Spring is here! 🌻
We’re mere days away from wearing white without shame, and most of us have already had cause to break out our shorts.
There is something so refreshing about spring. It could be the brilliant sun and warmer temperatures after months of gray and chilly days. Maybe it’s the vivid flowers beginning to peek out. Or perhaps it’s the opportunity to be out in the fresh air.
Whatever it is, it makes us long for fresh starts. We suddenly want to “spring clean” everything. We’re deep-cleaning our homes, purging our closets and decluttering our garages. We swap out a wardrobe of neutrals for brighter colors. We replace chilis and soups with salads and grilling. It’s almost as if we innately want to lighten and brighten our load.
It’s not just our homes and closets that need a refresher. Our souls do, too. No matter what the winter held for you, spring is perfect for setting aside some time for yourself. It’s time for a Personal Retreat Day.
I started having personal retreat days several years ago, influenced by a blogger who held regular spiritual retreat days. I still do solely spiritual retreat days, but I like to have a standard personal retreat day every quarter.
There’s no magic formula to a personal retreat day. As it’s a personal day, it should contain elements that bring refreshment and joy to your unique needs. However, if you’ve never had a personal retreat day or, like me, you like an outline to start with, I’ll share a few things you can use to create your own day.
how to create your personal retreat day
First, decide how much time you have for a personal retreat day. I recommend a whole day if you have the time. If that’s not in your schedule, no worries. A half-day or partial day is better than no day at all. Once you know your time, be it 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or noon to 4 p.m., you can determine how you’d like to spend your time.
Next, list the things you must do every day, even on a personal retreat day. Things like taking a shower and brushing your teeth. It may also include taking kids to school, packing lunches or checking in on a loved one. You’ll need to make time for these in your day and will build your day around them. Hopefully, this list is short so you can fill your day with joy-giving activities.
Now it’s time to make a list of the things that bring you refreshment. If your list is longer than what can be done in the time you have allowed, don’t worry. You don’t have to do every item; you can save some for next quarter’s retreat day. Your list could include a walk in a nearby park, reading a book, knitting or sewing, making your favorite snack or meal, or meditation time. Since this is a personal retreat day, ideally, you want to choose things that involve you and foster downtime. Of course, you could still include lunch with a friend, but this day is meant to be a time of renewal for you, and often the presence of others can distract from that.
With your time determined and activity list in hand, it’s time to create your own personal retreat day. As you start to time out your activities, aligning or batching some items may make sense. For example, if you’re including a strenuous workout, you may want to do that before you get ready for the day. If you’re walking in the park, consider bringing a book or journal for extra time outside.
Here are a few examples of the things I like to include in a personal retreat day:
- Extended Meditation or Quiet Time – I have regular Bible study time every morning, but these days give me additional time to read or pray. If you like to meditate, it could be a time of extended meditation.
- Movement – This could be a regular workout, taking a new class you haven’t tried yet or simply taking a walk; I like to exercise and later take a walk in the park.
- Journal – You could take time to write out feelings, emotions, event or even doodle.
- Read – Anything and everything! A book or a magazine. It could be all the articles you’ve been saving to read for “when you have time.” You could scroll social media, but avoid any accounts that aren’t encouraging you or bringing your joy.
- Hobbies – Sewing, drawing, writing, reading falls here too, cooking, golfing
- Entertainment – This includes network or streaming shows, movies or podcasts. Be careful with this one – it could eat up your whole day! But this could be your day if you’ve been saving three episodes of the Great British Baking Show for when the TV is all yours. I’d suggest consuming only media that lifts you up, like comedies. But, if you think I wouldn’t watch a true crime documentary on my personal retreat day, you don’t me well enough yet. 😆
- Take yourself shopping – There is something delightful about wandering through Target or Trader Joe’s with no agenda. We’re always rushing in with our lists and don’t usually have the time to see what’s new in the store.
- Color – Adult coloring books had a moment just a few years ago, but I still use mine. They are relaxing and creative; you can color while listening to music, a podcast or an audiobook. For you Type A people like me who might struggle with feeling unproductive on a personal retreat day, this is an activity for you. You get that satisfied feeling of accomplishing something once you’ve completed the picture without exerting much effort.
Download my personal retreat day outline here.
schedule and get ready
Once you’ve put your list together, it’s time to make a date with yourself. Break out your calendar, look for your next available opening, and schedule it. If you use a paper planner, write it in ink. It’s been proven time and again that things that get scheduled happen. Remember to alert those with some say in your calendar, like an employer, spouse, partner or family member. Once you’ve added your personal retreat day, start getting excited for the inner revival coming your way.
The day before your retreat day, make sure you have everything you need. If you’re going to be away from your home, you may want to pack a small tote bag with your book, journal, pen, phone charger, headphones/airpods, snacks, water bottle, etc. Also, be sure to check the weather! If your day includes time outside, rain could literally put a damper on those plans. You might have to relocate to your local library or coffee shop.
The great thing about planning your personal retreat day is that when the day comes, you don’t have to wonder how you’ll spend the time you have. You won’t derail filling your soul with doing laundry. And, while you have a plan, keep it loose. If you planned to walk for 30 minutes, but you’re really enjoying it, keep going. Remember, this is your day, and you can prolong, move or remove anything from it. What’s the worse that can happen? You didn’t get to run to your favorite local bakery for a sweet treat because you wanted to finish the painting you were working on? That’s ok… add the bakery to your next retreat day.
Hopefully, I’ve given you all the ideas and motivation you need to plan your own personal retreat day. No matter what your day looks like, I hope it leaves you feeling renewed, revived and refreshed.
something more
I’d love for you to share some things in the comments:
- Drop a calendar emoji when you’ve made a date with yourself for a retreat.
- If you’re a regular at personal retreat days, share some things you like to do. It could help inspire others.
- If you’ve taken a personal retreat day before, share how it made you feel. Sometimes we need others’ experiences to nudge us to take action for ourselves.