A retreat is a great way to recalibrate. All it really is, is a pause. Stopping long enough to think, asses and discern if where you are at in any/all areas of your life are going the way you would like them to go.
I am a big fan of knowing what you can control and what you can’t and working with the what you CAN side of things. Recalibration has a “re” at the beginning of it- which means it is something you do over and over again. We will recalibrate, get things going in a direction, life takes off and then it’s time to recalibrate once again.
Retreating is a practice of consistency.
Your current season of life may determine your level of retreating. I know when my kids were small, two hours at a coffee shop- my mini retreat- was fantastic! Other years I tacked on a day or two to business trips. My last two retreats have been dedicated retreats- just me, no event attached, me alone with me. It is not for the faint of heart!
So your retreat might be an hour in a park or garden or your back yard with your journal. It might be an afternoon somewhere, an overnight not too far away, maybe even in your town! The idea is to just get some space, that pause, to think about each area of your life and to get yourself re-centered on the directions you want to go in.
My retreat rules:
-Always start out with a reflection of all of the things that are going well.
-Look at each area of life and notice what isn’t going so well.
-Think about and plan the adjustments to those things, what to take on and what to let go of.
-Think about the hours of my weeks and months and look at how I have been spending them and recalibrate, if necessary (it’s always necessary!) to have my schedule better reflect my priorities.
My retreats get emotional for me, especially on the first day. I let me emotions out and do a lot of writing to process what I am feeling. I gain a lot of clarity and many aha’s while writing and highly recommend it to you whether you consider yourself to be a writer or not. I use a wire bound notebook- nothing fancy.
I bring good food on my retreat, or go somewhere where yummy food is convenient. Food is definitely an important part of any of my retreats, regardless of the length!
I bring a pile of books to inspire me, or if I am doing a few hours, maybe a pad of paper, one book. I bring comfy clothes and workout clothes, moving is always a part of every retreat- to counteract all the sitting and to boost the processing of emotions and ideas.
This week, think about how a recalibration retreat could benefit you, how much time you can devote, pick a time, put in your schedule and make all of the arrangements to make it happen. Make the plan. Make it happen! You might get hooked, like I have!