In our fast-paced lives, it’s all too easy to lose connection with our own essence. It happened to me about seven years ago, while experiencing motherhood for the second time and returning to work after maternity leave, in the middle of yet another reorganization, I felt lost, confused, and disconnected from purpose and meaning.
My journey, like many journeys of this kind, began subtly. As a committed leader and dedicated mother, the daily grind and mounting responsibilities slowly overshadowed the joy and passion that once drove my life. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted, I found myself a mere shadow of my vibrant self.
Even though I was tired and disillusioned, I didn’t stop to reflect, I didn’t even slow down. I continued to push forward. It took me almost one year to accept I was experiencing a crisis of meaning. I needed to take my foot off the gas completely and allow myself to stop. And because I didn’t slow down in time, when I finally did it had to be a longer break, not only a few days or weeks, but months.
When my doctor first suggested three months off work and away from my family, I thought she was out of her mind. With time, I realized I would have been out of my mind if I didn’t do it. In the end, we found a compromise, six weeks away from the world in a picturesque location on the shores of Lake Zug, in a women’s clinic specialized in depression and burnout.
My deep personal journey of reconnection with myself started there. Slowly, I relearned to take care of myself, listen to my body’s needs, express my emotions, create a sustainable work-life balance, and open a renewed perspective on life.
The transformative journey that started in the clinic, brought the realization that true leadership begins with self-care. I had been so focused on nurturing others’ potential that I had neglected my own needs.
It was through this experience that the vision for the “Return to Self Retreat” emerged. Through my own failure to slow down in time, before my body called it quits, I learned the importance of small breaks along the way. These breaks should not be confused with vacations but should be considered in addition to vacations. A time dedicated to reflection, introspection, and regeneration. A time to focus only on the Self, to recharge and nourish the body, mind, and soul.
Today, this dream has become a reality as the “Return to Self Wellbeing Retreat” is opening its doors in November of this year.
It will be a safe haven for individuals who want to slow down, reconnect with their essence, learn reflective practices, immerse themselves in nature, meditate, and rejuvenate. It will be a magical place where leaders can step back from the complexities of their lives to rekindle the connection with their hearts, create space for stillness, and rediscover inner peace and strength. After this transformative retreat participants will return reinvigorated and empowered.
Sharing this story today is not just about my journey and my dream; it’s an invitation for you to begin your own transformative chapter. If you’re feeling the weight of your responsibilities, remember, you’re not alone.
We all deserve to prioritize our well-being and embrace our fullest potential. I will be delighted to hear from you—about your challenges, your triumphs, and your journeys.
Together, let’s explore the power of slowing down in order to leap forward.