Taking Time for Yourself

When was the last time you took time out for yourself to contemplate your life?

I’m not talking about an hour, or 18 holes of golf, or a family vacation.

I mean time alone. . . time to reflect on your life, your vision for your life, your decisions and the consequences of those choices. Time to face upcoming changes in your life. Time to re-evaluate; to reconnect with yourself and your soul; to rejuvenate body, mind and heart.

Maybe you are just too busy. (Need to delegate more?) Maybe you don’t consider taking time out a priority.

Think about it in simple financial terms. If you keep withdrawing from your life force energy account and don’t replenish your funds, you will go bankrupt. Do you think burn out happens just to other people?

I get a feeling inside me when I know I need to get out for a long hike in the wilderness. It’s a gentle nudge at first. If I don’t heed it, the nudge turns into feelings of frustration, depression, irritability. I get brusque with the people around me.

There was a period in my life when I was too busy raising three children alone, and I no longer heard this inner call —whoa, that scared me the most. I had to work to get back to the place where I could hear this inner guidance calling to me.

I recommend at least 5 hours alone and off all devices for quiet time in nature to reflect on your life. A personal retreat day at home can work but not if you will be distracted by your list of things to do around the property.

I love going out on a trail in the woods where there are few people. You probably have a place you like to go, or used to go when you gave yourself that precious time.

My favorite place is a inside the dormant volcano on Maui—Haleakala, House of the Sun. National Parks seem to be power spots, sacred places. I take a notebook with me and sometimes I have to stop every 100 yards to write important messages from Spirit. For many months while hiking in Haleakala, I got inundated with messages guiding me to lead retreats for people longing for connection to their own souls. I began to guide retreats for individuals and groups in breathtaking, inspiring places in nature.

There are particular times in one’s life when a personal retreat of a longer length is called for . . . times of transition or readjustment. Maybe you’re retiring. Maybe you are grieving the loss of a beloved spouse or family member. Maybe you are in a gap, a transition without an end in sight, and ready for a big change.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote an insightful retreat book titled A Gift From The Sea in 1955. She was the wife of the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh. In their later years, the Lindberghs had a home in Hana, Maui, and Charles is buried there.

Anne took a week or two off every year away from her family and small children to have a precious time at a cabin on a deserted beach in Florida. She would journal, rest, and reflect on her life.

Ann wrote in her book, “But I want first of all. . .to be at peace with myself. I want a singleness of eye, a purity of intention, a central core to my life that will enable me to carry out these obligations and activities as well as I can. I want, in fact—to borrow the language of the saints—to live “in grace” as much of the time as possible. . .By grace I mean an inner harmony, essentially spiritual, which can be translated into outward harmony.”

It’s not enough to think you will take time out “someday.” Think about places you can go—a favorite trail in the mountains or a friend’s cabin on the beach. Get out your calendar and schedule it now.

A personal retreat can be life-changing. Give yourself that gift.

Your life will have more meaning and you will be a better boss, spouse, and parent.

Personal Retreats with Nina

I offer individual and team retreats of 1-3 days in beautiful places in nature in Hawai’i. Pick your island: O’ahu, Maui, or Lana’i.

First I schedule a time to listen to your needs, then we customize a retreat that can include solving tough issues, creating a 4 page written strategic plan, engaging in personal growth—or a combination of those. I will assess your fitness levels and take into account the activities and outings you most want to engage in.

Ideas are: snorkeling in wildlife reserve areas, kayaking with humpback whales, surfing small waves, walking on pristine beaches, hiking breathtaking trails that tourists rarely see, or visiting cultural sites like ancient Hawaiian temples.

I always leave spaces to rest and recuperate from your busy life with time to journal and reflect.

Included is a 75 minute follow-up coaching session to check on how you are implementing what you learned and how you are applying the new wisdom to your life and work.

For more information, contact me at nina@ninacherry.com
See my retreat web pages https://ninacherry.com/retreats/