So, I started off on Saturday evening getting myself prepared for the next day of personal indulgence (an organised soul as I am!). Delicious lunch ready, yoga mat out, blankets check, water bottle check… you get the picture.
Sunday morning I wake excitedly knowing that I had a full day to myself and I didn’t have to talk to anyone. It’s not that I don’t like meeting new people or talking with friends, colleagues and clients, it’s just I wanted to relax my brain, not thinking about the 101 things to do in my business and personal life.
I don’t know about you, but I just can’t turn my thoughts off. I’m always thinking about new opportunities, different ways of running the business, exploring networking opportunities, researching, trying to keep one step ahead of running the business and making sure plans are in place for family commitments, dinner etc …
So I said my goodbyes to my family, got in my car and drove to a gorgeous little location in Auckland. I was ready for this. I walked into the spacious and lovely designed space to an almost full room of individuals from all walks of life, all carrying their own struggles of living in this busy and cluttered life.
My first challenge was when we were told to not to put our phones on silent, but to actually turn them off! I don’t think I have ever turned my phone off, well actually I have, it’s to reboot it and restart it again straight away. A soothing bell went off and we all took our place. We started off closing our eyes, breathing and trying to be present.
As the morning progressed, we did something that I had never done before. Mindfulness walking. It’s literally walking slowly, being totally present and feeling every movement, stretch, comfort, discomfort in your body as you take one step and then another. It was all a bit strange at first, trying not to watch others take steps around the grounds which was painfully slow. I’m used to rushing around from one place to the other to fit everything into my day… I don’t have time for slow! Today was different. So I tried it and actually after about 10 minutes, I slowed right down and felt every movement and touch on the ground. My attention kept drifting and suddenly I realised my shoulders weren’t tense and around my neck! I was beginning to relax.
Lunch was held in silence and by the afternoon I was exhausted from just being mindful and meditating (some might say, doing nothing). I think I might have even fallen asleep in one of the guided meditation sessions.
I had previously tried mindfulness for practical reasons, mainly to learn how to switch off and in return to become more focused and productive in my business. But actually, I discovered a sense of calm in myself over the days after the retreat, so I was able to handle my busy schedule a whole lot better. I realised that my habitual way of being has been so programmed from a young age that it’s going to take a while to be mindful everyday, but this is a step in the right direction for my wellbeing, being an amazing parent, awesome wife and a successful and happy business owner.
So all in all, if you need to take time out because you are beginning to feel burnt out or you are working all hours to get your business growing, I would recommend having a day off, switch off the devices and learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your busy schedule … one breath at a time.
This article was written by Louisa Rook, the chief collaborator and owner of TenTen. In 2016, Louisa went on her first silent retreat run by Mindfulness Auckland. The experience had a large impact on Louisa and since then she has been on a number of silent retreats and attended mindfulness courses to gain a balance in running a business and looking after herself.