✨ A bit of a rest…✨
Let’s have a real talk moment, woman to woman.
If you’re tired AF, overwhelmed, running on fumes, and secretly fantasizing about checking into a quiet hotel room alone for 48 hours… you are not broken.
You’re just human.
And you’re probably carrying more than any one person should ever have to carry.
Because here’s the truth no one says out loud:
Most midlife women are not tired because we “don’t take care of ourselves.”
We’re tired because we’ve been taking care of everyone else for decades.
Kids. Partners. Parents. Work. Health issues. Hormone chaos.
And somehow we’re supposed to fix it all with… micro-habits?
Girl, no.
We are way past “drink more water” and “take 10 deep breaths.”
Micro-habits are fabulous—BUT when you’re deeply exhausted, overstimulated, and stretched thin, you don’t need a micro-shift…
You need a macro reset.
And that’s exactly what this podcast episode is about. Let’s dive in!
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READ: MONTHLY RETREAT RITUAL
Let me introduce you to the life-changing self-care practice you’ve never been taught, but absolutely need:
✨ The Monthly Retreat Ritual.
One day. Just for you.
Every single month.
Before you panic (“A WHOLE DAY?? In THIS economy? With THESE responsibilities??”), breathe—I promise I’m going to show you exactly how to make it realistic, doable, and genuinely restorative.
But first, let’s talk about why this matters more than ever.
🌈 Why Micro-Habits Aren’t Enough for Midlife Women
Micro-habits have their place—we love a good hydration reminder. But they only work if your baseline energy is somewhere above “catatonic.”
Micro-habits are like trying to fill a leaky bucket with a teaspoon.
Most midlife women I talk to?
They’re living in a constant stress cycle fueled by:
✔️ Hormonal shifts that mess with sleep
✔️ Endless responsibilities
✔️ Emotional caregiving
✔️ Chronic cortisol elevation
✔️ Never, ever feeling caught up
You can’t deep-breathe your way out of chronic depletion.
You can’t gratitude-journal your way out of nervous system dysregulation.
You can’t “habits stack” your way to a rested body if you haven’t had rest in months.
You need something bigger.
Deeper.
More intentional.
A moment when the noise stops long enough for you to hear yourself again.
Enter:
✨ The Monthly Retreat Ritual.
What Is a Monthly Retreat Ritual?
A monthly retreat day is exactly what it sounds like:
One day—just one—every month where you step out of your life and step back into yourself.
And no, it’s not about spa days or bubble baths (though they can be part of it).
It’s about restoration. Awareness. Connection. Alignment.
This day is designed to help you:
🌿 Refill your energy stores
🌙 Reset your nervous system
🧘♀️ Tune into what you actually need
💛 Break the cycle of constant output
🔥 Prevent burnout instead of recovering from it
Think of it as your monthly maintenance appointment for your entire being.
And listen—if you’re thinking:
“I don’t have time for that.”
I’m going to lovingly challenge you:
You don’t have time not to.
If you’re exhausted, short-tempered, overwhelmed, forgetful, overstimulated, or crying in your car between errands… your body is already screaming for this.
Why It Works: The Physiology of Taking a Day Off
Most women live in sympathetic dominance—the “fight, flight, freeze, fawn” nervous system state.
A retreat day intentionally activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the state of:
✨ Rest
✨ Digest
✨ Repair
✨ Heal
When that switch flips, your body can actually:
- Lower cortisol
- Balance hormones
- Improve digestion
- Boost immunity
- Deepen sleep
- Increase clarity
- Expand creativity
This isn’t indulgence.
This is healthcare.
This is survival.
How to Create Your Monthly Retreat Day (Without the Guilt)
You don’t need to book a cabin in the woods or run away to Bali.
You can do this at home, at a coffee shop, in a library, in your bathtub… anywhere you can breathe.
Here’s the magic formula:
1. Ask yourself: What do I actually need right now?
Not what you should do.
Not what sounds impressive.
Not what Instagram says is self-care.
YOU.
What do you genuinely need?
Some options:
- Sleep
- Quiet
- Connection
- Creativity
- Time in nature
- Restorative movement
- A good cry
- A day with friends
- Healthy food
- Junk food and Netflix
- Spiritual reflection
Your needs change monthly.
Your retreat should too.
2. Choose activities that restore you—not drain you
This is not a to-do list disguised as relaxation.
If your “retreat” includes chores, errands, catching up on work, or taking care of other people… that’s not a retreat.
That’s PTA-ing.
PTA = Pretending to Attend self-care while actually doing more tasks.
We don’t do PTA here.
You are not allowed.
3. Include all four pillars when you can
A well-rounded retreat hits four areas:
Physical: Restorative yoga, stretching, walking, massage
Mental: Reading, reflection, clarity journaling
Emotional: Crying, releasing, connecting, talking it out
Spiritual: Meditation, grounding, intention setting
You don’t have to hit all four each month, but use them as a menu.
4. If you can’t fit in a full day to start…
If a whole day feels impossible, begin with:
✨ A morning
✨ An afternoon
✨ A long evening
✨ A few hours
And then—gently—explore why you feel you can’t take one day out of 365 for yourself.
It’s not judgment.
It’s curiosity.
Why This Matters So Much in Midlife
Midlife is not the beginning of the end.
It’s the beginning of your awakening.
But you can’t awaken if you’re running on fumes.
This is the season to shift from:
🚫 Constant giving → ✨ Conscious receiving
🚫 Hustle energy → ✨ Nervous system support
🚫 Surviving → ✨ Rebuilding
🚫 Outward focus → ✨ Inner clarity
Your retreat day becomes the anchor that holds you through everything else.
Ready to Try It? I Created a Kit for You
serenity at home: Home Design Kit
Theme: Letting Go
If you want to plan your first retreat day with ease, I created a Home Retreat Kit to make it simple, structured, and fun.
Think gentle guidance, not rigid rules.
Think nourishment, not obligation.
Think “exhale,” not “effort.”
Because you deserve restoration—real restoration.
You don’t need to push harder.
You need to come home to yourself.
One day at a time.
One breath at a time.
One retreat at a time.
Want More Support?
Private Life Coaching:
For the ultimate, exclusive experience, check out private coaching with me. I usually have room for 2-3 new clients each month. You can learn more here.
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WATCH: MONTHLY RETREAT RITUAL
I always share more personal stories in the video / podcast, in case you are wondering. The blog post is more to the point. I get chatty when I’m, well, chatting!
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