Last week I went away with my women’s business forum, which is a collective of Bali-based female business owners, all of which have been a huge support system to me over the last few years facing the curveballs of the pandemic and also the launch of the brand new retreat sanctuary here in Bali.
I loved organising the retreat for us and I was excited to take these women to a place that I knew would allow us all to reimagine, re-inspire and activate new dreams for 2023.
It’s actually the place where over 15 years ago, I had the original idea and dream for Escape Haven, and it is a place I return to regularly for a dose of new inspiration, creativity and envisioning new dream-scapes and goals.
Our women’s forum goes away on retreat every six months and together we reflect, celebrate and look ahead to the next season with fresh insight, energy and vision.
The reason we choose a women’s retreat environment for this is that it takes us out of our day to day surroundings. It removes us from the daily nitty-gritty details of our businesses and our home lives and allows us to be in an expansive space which inspires expansive thoughts, ideas and dreams to effortlessly surface.
Magical things happen when we are in inspiring spaces, surrounded by inspiring people and doing inspiring things. It’s a winning combination for your deepest dreams and biggest ideas and exciting ‘ah-ha’ moments to emerge.
These types of thought patterns get squashed in the humdrum of daily life. However, when we remove ourselves from the everyday, suddenly everything opens up and anything is possible – you have the invitation to reimagine yourself. The world feels limitless. Your dreams feel like you can reach out and touch them.
I honestly believe that taking time away in a retreat space and broadening my horizons, focusing on my wellbeing and being around like-minded women has always been a key success factor for my business and my personal growth too.
One thing I love the most about these women’s retreats are how they really allow us to step back and gain perspective- to really anchor ourselves and then utilise the retreat experience as a springboard; a springboard for growth and transformation. A springboard to get to the next chapter.
There is such immense power and benefit in taking this time to pause and not only reflect, but to also celebrate. So often as entrepreneurs we are so focused on the day to day that it’s only when we step back we can really see how far we have come and how much we have grown.
On retreat we had so much fun. We enjoyed so much laughter and some really special and memorable experiences. It was an opportunity to let our hair down after a BIG year and bask in moments that encouraged us to relax and unwind, but also to broaden our horizons and inspire us to think big as we looked ahead to 2023.
Tucked away in spectacular luxury amidst Bali’s lush tropical jungle, we enjoyed activities such as a Kundalini energy journey, hydrotherapy, breath work, yoga and fitness, a huge hike through the jungle, and a stunning brunch picnic at the base of a waterfall amidst the rock pools and underneath the canopy of the jungle.
We also enjoyed a branding workshop and time to reflect on our personal business wins and how we navigated the undulating trajectory of 2022.
One of the biggest highlights was our final dinner. We sat at a beautifully adorned table underneath a sky full of stars and surrounded by huge trees dotted with twinkling fairy lights. A huge bonfire burned beside us whilst we ate, chatted, laughed and reminded ourselves of how precious these moments are- moments that not only are incredible in and of themselves, but set the stage for the next season of life to follow. They fill you with joy, anticipation, gratitude and inspiration for what is to come. They remind you that no matter how challenging the path may seem when you are in the thick of it, that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and these are the moments that make it all worthwhile.
During this dinner we decided on our word and our intention for 2023 and we became clear on what we were letting go of- what would remain left behind as we stepped forwards into the new year ahead.
These 2 days of celebration, inspiration, growth and learnings were really beautiful.
It reminded me of how as women, we don’t often come together when we are in the midst of navigating the storms. However, we also don’t always come together at the other end to celebrate. It is so important to do both, otherwise, we find ourselves in relentless pursuit to achieve our goals and we never stop to give ourselves the recognition and acknowledgement of how far we have come.
Pausing to reflect and celebrate allows us to take that feeling of success, competency and confidence into the next season of life.
So, I encourage you to take a pause right now also. No matter how much you have going on in the holiday season- take time to reflect and ask yourself these questions-
What are you most proud of this year?
What was your biggest learning this year?
What advice would you give yourself in January this year?
What do you want to let go of?
What is your word for the year to come?
I love witnessing the transformations in our guests on retreat when they too are given this time to pause, reflect and celebrate. I really do believe that a retreat experience is the most powerful springboard to launch into the next chapter of our lives feeling energised, clear, confident and motivated.
If you would love to gift yourself this opportunity- a week of reflection, luxury, pampering, celebration, adventure and wellness- in beautiful Bali surrounded by a group of like-minded women. Make 2023 the most magical year yet.
