Last updated December 1, 2022
Maintain that high with these five post-retreat tips.
You finally sign up to that bucket-list retreat you’ve been dreaming of. You have the most life-changing experience and you leave on such a spiritual high—a feeling that you want to remember for years to come.
However, a couple weeks in and that post-retreat high starts to fade. And you are left lacking motivation. So, how do you maintain that post-retreat high and not go back to your old ways?
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Five Tips to Help You Thrive Post-Retreat
Here are five post-retreat tips to help you transition back into real life AND maintain that high long after the retreat comes to a close.
1. Write down what you learned and your goals for the future
Retreats are magical spaces where we are given the opportunity and the space to learn new things, deepen our practice, heal and connect with others. We often come away feeling fulfilled, grounded and ideally like we learned something. It’s a state that we want to maintain as we segue into a normal life.
One of the best ways to do this is to write down what you learned at the retreat. Jot down new feelings and realizations that came up and what you want to focus on and keep moving forward with. Giving yourself time to reflect can really help to solidify that new knowledge and work out how you might take what you experienced to help you in the future.
Writing down your goals for the future can also help you stay accountable. We are much more likely to commit to something we have on paper than fleeting thoughts in our heads.
Once you’ve written down your experiences and future goals, make sure to put them in a place where you can read them every morning. This will help you to keep them top of mind each day.
2. Aim to continue your habits for 30 days with a written plan
In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear states that it takes 30 days of consistency for a habit to stick. And most experts would agree that 30 days seems like a manageable chunk of time to continue your healthy habits.
After you’ve written down your goals, make a written plan for how you will achieve those goals. For example, you want to eat healthier so what exactly are you going to eat for those 30 days for each meal that will help you to achieve healthier eating? Writing down those meals and recipes creates a roadmap toward change—and to success.
Make sure to always turn up and be consistent with your goals at least for 30 days. You’ll find that they end up naturally becoming part of your lifestyle.
3. Keep in touch with the people you met
You’re probably not the only one in the same situation. Many of your fellow retreaters might also be feeling that they’ve come away with an amazing post-retreat high and are trying to figure out how this feeling can stay with them forever. They might be having the same issues with continuing their healthy habits and reaching their goals post-retreat.
One of the best ways to help you maintain those healthy habits is to connect with those with similar goals. Keep in touch with the people you shared that amazing retreat space with. Share your struggles and your goals. Help each other to get through those post-retreat blues.
4. Factor time into your every day to “do the work”
We all know that to see real change we need to put in the work consistently. This means having a list of goals and things to do. But most of all, show up every single day to work toward those. That “work” does need to have its own allocated time period. If you say “I’ll do it at some point today,”’ it likely will never happen.
Make sure to block out an hour or even less on your calendar to help you work on those goals. During this time, switch off from everything else and do what needs to be done to build a better you. You can work this into your morning routine, into your evening routine or do it during the day if that works better for you.
5. Let in the noise little by little
The speed at which you do things when coming back post-retreat can really determine the whole experience. Retreats are very simple. They follow a simple routine and there isn’t much noise—which isn’t the case when we think about real life.
A solid post-retreat tip is to let that noise in slowly. If you go back to your normal lifestyle too quickly, it can feel quite overwhelming. Especially if you’re coming back to a family and a chaotic household.
Consider taking a few extra days at home just for you. Think about extending your retreat with a few days of solo travel or even a staycation. Whatever you decide to do, slowly letting “real life” back into your everyday awareness might just be the last piece of the puzzle.
We’re sneaking in one bonus post-retreat tip. Vacayou’s travel concierge team can help you discover, book and plan your next wellness retreat experience so that you can experience that retreat high!
About Vacayou
At Vacayou [pronounced VACAY – YOU], we believe that travel has the power to change lives. The power to revive, rejuvenate and redirect your inner wellness warrior. And that’s why we’re here. Take an online staycation with us and change how you think about travel. Let us make it easier for you to search, discover, and book wellness and active vacations. But we don’t stop there. We are with you every step of the way—before, during and after your journey—to make sure you enjoy the most meaningful vacation ever. Vacayou is wellness travel that meets you right where you are.
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