A day to recharge

Having never been on a retreat before but loving the idea, I was eager to attend one of Horizon Inspired’s day retreats after hearing such positive things about them. I was invited by Joey to try her ‘journaling & meditation retreat’ at the beautiful Botelet in South East Cornwall; a stunning rural hideaway with a truly magical and calming ambiance.

Now I’m not going to share the specific details of the day because what made it extra special was not knowing what to expect and the natural flow of the day; how it unfolded and felt led by the elements and the participants’ feelings and instincts. But what I will share is that the day was a perfect blend of interaction, relaxation, learning and the development of skills and techniques to take away. I felt like I had spent the day at a spa just sleeping, that’s how rejuvenated I felt when I left. Joey has a unique way of making everybody in the room feel welcome, at ease and creates a safe environment where you feel able and willing to open up both to yourself and to others. She prompts you to delve deeper into how you’re talking to yourself and taking away some of the unnecessary pressures we all seem to put on ourselves.

I’m somebody who’s a big advocate of prioritising our mental health, especially after working closely with teens and young adults in this area during my time as an Assistant Headteacher. Learning more about ourselves and what personally works for us when we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed is something that often we don’t make the time to do. So a day off away from it all with no pressures or distractions was bliss; time to take a step back and recharge along with developing techniques to journal and meditate at home. These both prove very useful for clearing your mind when it feels a bit overloaded and developing a positive dialogue with yourself. That positive inner-chatter is so crucial for a kind and healthy headspace, Joey really made me realise that often we’re so harsh on ourselves and there’s so much negative inner-chatter going on, how can we expect to be kind to others and for others to be kind to us if we can’t even be kind to ourselves?

Coming away from the day, I experienced that feeling you get when you’re recharged from a holiday and raring to go again. It was a bit of time out that I didn’t even know I needed and I’d highly recommend attending one of Horizon Inspired’s retreats. Joey is so passionate about helping to bring peace and balance into as many people’s lives as she can possibly manage and holds regular day and weekend retreats along with local yoga and meditation classes.

Do it, take some time for yourself.

You can find out more about Horizon Inspired and their upcoming retreats on their website and on Instagram.

* I was invited on the journaling and meditation retreat so my place was gifted but I was not asked to post or write about this experience, I have chosen to share it and all views are my own.