Hope you can join me next time! This yoga retreat is complete sold out. I still have space in my Mexico Restorative Yoga Retreat if you’re interested in a spiritual deep dive at a private, stunning eco-luxury beachfront villa. My spiritual guest teacher in Mexico is Swami Chidananda.
As I get older I realize life is precious, life is short and I ask myself “What am I waiting for? WHEN is actually the best time to check off my bucket list?” When I was younger I dreamt about a gap year before jumping into the “real world” yet, I felt pressured to follow a path encouraged by my parents to go to college, then work, and keep working. 10 years into my career and a few lumps in my breasts and fibroids in my uterus had me press pause. I was almost 30 and I hadn’t yet taken that trip. As I waited for the results of my biopsies, I journaled and realized I had barely checked off any of my dreams, my bucket list was dusty and neglected. I also was still single, so focused on climbing the corporate ladder, I was hearing the first echoes of a ticking biological clock.
My journaling revealed that I still had that travel bug, I still felt energized by exploring different countries, cultures, people and that wanderlust was sparked just by listing all of the places I dreamt of exploring. I found an old Holly Hobby diary with a list of countries I wanted to visit, based on books I devoured as a child. (oh, I wish kids these days read more books instead of looked at their phones…ugh, I digress.) And, I looked at a list of 26 countries I wanted to visit. A lightbulb went off…”Why not? What do I have to lose?”
My results came back benign. I was told I might experience fertility issues. I was 29. The doctor looked at my then boyfriend “You might want to try to get pregnant sooner than later.” Yeah, that helped to scare him off! LOL In the meantime, I already set my mind in motion to travel. Long story short, I took a sabbatical, checked off 26 countries off my bucket list, travelled mostly backpacking solo, occasionally meeting up with friends and family around the world, and to this day I chalk that up as one of the best decisions I ever made for my personal growth, mental health, and feeling alive and connected to myself and the world. I’ll share more about that story later.
Fast forward to today. I’m now married with a high school daughter who will be flying the coop before I know it and I am so glad I spent that time for myself before getting married and before becoming a parent. I did have fertility issues. She is our miracle baby. Becoming a mom is my greatest joy AND I still am a traveller at heart. I have been aware of feeling tethered to the responsibilities as an adult and doing my best to strike a balance of being a giver and provider with taking the time to do what makes my soul happy. Travelling has taken a slight backseat to family life and fortunately, maybe because we are ALL Sagittarians, we travel together as a family when we can. That’s such a blessing. When I feel the need to put family first, and my travel bug is itching for an adventure, I explore close to home and do my best to shift my mindset to appreciate what’s just beyond my backyard.
I frequently tell my husband not to wait until our daughter graduates to do the things we love. I love adventure travel and I feel healthy and strong today but, I am also aware of the reality that my body is slowing down a bit. I am here in the present moment and when making decisions about travel opportunities I ask myself “Would I regret not going now?” And, I also consult my family. I am in the fortunate position that when I present yoga and wellness retreats to my husband and daughter, if they are available they occasionally join me when they can, and it’s lovely to have them with me. My family supports my work as well as accepting me for who I am: a nature lover, adventurer, and spiritual-seeker. I’ve been this way ever since I was a kid with wide-eyes reading National Geographic magazines and volumes of World Encyclopedia (yeah, I’m that old to remember those!)
Note: Feeding your soul is not selfish. Knowing who you are and taking time to do what aligns to your highest self can allow you to show up as your best self for others, as a parent, boss, employee, human.
Yoga and wellness retreats are amazing opportunities to check off your bucket list and include time for self-reflection in meditation and journaling and mindful movement in yoga, to journey to yourself as well as gift yourself time to PLAY and ADVENTURE. I think of retreats as adult sleep-away camps, organized for you – just show up, and enjoy the ride!
Consider joining me! Take advantage of the $300 off early bird pricing by booking by October 1st. Costa Rica is my next retreat coming up. I am SO EXCITED to share this experience with you! January 28-February 3, 2023! Book online. Email if questions.
Take time to do what feeds your soul.
Namaste,
Amelia Andaleon
Current 2023 Retreats available for booking!
Greece Wellness Retreat! Santorini and Crete June 13-20, 2023
Stay tuned for 2024/2025 Retreat Schedule!
I’m here to empower you to get fit in body, mind and spirit! I’ll share tools and techniques to discover your strengths, inner wisdom, higher purpose, and channel your intuition through applying yoga, meditation, and energy healing to create your powerful, purposeful life!
– Amelia Andaleon
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Spiritually Fit Yoga 