This article was originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of ICON/REFINED.

Written by Jodi Barrett

Find her: @jobarrett5 

I build wellness retreats for my clients based on three pillars: Rest, reset, restart. These values are deeply ingrained in my philosophy after going through closing my fitness studio. And after applying these principles to my professional life, I decided to embrace the concepts on a personal level too. 

When we are lost, afraid, or encounter trauma, we often plummet into bad habits. With this in mind, I wanted to experiment to see if my daily healthy habits would hold strong while in newfound turbulence. After almost four years of running a brick-and-mortar location, the one I opened in the midst of a global pandemic, I closed the doors. I had to look at my business model without a dreamy lens and look at what was viable.

I wanted to learn more, expand my knowledge, and seek out inspiration–but first I had to grieve, let go, and to see if I could rise again. I left to house-sit in Arizona for two months, and in that time, I developed a system for creating a personal wellness retreat. 

At 48 years old and as a single mom, I rebranded and rebuilt–I was no stranger to challenges. My focus was those three key elements, and within them, my healthy habits which I kept simple: movement, mindset and a good cup of coffee. At first I felt lost, but then I asked myself, “What do I have within me to navigate this?” My answer came to me after I practiced my breath work:

Mindset – Daily Gratitude

Movement – Daily Movement (I do 100 pushups a day)

My Moment – Daily Pause (coffee and reflection)

These practices may seem comically simple, but I can assure you, simplicity is your lifeline. Practice them over and over as they will ground you when waters get rocky. Don’t over complicate your life when you are going through trials. While you determine your own lifelines for simplicity, as you’re navigating a change in your life or business, or simply desire to get re-focused and re-invigorated, these are my tips for setting up a personal retreat to get aligned in any goal. 

Location 

Your wellness retreat doesn’t need to be a global trip, but it does have to remove you from where you live. A hotel is a great place to start your experience.

Be Realistic 

Your retreat doesn’t need to be more than 48 hours, but within that time, make sure that you can be fully present. For example, if your son has a soccer game and you know you’ll have a challenging time disconnecting from thinking about it, there might be a better time to book your retreat. It’s integral to be fully committed during your time with yourself. 

Pack For Success

Here are the things I’d recommend bringing with you:

• Comfortable clothes you can move in, as well as an outfit that gives you a confidence boost.
• A notebook for journaling.
• Healthy snacks. Pack protein and greens!
• A book that you have been meaning to read (I chose a mythological book instead of my usual business books to fully indulge in feeling joyful).

Disconnect to Connect

Send messages to friends or anyone else that may be expecting to hear from you. Your goal isn’t to disappear–it’s to be intentional, so do your due diligence to ensure no one worries about you, and you won’t have to worry about them. If you’d like to stay connected to the outside world, set up “connect times” and let your friends and family know when those windows are.

Inspired by her own success, Jodi now hosts retreats for other women.
Photography by Kate Paterson @katepatersonphotography

Rest Upon Arrival

I recommend taking a moment to “land” emotionally when you arrive. Turn off your phone, unpack and make your space comfortable, and take time to sit down and breathe. 

Set Your Intentions for the Next 48 Hours

Remove the pressure of thinking your intentions need to be grandiose. Instead, pull back from that and look inward. Do you want to take time to simply be present? Be immersed in quiet and a natural setting? Open up space for creativity? Work through a problem you’re experiencing? Let go of something you’ve been holding onto? Remember to keep things as simple as possible. 

Journal (Set specific times)

During a personal wellness retreat, I like to journal several times a day and throughout the trip itself, each with a different purpose. Here’s how I schedule journaling:

• Getting settled (Set intentions)
• Morning (Gratitude) 
• Evening (Internal Dialogue: How did you speak to yourself, were you kind to yourself?)
• Before bed (Reflection)
• After Movement (How you felt before and after moving your body)

Be Curious

Part of connecting to vulnerability and reflection is to make space for new experiences. Aim to learn something new, whether it is a new book or movement you have been wanting to explore

(YouTube has endless resources). After you learn something new, write in your journal about how it made you feel. Make note to share it with someone.

Thank Someone

In your journey, gratitude is so important. It helps us forgive others and ourselves, shifts perspectives on challenging experiences, and helps us to be in the present moment. Think of someone you would like to thank for making a difference in your life. Being thankful and sharing creates a pathway of feeling good and connecting with others that we care about.

Last Reflection

As your personal wellness retreat comes to an end, you may be feeling invigorated and even excited to return to your usual life. But before you do, take time to reflect on your retreat, to sit in silence and appreciate the journey you have taken. Remember that there’s no judgment–only awareness. Take from the experience what you learned, and what you want to continue learning, and use these tools to take back with you, remembering that to rest, reset, and restart is a continuous process that you can implement into your life back home.