I’ve talked about doing this for years, but that was it, all talk. But finally, I booked a trip to a wellness retreat. My husband and I talked for a while about how it would be helpful to start off the new year with a few days at a wellness retreat. A great way to reset, get focused, and start the year rejuvenated and restored. Of course, life always gets in the way. It was always something, from having too much work, financial strain, or big life changes like having a baby or moving across the country that held us back from ever making this dream a reality. Well, not this year! A friend of mine shared about Wild Rice Retreat a few years ago. It’s located near Bayfield in the very northern part of Wisconsin. Ever since it’s been taking up space in the back of my mind as a great idea.

Last year, my husband and I decided to make a big life change and move back to Wisconsin from Colorado to be closer to family. It is very important to us that our son and any future children grow up around our close family and friends. I knew we had this big change coming at the end of the year. Along with wondering what to get the hubby for Christmas and stressing about moving, the idea of a wellness retreat getaway popped back up in my head. Specifically the Wild Rice Retreat. What better way to get reacquainted with our home state while recharging from a big move and starting a new year fresh than spending a few days at a retreat in a part of the state neither of us has ever been? So, I put aside all the excuses, found a babysitter for our son, and booked a stay at Wild Rice Retreat. Our first annual wellness retreat getaway!

My Experience at A Wellness Retreat

I’m not going to lie, the first night was pretty tough. We are in the middle of selling our house in Colorado, so the whole 5-hour drive up we were negotiating concessions and talking to our realtor. This is also the first time my husband and I have been away from our son together for an extended period of time, so I was also missing the little guy a lot. I also decided to take the four full days off of work and not check any emails or social media. As a solopreneur in the heart of the busy season, this was HARD. So I’m stressed from the process of selling a house, mom-guilting about leaving my son, and business owner-guilting about not immediately responding to clients. 

Then we get to Wild Rice Retreat and it’s in the middle of the woods next to Lake Superior. Incredibly gorgeous but also so silent and I started to feel really lonely, even though my husband was there. Talk about ALL the emotions! Without technology to distract me, it really gave me time to sit in these feelings and realize how much I really put self-care to the side. We talk about all these “guilts”, from mom-guilt to wife-guilt, business owner-guilt, and more. But do we ever talk about self-guilt? Meaning, do I ever feel guilty about not making time for myself? Nope. Definitely not. Here I am finally taking a few dedicated days to myself and all I can feel is guilt for not being there for everyone else right now. Clearly, I needed this time away. I can’t serve everyone else from a cup that isn’t full.

The next day, we woke up and participated in a yoga class in the morning. I love yoga and how much it grounds me. Doing this class finally helped me settle into the retreat. I felt so much better after that class and stopped feeling guilty for being there and started focusing on relaxing and recharging myself. I haven’t had this much time to just sit and read, stare off into space, daydream, and explore without ANY other obligations in as long as I can remember. What a blessing to have this opportunity. This is exactly what I needed to reset and get ready for what is going to be another amazing, busy, fun-filled year!

This retreat was such a great reminder that I need to make time for myself. It’s important and it’s not selfish. I have an amazing support system, from my husband to my parents, in-laws, friends, and colleagues who are here to help support me. 

An annual wellness retreat is definitely going to be a priority moving forward as well as continuing daily self-care rituals, like meditation, yoga, and being present.

The Importance of Going to a Retreat Resort

I want to note how important I think it is to actually leave your house and go to a new setting for a wellness break, like a wellness retreat resort. You can easily say you’ll spend a day at home not checking email or social media to recharge. But it feels completely different when you remove yourself from your everyday life. 

When you’re home, the never-ending to-do list will still be in the back of your mind. You could quickly just do some laundry or pay some bills. But when you go to a different place, you’re removing the everyday stress that piles on your mind. You don’t have to worry about doing the dishes, planning and making meals, or cleaning. When you’re away, you can truly disconnect and focus on recharging without the everyday guilt of your to-do list being front of mind.

Additional Wellness Retreats On My Must-Visit List

When I first came up with the idea to do a wellness retreat getaway at the start of each year, I came up with an ever-growing list of hotels I’d want to visit. Here is my current list: 

• Canyon Ranch – Arizona, Massachusetts, California, and Texas
• Miraval – Arizona, Massachusetts, and Texas
• Palmaia – Mexico
• BodyHoliday – Saint Lucia
• Sensai Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort  – Hawaii
• Ananda in the Himalayas – India
• The Ranch Hudson Valley – New York

I always want to add more to my list, so please email me with any wellness retreats or wellness resorts you have visited or are on your list!

Are you ready to book a wellness retreat getaway?

While I am obviously a big proponent of taking advantage of a wellness retreat gateway, it can be very overwhelming to find the right one for you. Let me take that stress off your plate. Let’s work together to find the ideal wellness retreat for you, one that will take your self-care journey to the next level. If you have been like me and keep putting this trip off, email me or fill out our travel inquiry form so we can make this important self-care trip a reality for you!