Making Time for Personal Retreat

I finally reached the end of my rope. Ever been there?  My life is in transition and I've been resisting the change. I'm nervous, scared, and excited, which leaves me anxious, exhausted, and lacking sleep. I'm sure you have no idea what I'm talking about, right?

There are times in our life when we feel so far behind the 8-ball that the only solution is to get off the table or hide in one of the pockets for a while. So I decided, with the support of my husband, that I needed to hide away in a pocket. That meant getting away from work, the house, the kids, even my husband so that I could regroup. And that's exactly what I did.

Monday afternoon I checked into a room at the timeshare we own just down the street from our home. Cost was minimal since it was a last minute booking. With a full kitchen, I brought my own easy to prepare food so I wouldn't need to cook, clean or leave the room. Then I unpacked, organized my books, CDs and journals, and settled in.

Less than 24 hours later I felt (and still feel) like I'm back to normal (or as normal as I get!). That retreat allowed me time for some crucial "RE's." What are RE's? I'm so glad you asked.

• REst
• REfreshment
• REnewal
• REconnection
• REstoration
• REcommitment
• REcharging

That was my focus for the retreat and it was amazingly successful. Are you in need of some, or all, of those RE's? Let me offer a few suggestions for how to plan a personal retreat.

1. Make it a priority. There are always thing we say we "have" to do, but in reality there are not so many that couldn't wait a little longer to be completed. Take time now and you will be able to complete more once you have a clear focus and vision for what you're doing and why you're doing it.
2. Make a plan. Choose an evening, a weekend, an afternoon, an hour...start with whatever you can find and commit to it. Involve the necessary people, i.e. babysitter, spouse, reservation specialist, etc. Communicate the value that these people will experience when you come back refreshed and renewed.
3. Make it happen. Don't let anything get in the way, barring an actual emergency. Keep your appointment with yourself.
4. Make it count. When you're there, begin with rest. Chances are you could use a long hot shower or relaxing bath and a good long rest. Don't overschedule or overplan your retreat. Take time to unwind and decompress from the constant barrage of everyday life. Allow your mind and spirit to release the pressure and stress and become open to new ideas and fresh perspectives.
5. Make some commitments. Whether it's a commitment to get away on a more frequent basis or a commitment to sign up for a gym, choose a few areas that you are ready to make change and commit to it. Walk away from the retreat with some goals and plans. Then find someone to keep you accountable by sharing your goals and asking them to periodically check in with you.

You can do this...you need to do this. I'm giving you permission to do this because I know that the time you are away will be more than made up by the change in your disposition and demeanor. Your heart and mind will be refreshed. Your soul will be restored. Your body will be rested. Your mind will be recommitted. You can't put a dollar value on those things and you can't put it off forever. Make a plan now. Choose a day and time...even if it's just an hour alone in your bedroom. You're worth it.

While you're there, consider focusing on this inspiration quote I recently heard on the movie, Coach Carter, and found this morning on Angel's blog, 1SmartMom:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
by Marianne Williamson from A Return To Love

This is what Angel said about the quote: "I’m a stay at home mom, and I love every minute of it, and even though being a mom has always been part of my dream for my life, it is not my whole dream. It is my fear, not my role as a mother, that has prohibited me from pursuing my passion. How many of us moms live in the shadow of our children as an excuse to not pursue our passion?"

Don't get lost in the shuffle of life or let your energy be starved from lack of inspiration. Take time to nurture yourself today. Do one thing...just one thing.

technorati tags: Moms, Inspiration, Retreat, Marianne_Williamson, Coach_Carter,

Comments

[Liza]

Excellent Post

The RE's you listed are definitely a need :)

[Holly]

Man, I so need to do this for myself! Your right, we all need time to ourselves and get away from all the things plaguing our lives!!! Right on Tasra!!!

[Kailani]

What a great idea. The hard part is finding the time but I'm sure it's there somewhere!

[Angel Cope]

Interestingly, as you have linked my site to your post about taking time for yourself, I am headed out of town to enjoy a weekend of kid free, husband free, Scrapbooking! Thanks for visiting my site,and linking. I am so glad to have found you.Maybe you will help me get on top of my scrapbooking. I am one year behind on my eighteen month old's baby album. UUGGH! I felt bad to answer your poll that I had not scrapbooked one page in Sept. Oh well, October is looking brighter.

[Holly Schwendiman]

Good for you! It is so important not to forget ourselves in the daily shuffles and transitions.

Hugs,
Holly
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