It’s officially summertime, which means sunshine, pool parties and no excuses on taking time for yourself! That’s why this week, Sharon is giving you a lo-fi and high-impact way to create a space for yourself to bring inspiration, purpose and reflection together. Learn about why Sharon still loves the term retreat (when others worry it feels like they are hiding out with their heads in the sand), what questions to ask yourself to put a structure in place to design your own retreat, and Sharon’s top tips for making your retreat experience just what you are wishing for – and then some. Plus learn about why Sharon might be needing her own retreat experience in the coming months (hint: packing for the Hudson Valley is in full effect!). Whether you are looking for a half-day of guided self-reflection or designing your own sabbatical, this week’s episode is for you!
Ideas Shared
Steps to Design Your Own Retreat
As you set out to design your own retreat, ask yourself these questions:
1) What is the purpose of your retreat?
What do you want to get out of the retreat experience? If the experience is delightfully impactful, what will be different at the end of it?
2) Who will be on the retreat?
Is this is a retreat you want to do solo? With friends? Guided?
3) Where will the retreat take place?
In the city or country? Out of town or at home? In a hotel or an Airbnb?
4) When will the retreat take place?
What timing works best? What season matches the retreat purpose?
5) What design best aligns to your purpose?
What content is meaningful? What structure serves you?
Tips for Designing Your Own Retreat
- Begin with the end in mind
- Trust that you have the perfect amount of time
- Set boundaries – a timer, ask for breaks, go somewhere without wifi or cell service
- Ask simple questions
- Give yourself time to reflect, move and explore
- Write things down
- Celebrate!
Resources and Links
- Books you can use to guide your retreat: 1) Sharon Lipovsky’s Go Beyond activity book; 2) Adam Kurtz’s Pick Me Up; 3) Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way; 4) Co-active Coaching
- Omega Institute (Rhinebeck, NY)
- Esalen Institute (Big Sur, CA)
- Here’s the blog post I wrote after the last Entrepreneur’s Getaway on how to design your own retreat
- A glimpse into the early Entrepreneur’s Getaway retreats
- Elena Rue and Catherine Orr of StoryMine taking about telling stories on Design Yourself
- Aimee Rowe talking about a seizing adventure on Design Yourself