This is a sketch of a post to come. It is not complete.
Most days, in order to do our best work, we’re focused on serving the client, handling tasks, details, following-through. In other words, we’re in worker-mode. That’s great and perfect for the day in and day out.
It’s also necessary to lift our heads up, and check the map, look at the big picture. Be in boss mode.
One way this duality has been described is being in Mouse-mode (on the ground) vs. Eagle mode (up in the sky with far vision). Most of us know how to do the Mouse Mode, and are very good at it. Eagle mode, is sometimes harder to do. It’s sure easy to forget! It’s essential for staying happy at work and as a human. Why? It’s where we get to lift our heads up, pull back, step away from the work and check in with ourselves. Are we happy? Are we bothered? Why or why not? From this place, we can make decisions, adjustments, and then go back into Worker mode.
Setting up your Retreat
[Section is ROUGH]
Here are some principles to keep in mind when choosing a location.
Important for your body to be comfortable - choose a place where you feel good, where it feels easy to be comfortable. Like the warmth? Go to a warm place, or someplace where you can turn up the heat, maybe get in a hot tub. Like to be snuggled up in sweaters or blankets, then choose a cooler spot.
Think about the senses too - what do you want to see? Hear? Taste? Touch? What helps you to relax and feel free … want to be by the ocean? In the deep forest? By a river? What foods + drinks will feel lovely? Bring your favorite music, or find a place to be silent.
Help your mind disengage - put on auto-reply, or perhaps turn off your phone / computer and hide away. Make as many decisions ahead of time as you can - about meals, the schedule, the plan.
Give your mind time to wander or play -
Alone or with others? - Do you want to be alone, to go into a cave, to follow your own rhythms? Or, would it help to have others around, to compare notes with? Or to relax with in the evening, as a break from thinking?
Options:
Go on a trip - stay in hotel/airbnb
Go to a retreat center
Kick everyone out of your home, get it set up as a retreat space
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Retreat Format
For now, here are some different formats / question prompts. This is a menu to choose from, not a list of things to do. You can use these for business and/or life. I tend to do both at once. These prompts can be used within 1-2 hours, or 1 day, or even a week.
1
What’s working / not working?
Make a list under each of these questions.
Now, look at what you can change or adjust to fix what’s not working. Make a list. Pick 1 - 5 changes to make. Adjust your schedule, policies, as needed.
2
Past / Present / Future
Think about the past season. Write or draw all the things you’ve been doing - events, projects, clients served, business chores. Your schedule. Everything. How did you feel? What are you proud of? What was difficult. Look for a word or two to describe this chapter of life.
Present moment. Try to tune into where you are today. Right now. Scan your body. What’s going on with it? How are your emotions? What do long for? Desire? Where does your mind want to go? How do you describe yourself today?
Future. What do you wish for the next season? What is required to happen? What do you want to add? What do you want to take away? What are your top priorities? How would you like to picture yourself __ months from now? What do you need to make this happen?
3
Relax / Play / Inspiration
Whatever time you have set aside for this retreat, we’ll want to split into specific ratios.
Relax - the first 50% of the time set aside. When I mean relax, I really mean it … escape, indulge, guilty pleasures. Whatever sounds luxurious. Like so lovely, you wouldn’t even want to tell anybody.
Play - the next 25 - 30%. Go do something with your body, where you get to play. Ideally in nature. And, by that, I mean you get to experiment, try, imagine, without consequence. This might be walking, collecting rocks, and making in a line. It could be building a sandcastle. Collecting materials to make a mandala. Adult coloring books. Making sugar cookies to decorate. Go swimming. Build with legos. If work ideas come up, great. If not, great. Just let the ideas float around.
Inspiration - the last 20 - 25%. Now, check in with yourself. How are you feeling? If you can, journal freely for the remaining time. Here are prompts if you need them. Do you have any new ideas? A desire? A strategy? What do you want more of? What do you want to be rid of?
Usually, at least one potent idea will rise to the surface for you to act on.
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At the end of your retreat - decide on 1 - 5 changes to make in your business or life. It could be a new schedule, a new policy, fill out a Stop Doing list, new project, refining your clients, or even just a new way of thinking. Or, just the general feeling of being caught up with yourself.
Happy Retreating!