This has been a super challenging and draining week for me. At first, I tried to push through, struggling with a long to-do list while feeling stuck in mud or sludge. Everything felt heavy and hard. It took time to accept my situation, as my mind clung to all I wanted to accomplish.
This episode is about retreat. What it means to you, and signs that it’s time to do so. Some of the things I discuss include recognizing the signs that tell us it’s time to pause, reassess, and find a better path forward. These signs can be subtle – like lacking energy for activities we usually love, feeling short-tempered with those close to us, or sensing we’re stuck in an emotional quagmire.
Sometimes, retreat looks like a peaceful, zen-like experience where we create space to realign with ourselves. Other times, it feels more like escaping from overwhelming situations. Either way, retreat gives us permission to step back from our normal routines and the expectations we place on ourselves.
When I finally released those expectations and decided to prioritize rest, retreat, and self-care, things began to feel lighter day by day. For today’s wise walk, I thought we would slow down and we would check our reality and ask ourselves these questions:
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- Do you know what signs indicate that you need to rest or retreat or regroup?
- Do you have a consistent pattern of recognizing those signs?
- Do you give yourself permission to feel and listen to them?
- And then what steps do you take to honor where you are?
- Do you actually know what your well-being needs to retreat and to slowly make strides in the right direction?
- Do you recognize when retreat would be a healthy choice for you?
- Are you aware of situations that you’ve experienced recently where those signs have cropped up and maybe you need to implement some self-care, self-love and self-acceptance so that you can find another direction to move forward?
- It doesn’t mean you’re giving up on your dream, but what’s a way you can save yourself some strife or internal conflict in order to reposition yourself and set yourself up for success in a different way?
- What are the opportunities you can give yourself to change perspective, to shift that energy and incorporate retreat in a blissful environment, sanctuary space that you could create for yourself? Basically, where do you seek refuge when you know that there is a life circumstance that is weighing you down and you need to retreat from?
- How can you honor and accept that feeling?
- Where can you create more space and grace in your life, and withdraw from the normal activities so you can have more peace during your major transition or when you feel emotionally stuck?
- What are other healthy choices that you can make that will support you instead of sabotage you?
I hope you’ll take away from this episode the importance of being mindful of your signs when you need to retreat. Once you notice those signs, consider what practices you can put in place to create space and grace for yourself, allowing you to feel lighter even during heavy times.
I’m grateful you listened to this vulnerable share. No one likes to admit they had a bad week, but I did. I love that we can connect – or reconnect – on this level and continue to support each other along the way.
Please tune in to next Thursday’s Wise Walk. I don’t know what it will bring, but I’m excited to see what unfolds for both you and me. As you enter this next week, remember to prioritize fun as you read the signs, direct your path, and get your stride on.
In this episode:
[03:03] – When you look at the stress or the weight of the conflict you’re in and the only thing to do is to acknowledge it and retreat for your own well-being.
[03:39] – “We are not retreating. We’re advancing in another direction.” General Douglas MacArthur
[04:10] – Retreat doesn’t mean failure.
[05:00] – Knowing when to retreat are signs that come up and say, hey you better stop and figure out a better path forward.
[05:37] – Mary Tess talks about warning signs and red flags, including not having the energy for what she normally loves to do and being really short with something she loves, like her dog.
[07:07] – Another sign when I’m going through a major transition or have just exited a transition is knowing that I’ve given all of my energy to that transition. Also, feeling stuck or depressed.
[08:55] – The word retreat has different meanings and also different visualizations.
[09:21] – The peaceful zen retreat experience is very positive. You are creating space to get back in touch with yourself and in alignment.
[10:34] – This past week I felt like I was getting hammered and had to escape from a very difficult situation. I had to accept it and release the expectations of what I thought I would get done this week.
[11:29] – I was stuck on an emotional level and felt like I needed to retreat from difficult situations.
[12:59] – Think about moments in your life when you feel tired and overwhelmed and give yourself permission to retreat and choose another direction.
[15:48] – You do what you do in order to manage the chaos that you are feeling.
[16:46] – When we retreat from our normal activities, and the expectations we put on ourselves, then we have more space to just feel lighter.
Memorable Quotes:
- “We acknowledge when we can’t just push through and push forward and will our way to be. Sometimes we have to regroup and then look at alternative paths or look at alternative options in order to move in alignment with ourselves” – Mary Tess
- “Once we accept where we are, once we acknowledge what we’re facing, then and only then can we decide to move in a different direction. Then we can make different choices for ourselves.” – Mary Tess
- “If I just feel stuck or depressed, these are big flashing warning signs for me to retreat, to regroup, and figure out what’s another path or direction I can take in order to regain my momentum and my stride.” – Mary Tess
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