Slow Down and Recharge: Your Guide to Self-Care with ReTREAT Yourself
Your Guide to Self-Care with ReTREAT Yourself
Are you looking for ways to slow down and take care of yourself? The ‘ReTREAT Yourself’ blogs are all about finding time for self-care and stepping away from the daily hustle. During this peaceful time, you can indulge in activities that bring you joy or simply relax and do nothing at all.
Together, we will explore what works best for you when it comes to spending quality time with yourself. In this blog, I would also like to share my personal experience, hoping it will inspire you to slow down.
If you prefer to dive right into the exercises on how to slow down, head over to the blog ‘ReTREAT Yourself Steps’ where you will find a comprehensive 12-step approach to living life at a more relaxed pace. Do keep an eye out for the SUN ☼ symbol in our blogs for reflective exercises.
I hope you find these steps helpful and enjoyable for your well-being. They are available online for free and donations are greatly appreciated.
Finding Peace in a Fast-Paced World
How about doing things slowly? The topic of slowing down is very familiar to me. Like a friend once said to me: “I have never met anyone like you who can just sit in the window sill and stare at the wind in the trees as long as you do!”. My response: “Isn’t that a GREAT way to spend your day?”.
I like ‘slow’. I like going slowly. I eat slowly, I walk slowly, I move my hands slowly when I emphasize what I say and I speak quietly and you guessed it already, slowly. I have always been doing things like this.
For example. One day I was reading through my primary school reports when I found them in a drawer. Funny enough they stated: “Marianne think about your pace. Go quicker. You are so slow!”. I guess I started young with the ‘trend’ of Slowing Down ;)!
Embracing Slow Living: Wisdom from a Yoga Student"
Also, a yoga student of mine reaffirmed this many years later. This is what she said: “Everything you do, goes slowly and by doing so, you slow me down. I need that. I’m stressed. Sooo stressed. I need you to slow me down!”. She started asking me: “So, what is IT that you do that makes you slow down? What else? What else do you do to go slow?”. Well Suzie thank you for your inspiration. This ‘ReTreat Yourself’ journey is dedicated to you and to everyone who feels drawn to the subject. Thank you so much for being here on these pages!
Feeling Stressed? 12 Steps to Slow Down and ReTREAT Yourself
On this 12-step journey, you will find out what you can do to slow down and to retreat from daily demands. As Suzie did put it: “De-stress me PLEASE!”. In case this is your request too, let’s change it into: “Please Slow Me Down!”. Go here to see the 12 steps: ReTREAT Yourself Steps.
Taking a step back and giving yourself some time doesn't mean you'll stop being productive. Slowing down doesn't mean doing nothing. On the contrary, it's an opportunity to approach tasks with a new perspective, being more present and mindful. This shift in pace can enrich your life and surprisingly, help you accomplish even more in the end.
Discovering Life's Path
I'm happy to provide more insight into my personal journey and how I've come to appreciate the value of slowing down. It's important for you to know the person who will be supporting you on your mindfulness journey.
Besides being able to fully enjoy life at a slower pace ever since I spend most of my time on Mallorca Island, did you know that I have moved houses over 27 times, switched subjects of study multiple times, and stayed in one job for a maximum of 9 months?
Change is something I'm quite accustomed to, and I prefer to take things slowly. Why? Because I believe that making good decisions requires time, and it took me years to discover my life's path.
I made important changes to grow as a person and become more accepting and kind towards my highly sensitive nature and sound sensitivity. Therapy, coaching, courses, and self-help books have all played a role in helping me develop self-love, self-acceptance, and courage to face my personal challenges.
The Story Behind the Teacher: Exploring My Personal Background
Teaching plays a crucial role in my life, where I strive to create a nurturing environment for others to learn and develop. I achieve this through my online platforms such as 'QuietPages', Insight Timer, and Youtube. As for my personal background, teaching has been a constant thread throughout my journey.
With a foundation in Communication and Strategic Change Management, I have experience teaching English to adults, creating course materials, and serving as a school guidance counselor. Additionally, I have been sharing my passion for yoga since 2010 and have been involved in establishing various online yoga platforms.
My Journey of Coaching and Personal Development
I began my journey of coaching and personal development when I turned 20. Fast forward to now, at 46 years old, born in 1977, I have experienced the benefits of coaching and therapy firsthand. Currently, I am still undergoing coaching as I believe it is crucial for continuous personal growth. Through various therapies like cognitive therapy, psychotherapy, haptho-therapy (haptonamy), speech therapy, and non-violent communication training, I have found my true voice. Dealing with challenges such as sound sensitivity, depression, burn-out, fear of failure, fear of loss, and lack of assertiveness, I have learned to trust myself more. I have grown immensely and am eager to keep learning. I wish the same journey of self-trust and self-love for you.
What sets my approach apart is its uniqueness. We are all distinct individuals with our own paths to tread. When I first started writing, I made it a point to record every thought that flowed through me. This approach is deeply personal to me. I would sit down in front of a blank blog page and let my words pour out, sharing all the valuable lessons I've learned over the years, with the hope that you can also benefit from them. And perhaps, you too will find solace and enjoyment in the art of slowing down!
Words of Encouragement
Allow yourself time. If you have been living life at a high pace, it can be challenging to just do nothing for some hours per day. Would you like to make it easier for yourself? Join me for an off-grid retreat on Mallorca Island to practice being present? Simply contact me.
➳ Let’s begin …
Signs. When you see a ☼ on the ‘ReTREAT Yourself’ blogs it means ‘Try this exercise!’.
Slowing Down ☼ What comes to mind when you think about slowing down? Write down all of your thoughts in regards to this topic and do the same for ‘ReTREAT Yourself’.
Take notes. ☼ You could go back to the beginning of the blog and read through it again and take notes on anything that comes to mind as you were reading about creating with ease.
Anything else? ☼ Anything that bubbled up to surface in your body, heart or mind whilst reading this blog, write it down. Go and have a break and go to the next blog when you’re in the right mood to continue your exploration.
Notebook. Did you try writing in your notebook like I suggested in the previous blog? I shared Julia Cameron her exercise with you: ‘Morning Pages’.
Allow yourself time each day to write down anything that occupies your mind for about 15 minutes daily. Don’t read back. Just write for the sake of writing and emptying your head.Continue. Go to the next blog ‘ReTREAT Yourself Steps’ to find out what steps you can take and begin.
Overview. You can always come back to this current blog 'ReTREAT Yourself Steps' for an overview of the 12 steps to slow down your pace.
Need help? I’m here in case you would like more personal support on finding another pace in life! Contact me.
ReTREAT with me on Mallorca. Would you like to make it easier for yourself? Join me for an off-grid retreat on Mallorca Island. Sometimes being away from familiar surroundings and being on your own, can be a great way to reset yourself. Just reach out!
Ready for the next step?
Go to the next blog ‘ReTREAT Yourself Steps’ to find out what steps you can take and begin.
Feedback is always welcome!
Were the blogs useful like I’ve intended them to be? Contact me as well for positive feedback. It will be great to hear from you and see the result of your work.
Or is there a link that doesn't work? Do you feel some steps are missing or not explained well enough? Tell me about it as well. I can always update the various blogs on ‘ReTREAT Yourself’ for you!
Could you use some help?
I’d love to help. Try a 20-minute chat for free. Find out what I can do for you as a copywriter or (yoga)coach. There’s no commitment, pressure or further obligation.
♡ Did you like the blog? ♡
Your support is very welcome and a financial donation can be made here: PayPal – Donate or you could transfer it directly to me at DE29 1001 1001 2620 0194 41 (IBAN) + NTSBDEB1 (BIC).
