainable.
I had been looking into running my own retreat, and a friend had told me about Revamp Retreats that was running amazing wellness retreats, while also giving back. As soon as I looked at the website and read about Kori’s journey, something resonated deeply with me. I saw that there was an Entrepreneurship and Wellness Retreat in Costa Rica coming up. This was somewhere I had always wanted to visit. I loved how the retreat had a magical mix of wellness and business workshops, and that it was designed to create space for relaxing, as well as learning.
At the same time, as an entrepreneur, I wanted to focus putting all my funds back into my wellness business, I Am Well Community, so that I could continue to reach and support more people with their healing journeys. I was struggling with what I wanted to offer to my community next, and how to create programs that could reach women across the world, instead of just relying on local events I had been hosting to teach women about holistic wellness.
About a week before the retreat, I saw a post about a scholarship that Revamp was offering, and it was like a light had lit up inside of me. When I was offered the scholarship to join the Costa Rica retreat, I knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to reflect on where I wanted to take my business and community next, while also taking time to nurture and take care of my own body that was worn a little ragged from running multiple events a month.
The Costa Rica Entrepreneurship and Wellness retreat was such a magical experience beyond words. We stayed at Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort, surrounded by lush trees and nature. It was such a beautiful experience from simple things like showering with views of the jungle above me, to sitting outside by the pool in the afternoons sipping fresh juices and smoothies, to doing yoga in the evenings with a breathtaking view of the sunset, and everything in between. There was something about the calm spirit of Costa Rica that allowed me to feel that I could finally slow down, disconnect, and rest.
The workshops were a blend of wellness, personal development, and business growth. Amanda spoke to how we can use manifestation, meditation, and mindset to move in the direction of our dreams, and take our calling seriously. Brendan spoke about how to break past our blocks, create achievable goals, and create systems to grow your business. As someone who cares deeply about giving back to organizations and spaces that support kids and their creative growth, our volunteer trip was one of my favorite parts of the retreat. We brought art supplies to a local school, and spent the afternoon playing tag, running around a field, and laughing with these young energetic souls that we deeply connected with despite the language barrier.
It was such an incredible group of people who attended the retreat; each of us got to know each other through our beach visits, excursions, workshops, community meals, and the volunteer trip. We learned together, shared our struggles, had amazing breakthroughs, and supported each other through our growth and transformation during the week we spent together. I met so many likeminded people who were also looking to use their gifts to support others and help them heal. It was so inspiring to see how everyone who came to the retreat left feeling renewed, invigorated, and clear on what their next step was on their path.
I walked away feeling empowered that I had clear steps on how I could move forward with my business by creating impact through health and wellness coaching, and I felt so encouraged by our group. I decided what boundaries needed to be set and what things I wanted to let go of in order to focus on doing more of what I love. I was also inspired by the women leading the retreat, who are trail blazers and visionaries in the wellness and empowerment space.
One of the most important things I took away from this retreat was something Amanda Huggins said: “All the answers are already within you.” This idea is so simple, yet so profound. I left Costa Rica feeling filled up with excitement to continue doing the work I do, while feeling refreshed from having the space to slow down and reflect. No matter where you are on your journey, taking time to pause, meet likeminded people, and reflect on your journey is such an incredibly expansive experience that can deeply benefit anyone who decides to say yes to themselves, to transformation, and adventure.
Feeling inspired to retreat with us? Check out our upcoming adventures here!