Retreat at Home

This past weekend, my beloved husband went to Charleston, SC for a bachelor party. He had a great time with all of his college buddies partying until the wee hours of the morning. He came back exhausted.

I, on the other hand, feel refreshed and invigorated as a result of this weekend. Why? I gave myself permission to have a retreat at home.

Originally I had planned to make the trip with him and visit a girlfriend but when I realized that I wasn't feeling so hot and desperately needed to simply rest, I decided to stay home and create an intentional sanctuary for myself.

Highlights of my retreat weekend:

- I didn't drive my car for 2 full days.

- I didn't turn on my computer for 1 full day.

- I turned down an invitation from a friend for a walk because I wanted to be alone.

- I napped three times.

- I watched 4 hours of really bad TV on the Hallmark Channel and 2 hours of OK TV on the Lifetime Channel.

- I journaled, went for a hike with my dog, swam in our pool and read magazines.

To plan a retreat at home, follow these simple steps:

1. Determine how long you have to indulge yourself. It could be just a few hours or, as in my case, two full days.

2. Tune in to what you are craving. I realized that I was craving three things: a) rest b) quiet and c) alone time

3. Engage only in activities that make you happy. You don't have to force yourself to grow spiritually or eat super healthy or anything else you don't want to do.

4. Set boundaries. You can decide not to answer the phone or turn on the computer or even leave the house.

I'd like to encourage you to check your calendar now and see when you can schedule your next at-home retreat. Think about what you need - dancing, yoga, a bubble bath, read a novel just for fun - and go for it!