How a Transformational Retreat Will Change Your Life

Have you ever been the last person standing at the baggage carousel NOT seeing your suitcase?

That was me in Cancun after a red-eye flight & looooong middle of the night layover.

Tired, anxious, & uncertain.

I’d never traveled outside of the country by myself & never been to a women’s retreat, let alone where I knew NO ONE.

My lost luggage could’ve been a sign that this was a terrible idea.

But, for some reason I took a deep breath & calmly just kept moving forward.

Hell, I had a swimsuit in my carry on bag, what more did I need in Mexico?!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was a choice.

I decided on purpose how I wanted to feel in that moment.

Someone from the retreat was supposed to greet me at the resort, but she was having lunch with another participant. I could either meet them in the restaurant or wait for her to meet me later.

I remember very clearly asking myself who I wanted to be there. What I really wanted was to be open & connect with the other women.

So I walked out the door to meet with two total strangers.

Answering that question & deciding NOT to hide in my room probably represented the biggest turning point in the trip.

My whole life I’ve told myself that I’m socially awkward & have a hard time connecting. Ahem, read into that…what I actually meant is that everyone else knows how to make friends, sustain relationships, & be interesting-except me!

That idea likely came from experiences with bullying, being judged, & having my trust violated in the past.

Here’s the interesting thing though, I’d also experienced great friendships. My bestie since third grade always had my back even when I wasn’t being a good friend (shout out to Robin if you’re reading this) .

But, the negative experiences trumped the good ones & the stories continued. Until that retreat.

The women I met there came with big, wide-open hearts just like me. And despite some nerves & having to wear a swimsuit cover up the first night (note to self: I did need more than a swimsuit in Mexico 😂) I didn’t hide. By the end of the first night we were connecting & belly laughing.

I spent four days with my guard down & my heart open.

We all have old stories that impact how we show up today. But, it’s possible to choose different thoughts and have totally different experiences. And when we do, we can create really meaningful connections.

One of those two strangers I went to meet for lunch became one of my dearest friends and will be with me in Carmel for the Soul Spa Getaway this November.