I usually feel a lot of resistance come forward right before I’m about to commit to OR attend a retreat, a wellness weekend or even a transformational journey I've decided that I need to take for myself. I’ve learned that this resistance is incredibly common. It’s so normal to have the following thoughts pop up when we’re about to click “Purchase,” or book that plane ticket.
“It’s too expensive.”
“I don’t have time.”
“I can’t leave my family right now.”
“There’s too much travel.”
“I don’t know exactly what it’ll be like, so I probably shouldn’t go...”
Isn’t it interesting how we have so many limiting stories come up when we’re considering doing something amazing for ourselves? It’s usually so much easier to do something for a loved one. We probably wouldn’t think twice about encouraging a friend to attend an event that seems totally aligned with what she needs. Yet we rarely give ourselves the same encouragement.
My process looks like this… I’m called to attend a retreat, usually because I need to reset and refocus. I know that to do this I need to get out of the day-to-day and gain perspective. So I start looking for a place where I can do that (usually some kind of retreat or journey with friends.) When I find that place, my stories start to come up. “I don’t have the money, time, permission…” And so on.
To push past these stories, I become clear on my intention about why I want to go to the retreat. I ask…
“How will this experience serve me?”
“Why do I need this?”
“Am I willing to spend this much on my evolution?”
“What are my needs worth?”
“Do I really need to unplug and grow?”
“Do I really need to be inspired and meet new people?”
“Do I really need more depth and wellness in my life?”
More often than not, these questions help me hone in on my intention for saying YES to the experience my Soul is seeking.
But many times, I still have buyer’s remorse after spending all that money, and have to return to my intentions to fortify my commitment. I actually have to return to those intentions many times between buying my ticket and showing up at the retreat. I have to consciously remind myself why I’m going. I have to realign with my WHY over and over again. I then make myself follow through, and I’ve never regretted that. Not once.
If you’re navigating the process of deciding if you should attend a wellness retreat or workshop, here are some steps I often take to find my answer:
But instead of letting these thoughts freak me out, I write them down. I take them as signs of what I’ll get to work through during the retreat. I record them in a journal that I bring to the event, and am usually blown away by how I receive the exact wisdom and guidance needed to move through my issues.
“I really hear you. This feels so scary. But we’re going to go. It was so clear when we made the decision that we’re ready to transform. That’s not going to happen by staying in the same place and doing the same thing. We’re willing to foster our evolution. We’re going.”
Then feel the empowerment move through me, and I trust the ride.
I find the cycle of inspiration-fear-excitement-resistance-commitment that I spin through as I book, then prepare for, an experience to be fascinating. While it can be uncomfortable at times, I’m so curious about all the fears, messages, and synchronicities that emerge as I commit to something that is sure to push me and transform me. For me, the more that comes up, the more certain I am that I have to go.
If you’re inspired to take a leap of faith into a transformational experience, consider our Attune wellness event that is happening in LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS! Attune is a four-day gathering in the utopia of Serenbe outside of Atlanta, Georgia that will support guests in optimizing health from the inside-out through inspirational speakers, interactive workshops and human connection immersed in Nature. If you are feeling the call and need a reset with time to immerse and grow, join us! We hope to dive into the adventure with you very soon!
with love + humility,
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