One of my goals for 2022 is to focus more on self-care. I think we’ve all been hearing that term more and more over the past few years. There are so many well-meaning blogs, articles, and books trying to encourage us to “take time or do something for ourselves,” and I have read and listened to a lot of them. But what does taking care of yourself really mean? Figuring that out is not so simple. Lately I’ve been exploring what practicing intentional self-care looks like for me—both in big and small ways. Sometimes it feels so selfish to take time for myself, when there are a million things to get done, but one thing that motivates me to do so is the realization that if I really take care of myself, I can show up so much more fully for the people that I love.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Costa Rica for a yoga retreat. I’ve never done anything like that in my life. I had booked the trip almost two years ago, but due to the pandemic, it was postponed by a year. Ultimately, the timing couldn’t have been better. I absolutely love to travel, but it’s always been with my family. Choosing to go on an international trip for myself was a big deal!

As I’ve explored and considered how I best experience self-care, I’ve found (for me) it’s so much more than taking a bubble bath (though I do love a good bath!). Spending a week in Costa Rica without my family— while a little outside of my comfort zone, was a really good experience that left me feeling empowered and rejuvenated.

I went with a group of women to The Bodhi Tree Yoga Resort (in Nosara) with the one and only Tener Rogers. It was absolutely stunning, the whole resort is focused on yoga and meditation and is nestled into the trees along the coast. Every day we spent time practicing yoga, meditation, learning to surf (on some seriously friendly waves!), and simply enjoying the space and place.

Going away on a retreat is one of the many “classic” self-care practices. The experience was incredible and the location couldn’t have been better. For me, an unexpected bonus of the trip was being able to connect with a community of women around a shared experience— because we all came to the retreat with a similar purpose, there was a real opportunity for connection. Setting aside a whole week of distraction free time to focus on doing good things for myself went a long way in filling my self-care cup.

We live in a culture that values individualism and expects us to get all the support we need in our lives from a select few. But I think we grow the most when we expand our circles. This trip was a good reminder that we can have all kinds of community in our lives, and that if we are open to it, the opportunity for valuable connection is all around us.