Why Two Days Away Can Change Everything – The Power of Retreat

Last week I took a two-day trip. It wasn’t a holiday, exactly. I brought my son with me, and it had a purpose: to visit the retreat venue I booked months ago for my October retreat. A venue I had committed to without ever having seen in person.

I’d made the decision based purely on a conversation and some images—and honestly, that was the only way it could have happened. Waiting for perfect timing, perfect conditions, or perfect certainty? That just doesn’t exist when you’re parenting, grieving, juggling, living. So I jumped in with both feet, booked it, and crossed my fingers.

This short trip was about making sure I’d made the right call. Spoiler: I did.

But it was about more than logistics. It was about reflection, connection, and changing the view—literally and emotionally.

A Change of Place, A Change of Mind

We underestimate how different everything can feel just by stepping out of our usual surroundings. When you’re not looking at the same walls, the same laundry pile, the same daily pressures—you see things differently.

I spent time with my dear friend Emma, who will be helping me on this retreat. We met years ago through our three-year-old sons, who were in nursery together. We were both doing that frantic, soul-sapping juggling act: full-time jobs, parenting, maintaining homes, keeping everything spinning while quietly falling apart.

And then Andy got sick. And very quickly, Emma became more than a school-gate friend. She opened her home to my son. Took him on family outings when I couldn’t. Held space for me—sometimes simply by listening. Sometimes by just being there. Her support became part of my survival.

What Time Together Really Means

On this visit, we didn’t spend every minute together. She had school runs, her son’s graduation, haircuts to get to, and work to manage. But the time we did have—by the pool, in the quiet, or bouncing around retreat ideas—was nourishing. Grounding. Real.

I joined one of her chair yoga classes with the local older generation. It was gentle and lovely, and surprisingly not as easy as it sounds. I had time to just be. So did my son. No schedules. No pressure.

And even though Emma isn’t widowed, she’s a phenomenal listener. Someone who holds stories with care. Being with her reminded me how healing it is to spend time with people who truly see you—even if your lives are different.

This Is What Retreat Can Do

Everything I felt on those two days—the reflection, the laughter, the quiet, the deep conversations, the stillness, the feeling of being held—I want that for you.

That’s why I’m running this retreat in October.

Of course, I’ll be sharing the tools I love: yoga, nervous system repair, meditation, rest. But more than that, I want to create a space where you get to step away from your life and see it from a different angle. Where you’re not alone with your thoughts. Where you’re in the company of people who get it—even if your grief stories are all different.

It’s hard to describe what these spaces really offer. No marketing copy can capture what happens when you take yourself out of the noise and into connection. But I want to try, because I don’t want you to miss this.

The Real Work Behind the Work

Yes, there’s a lot of admin. Websites, payments, systems, newsletters—none of that comes naturally to me. But I’ve had to learn, because if I want to keep doing this work, I have to make it visible.

This trip reminded me why I’m doing it. Why the effort is worth it. Because getting away—whether it’s 40 miles down the road or across a border—can give you something you can’t get at home.

If Not This, Then Something

Even if this retreat isn’t for you, maybe let this be your reminder that you need space too. Time. Perspective. A little reset. Whether it’s a weekend away or a single quiet morning somewhere new, these small shifts can bring huge change.

Change doesn’t happen without a little bravery. But you don’t have to leap off a cliff—you just have to take one step.

I hope you’ll take yours.

And if that step leads you to me in October, I’ll be right there to meet you.

If this blog speaks to something in you—if you’re craving space, quiet, and connection—I’d love you to consider joining me in October for the retreat I’ve poured my heart into.

You can read more about it here, or just sit with the idea for now.

Even if this isn’t your time or your trip, maybe take this as a nudge: step away, even a little. Go somewhere different. Feel what’s possible when you’re not carrying everything alone.

You deserve that kind of care.

I have other blogs that explore grief, parenting, love, and the chaos of being human. You can read more here, or if you’re looking for something gentle to hold you right now, download my free guided meditation here.

You can also sign up for my newsletter to stay connected, or check out what I’m offering at the moment that might support you in your own story of loss. You’re not alone—even when it feels like it.