2018 DefineYOU Retreat
I not only want you to be able to see and understand the logistics of the retreat, but I want you to be able to FEEL what the attendees, co-hosts and myself FELT at the retreat because that is where the true power in an event like this is found.
It seems like just yesterday, I was prepping food and packing my car to the roof with all the things I needed for the 2nd annual DefineYOU Retreat however in reality it was actually months ago! I’m slightly embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to create a post about the event, but if I’m being 100% honest, I wasn’t exactly sure what to write.
In last years recap, I outlined the weekend itinerary, what each day looked like and added some great photos and videos to give you a really good feel for what the attendees experienced throughout their lakeside stay. And while this post did a great job of explaining what the retreat was, it was well… a bit blah and I know that this event deserves so much more than blah. This year I wanted to do something different, I not only want you to be able to see {because obviously I took photos to share} and understand the logistics of the retreat, but I want you to be able to FEEL what the attendees, co-hosts and myself FELT at the retreat because that is where the true power in an event like this is found.
A lot of people ask me why I started this retreat, what made me do it and also a lot of HOW did you do it {but that’s for another post} and it’s honestly something that I don’t think about often enough. I’m the type of person who gets an idea and within a few minutes, I’ve already started researching, planning and networking with others who I might be able to convince to join me -- this is both a strength and a weakness, because I’m sure most of you can think of ideas that I’ve had that didn’t turn out so great ha! But now that it’s nearly 3 years since the inception of my idea to host a women's health & fitness retreat, I’ve successfully hosted 2 events and as I’m deciding what the future looks like for me/the event, the question of WHY is more important now than ever.
The truth is, that although I sometimes wish that I could tell you that I was a part of some crazy-cool life changing event and afterwards the heavens opened up and pointed me down this exact path, the reality is that I’m just a normal woman who saw an opening to help others and went for it. I’ve never personally struggled with being overweight, but I did find true happiness in my own journey to food freedom. I’ve never fought through an eating disorder, but I struggle to this day with loving my own body. I’ve never dealt with addiction, but I’ve seen it firsthand too many times. I’ve never had trouble exercising consistently, but I have had trouble finding friends to exercise with.
Bigger than any of this, whether you’ve struggled with one of the above mentioned things or not or maybe something completely different, is the challenge of finding a community of women who share similar values. THIS is something I have dealt with firsthand and as I’m sure you’re all very aware, creating new authentic friendships in adulthood is no easy task. It’s uncomfortable, time consuming and sometimes just plain awkward. THIS is such a huge driving factor behind me every single day. My motivation, my WHY for the retreat, for Define Fettle, for the Define YOUR Health group is to create an inclusive community that not only motivates women to put their own health as a top priority in their lives, but it helps them create new connections and friendships with LIKE-MINDED, POWERHOUSE FEMALES. Because if you’re not surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting, determined women… you will not be able to live your life to the fullest. You will not be able to take up space.
I walked into the DefineYOU Retreat this year as with 2 really good friends, and 6 acquaintances. I walked out of that cabin 2 days later, with 8 really damn good friends and I know that I’m far from the only one with that same story. What happened in those 48-72 hours {depending how long you chose to stay} was a lot of yoga, a really cold morning run, a few sweaty burpees, belly laughs for hours, vision boarding, delicious health-conscious meals, a bit of wine and a whole lot of authentic, raw, REAL conversations about things in life that are fucking hard for women to deal with.
These conversations aren’t conversations that can be had with just anyone, it takes a special person or group of people to give you that feeling of trust and comfortability before there is a willingness to open up and release some of those deep dark pains that you bear on a daily basis. The 2nd annual DefineYOU Retreat gave 8 women the chance to loosen the chains, to lighten their load and to feel supported and loved by other females whether they could directly relate or not. The DefineYOU Retreat gave 8 women the chance to feel, to speak freely, to have their voice and opinion heard, to embrace new friendships and to step away from the inherent stressors of daily life.
My WHY for hosting this retreat was delivered to me on a silver platter at the 2018 DefineYOU Retreat and I cried tears of pure joy when I finally realized it. My WHY is to create an inclusive community that not only motivates women to put their own health as a top priority in their lives, but it helps them create new connections and friendships with LIKE-MINDED, POWERHOUSE FEMALES.
Now, for a few words from the most important people… the attendees themselves.
“I really enjoyed my time at the DefineYOU retreat. It was a rejuvenating weekend and a wonderful opportunity to engage in reflection, yoga, meditation, and great conversation with an empowering and supportive group of women. It’s so important to do things like this to take care of yourself so you can better show up for everyone else in your life.”
“The DefineYOU retreat was so inspirational for me. It was a relaxing getaway, but one that kept me on track with real food and exercise. And one that challenged me to open my mind to what I want in life. Coming together with a group of women I didn't know gave me new perspective, and I left feeling more comfortable in my own skin. I came away from this retreat with renewed energy, an open mind, and a spark to live fearlessly and go after what I want in life.”
“The DefineYOU retreat was an awesome experience! I went into it only having a few acquaintances and when I left on Sunday I felt that I had 8 new friendships! I learned a lot in the workshops and appreciated the options for workouts and workshops. It was an empowering experience that I can't wait to have again next year!”
“This retreat was an amazing opportunity! Such a great experience to connect with other women, and share individual life experiences and knowledge. The variety of activities throughout the retreat was great! There was something for everyone!”
Equally as important in all of this are our wonderful and amazing sponsors, without them -- this event would not be possible. Go give them all some love because the people behind every single one of these companies have hearts of pure gold.
And finally, to my co-hosts and friends, Jen and Elissa -- the authenticity, the passion and the knowledge you both brought to the event this year was nothing short of pure beauty. I feel honored to have been able to stand alongside you both while this event came to life for the 2nd year in a row. All of the gratitude and appreciation goes out to you both!
And just like that, another chapter is closed. I’ll look forward to seeing you at the DefineYOU Retreat next year!
Love & light,
Britany
