Life has a way of filling up. Work, family, commitments, routines, all important, but often leaving little room for reflection. We tell ourselves we’ll slow down but that day rarely comes.
That’s where a retreat is different.
Unlike a holiday, which often keeps us busy with new places to see and things to do, a retreat is about creating space. Space to reflect. Space to reset. Space to ask the deeper questions that daily life rarely leaves room for.
My own pause
For me, the pause came in 2025, when I took a full-year sabbatical. On paper, my career looked great: I had built habits around chasing bonuses and paychecks. But I was no longer the person I was 15 years ago. I was seeking more meaning and alignment.
I tried many things: I interviewed dozens of founders, hoping to find the right fit. I enrolled in courses. I even explored spiritual practices — from family constellations to energy healing to Akashic readings — in search of answers. But after months of seeking, I was exhausted. Nothing felt like “it.”
One day, my neighbor, a yoga teacher, offered me a simple truth: <“Stop asking for answers outside. Start looking inside.” That shifted everything.
It reminded me that life design isn’t just about staying in your head, making lists, or chasing the next opportunity. It’s also about listening inward, connecting with your body, your intuition, your deeper self. That’s why today, I combine both: immersive retreats in remote locations and the powerful tools of Designing Your Life. Together, they create the conditions for real transformation.
Your pause
You don’t need a year off to find clarity. Even small, intentional pauses can create space for insight. Here are a few ways to design your own mini-retreat:
- Good Time Journal: Track your daily activities and reflect: how engaged were you? Did it energize or drain you? Look for patterns and make small shifts toward what lights you up.
- Create the space: Dedicate a nourishing spot for reflection. A friend turned her shed into a meditation and creative room, blocking time on her calendar so no one interrupts. Small, intentional changes matter.
- Define what guides you: What values guide you? Seeing these on paper helps clarify what truly matters.
- Unplug with intention: Put the phone away and allow silence. Discomfort may come first, but clarity often follows.
- Join a retreat: Sometimes structure, tools, and community help us go deeper. A retreat offers exactly that: a guided pause where you can step away and return renewed.
A gift to yourself
As the year closes, consider giving yourself the gift of pause. Whether it’s a journal session, a weekend unplugged, or a guided retreat, stepping away is often the first step toward stepping into what’s next.
👉 Our next Designing Your Life retreat takes place in Bali, just before Christmas.
It’s an immersive experience where reflection meets action, helping you return with clarity, energy, and direction.
Learn more about the retreat here.
🎥 Want to see the magic in action? Watch a glimpse of our UK retreat on Instagram.
