Andrea's 3 Day Retreat...
Hey guys! Andrea here…
I recently booked myself into a cabin at the Tigh-na-mara Seaside Spa Resort.
Solo. No kids, no phone, no computer and no responsibilities - for a much-over-due break.
It was simple. It was amazing. It felt good to be alone.
I read a novel cover to cover. I ate a lot of yummy plant-based food. I went for long nature walks.
I slept. A lot – like 12 hours the first night!!!
It might seem weird, but I relished in the feeling of sitting there, doing nothing. I was able to calm down and slow my mind down.
To feel peaceful and present. It felt glorious to just be.
All that hard work…
Running a business and being a mom is hard work, and in the chaos of the last few months, I lost track of myself.
We tend to place importance on stuff that doesn’t matter as much as we think it does. If we’re not taking care of ourselves, it doesn’t help anyone. And yet, we tend to put everyone and everything else first.
The truth is, balance is bullshit on a day to day basis.
Balance only comes into play for me, when I take the time to step back and look at the bigger picture. There are periods of time where I need to focus on my business, and times when it needs to take a back seat for for my family. I lose touch with friends as a result.
The internet can make self-care look effortless, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, it means making hard decisions. I like running my own business and I like being the boss. I love to juggle priorities and I sometimes make the mistake on taking on too much. I’m trying not to judge myself too harshly for it, because it’s a part of who I am.
My recent time away re-ignited my deep desire to take care of the self.
“A miracle is simply a shift in perception from fear to love.”
Taken from the book - A Return To Love by Merianne Williamson
When I look at my week ahead, I have mapped out a few times to make it to yoga, a therapy session, some acupuncture, a date with my friend and a juice cleanse, not only that, but I’ve starting blocking off time in my calendar to be alone and not do anything at all.
I knew when I came back from my retreat, I was operating on a different vibrational frequency. The most obvious indicator was my two boys. They were so well behaved those 2 days after I returned. And oh so loving. My little guy - almost 6 - kept surprising me with these long hugs, sweet kisses, and was being so affectionate and vocal about his love – gentle and sweet.
It made me want to prioritize taking care of myself more, not just because it made me feel good, but because it made a difference in the lives of those around me - from my kids to my customers.
I spent the weekend with my two boys, cooking beautiful, nourishing foods for myself, my family and my friends. It felt amazing to be in the kitchen for hours on end - making broths, soups, salads, marinated tofu… By Sunday evening, I was ready to invite my parents over for a meal epic in size, with a variety of nourishing goodness.
I had a few days of fresh meals prepared in advance, and a freezer of my favourite veggie broths and soups.
I love to feel food from the foods that I eat and I came back from my retreat, excited to cook them!
Real life isn’t always perfect. Sometimes, we lose sight of the daily activities and moments that drive us. The kind of habits that infuse energy into ourselves and our surroundings, and we replace them with busy tasks that only deplete us.
I learned that taking a few day off for myself helped me realign my priorities, but I needed to be alone to feel the quiet.
FEELING STRESSED!?!?
We’re right smack-dab in the middle of cold + flu season, the kids are neck-deep in homework, and the holidays are quickly approaching. So yes, we’re managing the stress too. Here are a few products that help us on a daily basis.
