After unpacking, we spent the first few hours looking back on the year. What worked, what didn\u2019t, what we felt proud of, and what we were ready to leave behind. We talked through challenges, obstacles, and moments that shaped us individually and as a family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a big year for us, and we had a lot to reflect on and process. After four years of IVF and fertility treatments<\/a>, we welcomed our daughter in June. We took parental leave, my husband navigated a major career transition, and we lost our dog of fourteen years. In the fall, my grandmother passed away<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For your own retreat, I recommend bringing a journal and spending an hour or two alone reflecting. Then come together and share. We kept the conversation going over dinner, which made it feel natural. Next year, I also want to go through my photos, videos, and notes on my phone to catalog memories and clean out my devices. I can\u2019t wait until my daughter is old enough to join these conversations and share her own reflections on the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Helpful prompts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal is simply to notice and name \u2014 saying farewell to the past year and honoring everything you moved through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next morning, we made coffee and sat down to dream. The plan was vision boards<\/a>, but in my postpartum packing haze, I forgot the supplies. We improvised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I made Pinterest boards instead to capture my mood and colors, and to create a visual of how I want this year to feel.<\/em> We put on music, let our daughter roll around on the floor with her toys, and jotted down our dreams and goals. Mine: Finish my manuscript and grow my podcast<\/a>, garden more, spend time outside, travel often, nurture our home as a creative and warm space. My husband\u2019s: Biking and swimming every day, and taking our daughter on outdoor adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We talked about what support looks like and how we can help each other follow through. For example, I want to finish my manuscript by April, so I need to write for at least an hour, five days a week. To do this, I need my husband\u2019s help watching our daughter during that time, and I need him to hold me accountable so I don\u2019t miss my writing window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Planning is when it all started to feel tangible. But first, lunch and naps. Priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We reconvened in the afternoon with a long to-do list that ranged from mapping out our big trips for the year to updating family passwords. I\u2019m a big believer in eating the frog, so we handled the boring tasks first and saved the fun part \u2014 booking our spring trip to Portugal \u2014 for last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We divided and conquered. My husband updated the bank account logins while I added birthdays and doctor appointments to iCal. We looked at the childcare schedule for the next few months, blocked off weekends for camping trips, and signed up for a pediatric first-aid class and infant swim lessons. Oh, and we reviewed the dreaded streaming subscriptions and went over the budget. Let\u2019s just say \u201ccoffee shops\u201d had its own Excel column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As newbies to this retreat, we didn\u2019t give ourselves nearly enough time, so a few things moved to the at-home list. Next year, we\u2019re blocking off a full day for planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you try this, come in with a short list of both big plans (like vacations) and logistical ones (like scheduling your annual physical). Utilize your calendar apps or bring a fresh paper calendar you can tack to the fridge at home. And reset your passwords! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, rest. I cannot stress this enough: Don\u2019t pack the trip so tightly that you forget to slow down and be with your family. We cooked breakfast together, lingered at the table after meals, went on nature walks, read by the fire, and \u2014 most crucially \u2014 slept in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, we planned and dreamed, but the real point was to slow down and reconnect. It also felt like a reset, a reminder of how we want to live when we get back home. A little slower. More intentional. Good food, long conversations, music playing in the background. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s been a few weeks since the retreat, and I feel grounded heading into the year. Taking time to reflect and close out the past year felt especially important after such a season of change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, this retreat isn\u2019t about controlling the year or mapping out every outcome. Life rarely follows the plan. Babies get sick. Things change. Hard seasons are inevitable. My goal with these getaways is to gain clarity and create a roadmap for my year, while accepting that life happens and we must stay flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if you want to try your own mini retreat, my recommendation is to start small. You don\u2019t have to spend a lot of money or go somewhere faraway and fancy (honestly, you could do it at home!). The purpose is to create space for honest reflection, plans, and dreams. Bonus points if you remember to bring the supplies for vision boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy retreating x<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kayti Christian<\/strong> is a Senior Content Strategist at The Good Trade. With an MFA in Nonfiction Creative Writing, her work has appeared in TODAY, Shondaland, and The New York Times. Since 2017, Kayti has been uncovering and reviewing the best sustainable home brands and wellness products. Her personal journey through four years of fertility treatments has inspired her to write extensively about women\u2019s healthcare and reproductive access. Beyond her work at The Good Trade, Kayti is the creator of\u00a0phone notes<\/a>, a Substack newsletter with 7,000 subscribers, and the cohost of the\u00a0FriedEggs Podcast<\/a>, which delves into IVF and infertility.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Our senior content strategist shares how she planned a mini intention retreat to guide her and her family through the rest of the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":188,"featured_media":71506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_enable_custom_container":false,"_custom_container_max_width":"","_is_legacy_styles_disabled":false,"_is_thumbnail_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[325,7,323,324],"tags":[294,3,18,4,428,9,5],"class_list":["post-71505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-relationships","category-self","category-wellness","category-work-money","tag-kayti-2-related-reading","tag-popular","tag-relationships","tag-self","tag-thought-piece","tag-wellness","tag-work-money"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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