5 Things you will discover by going on a retreat

Retreats are a great place to learn about yourself and your goals. Everyone has a unique experience, and no one can predict what a retreat will do for you. I’ve organized and been on several retreats, so if you’re wondering what you can expect from a retreat, here’s a list of 5 things you will discover when attending such a special event;

1 - The bigger perspective Suddenly, those seemingly big weighty problems you just can't work out, will begin to shrink; once you’re out of your ‘bubble’, the solutions become very clear and small problems become insignificant when you're sitting on a beautiful beach, watching the sunrise and enjoying the most breathtaking views.

2 - Sense of adventure Just getting out of the daily grind - and away from the 'norm' - ignites that sense of adventure that has the potential to inspire us to grow and expand. We chose our retreats locations for the sense of adventure that they inspire. The more we get this sense of adventure, the more we are tapping into our real self and free spirit – and we all have that! Can you remember the last time you felt adventurous?

3- Clarity of future visions and goals During a retreat, you will realise exactly where you are now and its connection to how you feel. Once you are aware of that, you will gain clarity on where you want to be. Thanks to learning tools and techniques on how to achieve more balance and calm states of mind, you will naturally start to visualise where you want life to be and you will discover ways of consciously creating your own reality. Taking a step back, and 're-treating' is such a great thing to do; it helps us to literally pause the constant influx of information, people and situations coming at us - all with their own agendas -, and take stock, review and evaluate what our own agenda is. Am I on the right path? How much of this is what I really want? Taking time out to reflect over our lives, our achievements, our goals and dreams is so important. Every successful person will do this, we have to - otherwise we can be so easily swept up in the external world. 4- Your comfort zone The fear of the unknown. Just joining a group of people we don't know, with no guarantee that we will like them, or they will like us. For a weekend or week of activities and the group connection within a retreat can be enough to challenge you out of your comfort zone. And this is a great thing! It is so important to push and challenge yourself - because this is how we grow! Anyone who has reached success in what they are doing, would have, at one point had to go through a time of discomfort. Whether speaking in front of people, performing in front of an audience, training so hard your body aches all over... Whatever it is - if you want big things in your life - you need to come out of your comfort zone. And after a while, you will realise that on the other side of fear (or discomfort) is excitement and joy. On our retreats, we encourage our guests to come out of their comfort zone in meaningful ways to them. And it is amazing and exciting to see the transformation they go through by doing this, with support. When was the last time you challenged yourself to do something you were apprehensive to do, due to fear? How often do you push yourself out of your comfort zone?

5 - Sense of purpose A lot of the time in life, we can find ourselves just coasting. We've achieved the job, we may have the house, partner, whatever we have in our life. We have our routine and if we're not careful we stop growing. As the saying goes, "If you're not growing then you're dying" It is vital to have a sense of purpose to keep a healthy mind, a healthy body too also. As a former anesthetic specialist for 15 years, I can tell you that the elderly patients who recovered from their surgery well (and had that bounce-back ability) were the ones with a sense of purpose. They were the 90-100 year olds who were still totally mobile, and had a great outlook on life. They appreciated their life, their loved ones and the beauty and wonder of the world. Do you have a sense of purpose in your life? Or maybe you did at one point, but it’s just faded away... When you have that drive within your life, amazing things tend to happen. You feel so alive, so free and so fulfilled. A retreat guides you to reflect over this sense of self and develop a strong inner awareness. We hold our retreats in beautiful, awe-inspiring places in the world, that make you stop in your tracks and naturally reassess your priorities and life.