I don’t know about you, but even by the last week of November, the busyness of the holiday season seems to creep up. Don’t get me wrong, I love the lights, get-together’s and celebrations that come with the season, but it can be exhausting, and as an introvert it can tip into overwhelming. The very things that are meant to facilitate meaningful connection, can be draining. One of the things that I have begun to incorporate every few months into my routine is a mini self-care retreat. My spouse and I will trade off days with each other once every few months to free each other up to have a day to ourselves to do whatever!
The month of December is a perfect time to find a day (or even half a day) to carve some time out to reset from the busyness of the season that can often result in feeling run down, drained, and resentful. There are a few things that are helpful in engaging a successful mini self care retreat:
1) Planning!
Go through your calendar and block off a chunk of time to set aside for a retreat, and if you have others sharing your space, make sure that your home space will be quiet and uninterrupted. Enlist a friend or family member to babysit if you have children, and offer to trade off!
Let others know that you will be ‘offline’ and not reachable.
Set an intention for your time: what are you hoping to gain from this mini retreat? Peace, reset, calm, nourishment, refocusing… etc.
This mini retreat shouldn’t cause extra financial strain and can essentially be free by using what you already have at home. However, if there are special items that you are hoping to incorporate, make sure you buy them beforehand (bath salts, candle, nourishing foods, journal, coloring book, etc.)
Prepare your self-care space: set out blankets, prepare any foods ahead of time, etc.
2) Begin your retreat:
Wake up with setting the intention for your mini retreat- avoid picking up your phone, you may be surprised at how this will help you reconnect to self.
Incorporate some stretching, or other gentle movements that support your body.
Ensure you are mindful throughout your day- noticing the sensory experience of eating, stretching, moving, and feeling your way through the day.
3) Lean into joy
Try to incorporate something that you love to do but haven’t had the time for- bake those fancy cookies, take the time to paint your toenails, or grab a canvas and paints and create a free flow painting
The purpose of the mini retreat is to fill your cup-so lean into those activities that can help you to feel connected to those inner joys again
4) Incorporate Nature
Just 15 minutes in nature can help to restore balance, and according to the David Suzuki Foundation, “Scientifically, there’s no line between us and air. Deep breathing brings more oxygen into the body. It stimulates blood flow, jump-starting your natural ability to restore and rebalance. It lowers stress, relieves aches, helps alleviate chronic pain, strengthens abdominal and intestinal muscles, improves sleep, and reduces fear and anxiety” (2024).
Remember: Nature is everywhere. You don’t need to get out of the city, you can connect to nature in a small park, a garden — even your backyard. Yes, even in the dead of winter. You just need to bundle up appropriately.
Find a quiet place. Look around. Take in the colour of the sky, the smell of the air, the way the temperature feels on your skin. Scan your body. Where are you holding tension? Do you have pain? What are your emotions and where do you feel them? Begin to deepen your breath and slow your breathing down. Do this with your eyes open or closed, whatever is more relaxing. With each inhale, slowly and gently bring a little more oxygen into your lungs. When you exhale, release the area where you focused your awareness. If it feels good, let out a sigh (David Suzuki Foundation, 2024)
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5) Ending your Mini Retreat
To end your retreat, take some time to reflect on your experience, what things have your learned about yourself? What was challenging? What did you set out to achieve, and how did it go? Give yourself grace in your experience, and practice gratitude for even one small joy found in the retreat.
David Suzuki Foundation (2024). Rest and restore by spending time in nature. https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/rest-and-restore-by-spending-time-in-nature/
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