Need a time-out? Top 10 everyday retreats

As I write this message, I’m attending an entrepreneurial speaking retreat off the coast of California. It’s breathtaking. Going on a retreat usually means going to a remote, sometimes exotic, location for a few days, a weekend, a week, or even a month. But when we can’t afford the cost or the time away, we can still derive some of the benefits by finding ways in our everyday life to retreat and renew.

Here are a few ideas for everyday retreats:

1. Abstain from speaking – Silence leads to inwardness, even in the midst of family life.

2. Fast for a day – Fasting reminds us of the bountiful food available to us. It also lets the body rest from the busyness of digesting.

3. Spend a day in the garden – Or with your hands in the flowerpots, or a community garden. Do what iyou can to get your hands in the earth.

4. Go for a hike or walk – Even an hour of one-on-one time with Mother Nature can reap huge relaxation dividends.

5. Lie in bed reading – all day! – Can you say, “ultra-nourishing?”

6. Do a media fast for a week (okay baby steps, for a day) – Turn off all input – TV, radio, stereo, newspaper, Internet, videos, books – and see what insights you “tune into.”

7. Get a massage – Follow that with downtime, and your rest and relaxation is complete.

8. Take a long, hot bath – Withcandlelight and bath salts, and wine is optional.

9. Spend a day doing what you love – Not what you must. Paint, poke around the architectural salvage yard, take a book to the park, anything but what’s on your to-do list.

10. Take a nap – These are especially delicious when strategically placed in the middle of a hectic day.

More articles by Kristine Hodsdon:
This course is a DUD! What can you do about it?
Dentists take heed; here are five ways to appreciate hygienists
Do you do it all, or delegate?

Kristine A. Hodsdon, RDH, MSEC, is the director of RDH eVillage, and she can be reached at [email protected].