What is a Self-guided Re:Treat?
If, like me, you absolutely love a retreat, you’re probably into the whole vibe of connecting with other like-minds, sharing delicious, clean food, working on your personal growth, moving your body and being hosted by a gifted and passionate facilitator.
I certainly am.
So, when I say the words “Self-Guided Re:Treat”, what does that conjure for you?
Maybe a lot of work and effort?
Maybe something completely outside your wheelhouse?
Possibly the exact opposite of why you go on retreat in the first place, which is for the beautifully packaged-up venue, food, activities and hosting?
All fair points.
Yet, here’s my question…
How often do you actually make the time, pay the money and go on retreat?
Once a quarter?
Once a year?
Rarely?
Because treating yourself to some much-needed time and space to indulge in all the good things that come with a retreat feels sooooo good.
Going on retreat, having a thoroughly lovely time and coming home all bright and shiny post-retreat feels sooooo good.
And that’s exactly why I created Self-Guided Re:Treats.
Because I want you to experience those feelings much more often.
So… what exactly is a Self-Guided Re:Treat?
Essentially, it’s a thoughtfully curated retreat experience that you bring to life yourself.
But importantly, self-guided doesn’t mean starting from scratch.
You’re not sitting there trying to generate ideas, research activities, create a schedule, plan a menu, find recipes and figure out how the heck you’re supposed to fill an entire retreat day.
I’ve already done that bit.
Curate Re:Treats are thoughtfully designed to give you the best bits of retreating, while taking away as much of the pain of organising one as possible.
Depending on the experience you choose, you’ll receive things like a detailed Re:Treat Guide, Run Sheet or schedule, menu, recipes, activity guides, journalling prompts and guided audios.
In other words, I’ve curated the experience. You make it your own.
And that last bit is important.
Because unlike a traditional retreat, there isn’t a facilitator standing at the front of the room telling you exactly what to do and when to do it.
You decide.
Want to follow the Run Sheet exactly? Go for it.
Want to sleep in, skip something, linger over lunch or disappear for a walk because the sun has unexpectedly come out?
Also go for it.
This is your Re:Treat.
And no, you don’t need to be a retreat facilitator.
This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions about self-guided Re:Treating.
You do not need to be a yoga teacher, meditation guru, breathwork facilitator, event planner or particularly zen human being.
You just need to be willing to get a few things organised.
Message your friends.
Set a date.
Choose a venue. Home, bach, cottage Airbnb, community hall… whatever works.
Share out the food prep.
Download your resources.
Plug, play and follow along.
That’s it.
And the whole ethos of a Curate Re:Treat is shared responsibility.
If you’re doing it with a group, one person doesn’t need to become the exhausted retreat director while everyone else swans around drinking herbal tea.
Share the costs. Share the food. Share the preparation. Share the hosting.
Which brings me to one of my favourite parts…
You get to choose the people.
Traditional retreats can create incredible connections with people you’ve never met before. I’ve experienced that myself and absolutely love it.
But sometimes?
I want to spend that precious time with the people I already love.
Self-guided Re:Treating means you can choose your room AND your roomies.
You can deepen your connection with your closest friends, sisters, cousins, partner or whoever your people happen to be.
And if you’re someone who usually lets that one friend organise every girls’ weekend, dinner or getaway, this also gives you an opportunity to step up and suggest something a little out of the ordinary without having to invent the whole thing yourself.
“I’ve found this. Shall we do it?”
Done.
It doesn’t have to replace your girls’ weekend either.
This is another distinction that matters to me.
I’m not suggesting you swap your fabulous girls’ weekend for two days of solemn reflection and green juice.
How fun would it be instead to splice a little Re:Treating into the weekend you’re already having?
Yes, eat and drink to your heart’s content.
Yes, laugh your asses off like only you and your friends can.
Yes, go shopping, lie by the pool, book the restaurant or crack open the wine at 3pm.
And meanwhile…
Bring a little more cohesion to your meal planning.
Try a retreat-style activity together.
Get outside.
Move your bodies.
Have a DMC (Deep & Meaningful Conversation).
Enjoy some intentional quiet or spaciousness.
Do something that makes the weekend feel just a little bit different from the hundred other weekends you’ve spent together.
Because those things can coexist.
Fun and intention.
Laughter and reflection.
Wine and wellness.
It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
Re:Treating doesn’t need to be a rare luxury.
This, ultimately, is the idea behind Curate Re:Treats.
I still love going on a traditional retreat.
I still want to be hosted by brilliant facilitators, eat food someone else has prepared and experience everything that comes with completely handing myself over to someone else’s expertise for a few days.
Self-guided Re:Treats aren’t designed to replace that.
They’re designed to fill the rather enormous space between those experiences.
An evening at home.
A day with friends.
A weekend away.
Or even your usual girls’ weekend, with a few thoughtfully curated elements woven through it.
Because maybe retreating doesn’t have to be something you save for once a year.
Maybe it’s simply about creating a little more space for the things that make you feel good, with the people you love, more often.
And really…
That’s what Re:Treating is all about.
Adding something a little bit special to your normal, everyday experiences.
Ready to give Self-Guided Re:Treating a go?
Choose an evening, a day or a weekend and make it your own.