A surprising by-product of a womens retreat.
For women, taking care of ourselves is often not a priority and we need a nudge to do this. This year, we created the nudge. “Join our week away. Meet new friends. Celebrate ourselves.” The by-product of this week – rejuvenation through rest. Sleep can be elusive for those balancing work and life, and when we add in the challenges of caregiving for our young or our elders, realities and worries both interrrupt. When grief is layered in, sleep can become even more challenging.
When we created our Women’s Health Retreat this year, the guests arrived, not all knowing each other to start with and quickly bonding from the first contacts. Conversation flowed. The days were relaxed, the food healthy, the daily Tea Happy Hour was followed by mocktails/cocktails crafted with locally made juices, cooking became a communal activity and excursions included nature and movement as we explored the local area. We had an excellent local partner in Shawn of Reflections of Barbados who understood the mission – fun, soulful, and curiousity explored. One of our early afternoons in this week, with Shawn and Leann supporting us, they brought in Eve & Ellie Skincare to make our own body oils, created canvases where Leann led us through easy painting, and Shawn closed out our session with practicing gratitude and journaling. There were tears of release, hugs and more hugs, followed by an easy comfort-food dinner full of stories and laughter.
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Then there was sleep, as the women drifted into their own smaller conversations and some retreated to rest. For the balance of the week the pace was unhurried, naps were common, sunshine and ocean breezes healed and long hours of sleep became a welcome respite. We have created new bonds of friendship, safe spaces to share our challenges and hold space for each other, creating a network of support.
The setting, a gorgeous villa on the ocean’s edge gave us space to commune and to separate. This was an intentionally curated and designed week that allowed all who joined us to leave rested, supported and ready to return.
If you are looking for a retreat that does all of this for you, your teams, or groups of people where you want a positive result for those willing to work through whatever brings them together, let’s talk.
