Ever since the pandemic hit in early 2020, the online space has blown up with everything & anything you could ever ask for – wellbeing retreats included. Yoga & meditation were already popular google & YouTube searches pre-pandemic of course but being confined to our homes really created a new way of gaining access to experiences that were once only thought of as being ‘in person’ options.
Retreats have been popular for many years now due to their ability to calm the nervous system, detox the body, immerse participants in nature & give them the break that they need from daily life which is often running them down. The big problem with the retreat industry is that it has, for the most part, become a luxury experience with many 3-day retreats costing in the thousands! This excludes so many people who can’t justify spending that sort of money (or time) on a weekend getaway.
Online retreats have become a game changer. They can be designed to be affordable, accessible pretty much anywhere and the EXACT SAME benefits as an in-person retreat can be achieved.
Over the past 2 years, the online retreat has been trialled in many different formats. There’s been luxury options with high price tags that include meals being delivered to your door & live Zoom coaching sessions. There’s been lower cost options which give you access to a yoga or Pilates class & you then figure out the rest. There’s been week-long retreat programs to follow & then there’s been the 1-day or even shorter option of just a few hours too.
Whatever it is that you have the time or budget for – you’ll be able to find it in the online space. Of course I suggest that the first place you look for an online retreat is You Retreats – an online retreat website that I created in 2021 after realising that most online retreat offerings were either grossly overpriced or incredibly lacking in any real substance or structure. If you’re not sold on the whole online retreat idea yet though, keep reading as here are my top 5 reasons as to why you should consider doing an online retreat:
1. Affordability
There is no denying it. Online retreats are the most affordable option. Especially ones that have been pre-recorded & are available to you ‘on-demand’. As there are no costs involved in having to source ‘luxury’ accommodation (which is a big portion of the high price tag of a retreat), instructors or hosts can lower the cost to cover their time & expertise only. You Retreats even hosts a 1-hour mini retreat which costs around the price of a cup of coffee!
2. Accessibility
Online Retreats can be accessed from pretty much anywhere. As long as you have a decent internet connection, you can follow a retreat from the comfort of your own home, or a space or place of your choosing. The ‘getting to & from’ aspect of in-person retreats can be tricky, time consuming & even more expensive than what you’ve already paid for the retreat! Having easy & in a lot of cases INSTANT access to a retreat in the virtual space is a major plus.
3. Time Saving
If you have your weekends (or even longer) free & you are available to go to an in-person retreat then hats off to you! The reality though for many people who are feeling stressed is that they don’t have that sort of available time (hello any other parents?!) to be able to step away from their responsibilities. This is where the online retreat really shines in my opinion as it saves you the time that you can’t really afford by being a shorter (literally only an hour if that’s all you have time for), more condensed option that you don’t even need to leave your house for!
4. Stress relieving
Did you know that a well-planned online retreat can relieve you of stress just as much as an in-person retreat can? Seriously, it’s true. The main reason that most people go on a retreat is to step away from the strain of everyday life. It’s to find sanctuary in quiet, stillness & have a break from all of your regular duties & responsibilities that slowly (or quickly) over time are causing you stress. An online retreat can help you to relax & regulate your nervous system through a carefully planned schedule of yoga, meditation, guided relaxations & wellbeing workshops. The only thing you need to do is make sure that you have a space where you will be left undisturbed & in peace for the duration of the retreat.
All of the retreats that we create for You Retreats come with a timed schedule for participants to follow, healthy recipes for meals & dedicated time (with suggestions) for self-care. We’ve even had clients tell us that they found our online retreats more effective at relieving stress than any in-person ones they’ve been to!
5. Encourages discipline (which most in person retreats DON’T do)
Self-discipline is one of the most important aspects of living a balanced life. Signing up to do an online retreat is a great way of cultivating some discipline of your own & also practising it! It can be easy to put off doing an ‘at home’ online retreat when you have chores or tasks that you might think you need to do ‘right now’ but the reality is we need to learn to prioritise our own self care, otherwise we will continuously end up feeling stressed & run down by life. The simple act of signing up to do an online retreat reinforces a commitment to prioritising self-care. It’s the first step in cultivating self-discipline, which is required for staying on top of the stress in our lives & staying balanced, calm & happy!
As you’ve just read, there’s a whole bunch of reasons to do an online retreat & so many benefits that you’ll gain. If you’re feeling inspired to sign up for an online retreat then take a look at the You Retreats website for more information on 1 day & even 1 hour virtual, on-demand retreats that you can sign up to & start doing today. Happy Relaxing!
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