Retreating, and taking a whole month to do so, can really freak North Americans out. However, with all the stress, the anxiety, & mental health issues overtaking, possibly more than ever – retreating looks like a really great viable option! Lol.
So think about what you may like to retreat from this month (you may want to continue retreating from it for a long time or forever afterward)? You already know deep down because you’ve been thinking about it.
How about social media – or the cutting back of it? I don’t think it is any secret that all of the above disorders I’ve named above have increased steadily just as social media became more and more popular. Living on it and living for it is VEXACIOUS to your SPIRIT. Life is more powerful and less strenuous away from it. Look out your window. There my darling is where real life is and always will be.
How about FINALLY SAYING NO instead of saying yes to volunteering all the time or always being available? How about taking a look at all of your commitments and promise yourself to let those commitments go that do not bring you joy, purpose, meaning or fulfillment? Really! Time to cut your losses. I mean, you don’t even have to finish a book, or a course, if you don’t love it. Let it go and move on to what you are more suited to. These are wonderful things you can think about when you RETREAT! Think about how many of your truly authentic aspirations will finally manifest when you decide to give time to what you love not what you “should” do.
How about you spend time getting solid and peaceful on the inside? What character trait needs to go? Negativity, complaining, fear, anger, blame or how about unforgiveness? While we are only human and will feel these things from time to time, if these traits are your MO, retreating to work on these things is highly recommended. In fact, these types of traits stop the flow of good things that want to come to you, because they just sit in limbo until you retreat and reflect on doing the exact opposite of these low energy character traits. Albert Einstein said (now remember he was a very brilliant man), “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” (I am paraphrasing because I am too lazy to go look up his exact quote – nevertheless, you get the drift). Let’s stop giving our negative traits front and centrre stage and let us work on what we need to work on so we can shine a light on our own brilliance.
Finally, how about never giving a flying flip about what people think of you if you take your own at home retreat for a while? How about focusing on the integrity of your soul and what it needs to be you instead? The great part about this retreat and doing what you love and setting your intentions, is that is all about no schedule apart from your must do routine. You aren’t ADDING anything extra at this time so you can be intentional and purposeful about who you are and what you want, who you want to be and where you want to go.
Retreating is about ORDER. It’s about bringing the necessary order to your life so you can begin anew, have a fresh start and begin an exciting new chapter. Living by the seat of your pants is not living fully. Order will help you to live full!
Reflect on the lessons from last year, or the years past and what you’d like to take with you and what needs to be left behind.
Retreating is happiness and it is imperative. We’ll talk more about R-Therapy over the next few days!
Written by : Tara McIntosh
