All right, so I was laid off earlier this month. How do I feel about it? Some relief, sometimes concerned, sometimes stressed, but overall optimistic. I’m very interested to see what sort of learning opportunity this can afford me. I know there’s a lesson (or two or three) to be had here, and I have been pondering on what that might be.
My company told me they were eliminating my position a few weeks prior to my official termination date, so I had time to start searching for roles. However I went full force into my new job search and got really burnt out from all the interview prep and applications I was submitting. While I haven’t landed a new job yet, I am at least fortunate to have gotten interviews. And very fortunate to have made it to some final rounds.
Burnout during unemployment didn’t seem sustainable, so I wanted to reset with a wellness retreat! I researched luxury wellness retreats like Miraval and Canyon Ranch, which typically include a mix of activity options like yoga, meditation classes, spa treatments, workshops, and carefully planned meals in picturesque settings. But as tempting as that sounded, it felt irresponsible to drop $10,000 on a luxury getaway when I’m subsisting off my emergency savings.
Instead, I decided to create and design my own luxury retreat through booking my own services and reserving my own choice of picturesque Airbnb. I found a home that was not too far away, and had floor to ceiling windows looking out into nature and steps away from a large pond. It also conveniently had an elliptical, yoga mats, and some small weights that I could use to workout throughout my stay.
Choosing an Airbnb
The requirements I had for an Airbnb included:
- Ability to see lots of greenery
- Within a few hours drive from home
- Ideally a screened in porch (so I could spend time outside without getting eaten up by bugs)
I spent 6 nights at this Airbnb with Mr. Nacho joining me for the last 3 nights. My ultimate goal was to feel relaxed and recharged by the end of it! I think I did for the most part, with some caveats of what I would’ve done differently that I’ll share later.
What I did throughout my stay
For me it was really important that I NOT do work-related things like submit applications or read about industry news. So I chose the following things to do as part of my retreat:
- Spa treatments: I booked a body scrub and a deep tissue massage at a spa close by
- Workout: From around 6am – 8am I did 20-30 minutes on the elliptical, some physical therapy exercises, and/or a mobility workout on YouTube (Julia Reppel is great) and/or Yin Yoga also on YouTube (Yoga with Kassandra is also great)
- Meditation: After showering, I would meditate. Sometimes for 20 minutes, but for a few days I sat for 90 minutes. There are some really good Vipassana recorded meditations for 90 minutes on Insight Timer (Yogi Lab is what I used)
- Reading: I brought a handful of books with me from the library
- Puzzle: I brought a puzzle to do throughout my stay
- Tarot: I read my own tarot cards to try and get a new perspective on things
- I brought a deck of cards my friend gave me for my bachelorette. First I cleared my mind and set my intention for specific questions I asked myself. I shuffled the cards and selected a card, using the included book/guide to interpret the card
- Some of the questions I asked:
- What is the lesson I need to learn at this moment?
- What inner strength can I draw upon to overcome challenges?
- How can I make the most out of this transitional period?
- What aspect of myself needs more compassion and understanding?
- Baked Cookies: I made easy cookies with just 6 ingredients (this is the recipe I used)
- Walking and Hiking: we did a local hike and explored the pond
- Antique shops: we visited some local antique shops
Other activities I considered but ultimately did not do:
- I wanted to get a little woo woo so I looked into reiki and astrology readings, but timing didn’t quite work out
- Monroe Institute (a non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration of human consciousness) also has some online courses
- Visit wineries (I can’t drink that much!)
What I came away with
By the end of the trip, I did feel slightly more relaxed, but if I could do it again there are a few things I’d do differently. I went in expecting a good mental reset because two years ago, I’d spent a weekend in West Virginia, out in the woods reading and meditating. It was only a couple of days, but I left feeling amazing.
This time, my first two days at the Airbnb were a struggle. I just wasn’t getting into a relaxed state. Looking back, I think these things played a role:
- True Crime on YouTube: While working on my puzzle (and I spent hours on this thing), I had true crime videos playing in the background. I can’t stand how I feel when I watch them, yet I have this strange compulsion to put them on
- Not Spending Enough Time Outside: When I spent time in West Virginia, I spent most of my time outdoors reading and meditating. It was Fall and gorgeous out with no mosquitos. This time, it was August, and hot and muggy and mosquitos were everywhere. While I was taking in the view of nature from the floor to ceiling windows, staying inside wasn’t quite the same
- Meditate more: My longest meditation was 3.5 hours, but most days were closer to 20–90 minutes. I think if I’d made meditation a bigger focus, I would’ve felt more recharged
So, was my DIY wellness retreat a total success? Debatable. But I did relax a bit, learned that true crime is the opposite of soothing, and confirmed that mosquitos can be the gatekeepers to true R&R. Next time, I’ll aim for more meditation, more nature, and fewer murder documentaries.
