Design A Day-Long Retreat

February is a good time to check in with yourself. How do you feel about your daily routine? Are you living the life you want? Today, I will share an experience I had last fall that helped me take back the serenity in my life I was seeking. This simple idea may help you reframe, refocus and refresh to live the life you want and, in the process, provide a joyful day for yourself and a few others.

I have a friend who teaches yoga. Last fall, she invited me to a day-long retreat at her friend’s home. The retreat was free to attendees and started at 10 am. It ended at 4 pm and included six women. I equate it to a playdate for adults. The event showed me that I didn’t have to spend large amounts of time and money to feel refreshed. There were a couple of crucial ingredients that made the day successful.

Success to a Day-long Retreat

• Other family members were not home.
• Furniture was cleared to provide open areas to facilitate the activities.
• A hosted lunch.
• The retreat activities stretched from the home to the neighborhood.
• Various participants of the retreat led different events.
• The host had a plan for the day.
• It was a mix of people, some acquaintances but primarily new.

The day-long retreat helped to center me, and this is what I need at this time as well. My budget is tight, and time is at a premium; therefore, I am in the process of planning my day-long retreat. The event I referred to last fall is my starting point. Below is an outline of the activities I am planning. I share them with you. Maybe you can plan a similar event for yourself and a few friends to help you reframe, refocus and refresh to bring more joy into your life.

Reframing Activities

Synchronized Movement and Meditation. Physical movement improves the way I feel. I work out regularly, but often alone. I get more joy from my workout when I experience it with other people. I recently read an article on synchronized movement and how moving with others can positively affect your self-esteem. In my mind improving my self-esteem is a great reason to include exercise in my day-long retreat. In addition to movement, meditation is easier for me if I have others attempting this task. Below are the movement and mediation activities I am considering incorporating. I believe these activities will be a great way to reframe the mind for the day

• An in-person one-hour yoga session. My priority is to invite an instructor to lead the session live. If I can’t find a friend to teach it and participate in the retreat for free, I will hire an instructor and ask participants to share the costs.
• Share a video. If I can’t secure an instructor to come in person, I will try a streaming option. I have a subscription to Beachbody.com; their 3-week yoga retreat is an excellent program. Another free option I like is Yoga with Adriene. https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene. I will likely pick something I have done before, as I want to know if the program is achievable for various fitness levels.
• A 20-minute guided meditation. Yoga instructors can often lead a mediation as well. Someone who can do both will be my first choice. My second choice will be to conduct the mediation myself. Better Me is a great resource.
• Share an Ap. If my first two suggestions don’t work, I may consider a mediation Ap such as Calm or Insightimer. I like both for meditation.

Refocusing Activities

Replenish and Reflection. Movement and mediation sessions awaken my body and soul. This awakening takes energy. After this session, I plan to replenish the body with food. I will parter the food and feed the soul by reflecting on the thoughts in our minds. I often rush through my meals, do you? Take this day to slow down and enjoy good things that fuel you. Use this time to refocus your mindset to believe in the possibilities of life. Some simple ideas for this section include

• A healthy lunch. I am sticking to clean foods: vegetables, fruits, proteins, and light dressings. I may make zucchini lasagna. An alternative to cooking is to order catering from a local grocery market.
• A sharing session. While everyone is sitting down and enjoying a replenishing lunch, it is an excellent time to share thoughts on the morning session. This casual interchange can provide perspective lead to answers I may not have explored.
• A special dessert. I always turn to Sally’s Baking Addiction. To keep it clean, I am going with a flourless chocolate cake.. An alternative is a local bakery.
• A new topic for discussion. Over dessert, this is a good time for one of the participants to share a question with the group. I will ask my participants to bring a small notepad and writing utensil to journal during this time. At the retreat I attended last fall, the question asked was, “if you were a car, how full is your tank of gas?” Are you running on empty, or is your tank full? What do you do to fill yourself up? What could you do to fill yourself up if your tank is not full? After a bit of time, those who wanted to share their thoughts had the space to do so. I am not sure of the topic discussion for my retreat; this may be one that I delegate to one of my participants ahead of time. Maybe they have a good idea to help spark a positive discussion for the group.

Refreshing Activities

Nature and Energy. Being in nature is one of my favorite things and a perfect activity once the group has replenished. I live in the city, but nature is all around. I see the beauty in my surroundings, and I will take the group outside to refresh. As we venture out, I plan to give the group options.

• A walk in the neighborhood. I am planning a group walk and the opportunity for folks to venture on their own. I will provide a few maps with routes individuals can manage on their own if they choose.
• A sunbath in the backyard. I will set up a few seating areas outside. No matter the temperature, it can feel unique and energizing if the sun is out. I could certainly use some more vitamin D these days.
• Share your experience in gardening. I am a gardening novice, but a few plants in my garden bring me joy. Are there things that you learned from planting and caring for them? I love to learn from others, and I hope my guests will share. This topic can be a conversation starter and a way to learn from each other while lounging or walking in nature.

Art and Expression. Whether painting, crafting or writing, creative activities allow me to express myself physically. My work is not of a master, but it brings me joy. Encouraging participants to express themselves is a beautiful way to conclude the day. These expressions are an individual’s gift. This session can refresh you and your guests as you finish the day. Below are some options I plan to incorporate.

• Sketching and Painting. Watercolor is an accessible medium for almost anyone. I like to purchase postcard size blocks of watercolor paper and a Prang (amazon link) watercolor paint tray. Is there someone in your group who has this talent? Maybe they would be willing to share. Another idea I am considering is to purchase kits. We have a lovely art studio in town, ARTrageous, with zodiac kits. If I go this route, I will ask participants to contribute to the costs.
• Journaling. My group will consist of busy working moms like me; I suspect a short time to sit and journal would be welcome.
• Scrabble or charades. Some people would instead express themselves through games. Scrabble is one of the most creative games for witty people. I will set up a game at a small table and invite people to play. Another idea is Charades. That game always makes me laugh, and it is impossible not to express yourself when playing charades.

A day-long retreat can be a great way to bring back balance to your life. It can provide time to reframe through movement and mediation, refocus through replenishment of the body and reflection of the soul, and refresh through engagement in nature and expression of individual gifts. These simple steps and the investment of one day can allow you and a few friends to bring greater joy to your lives.

A day-long retreat can be a great way to bring back balance to your life. It can provide time to reframe through movement and mediation, refocus through replenishment of the body and reflection of the soul, and refresh through engagement in nature and expression of individual gifts. These simple steps and the investment of one day can allow you and a few friends to bring greater joy to your lives.