Sometimes, we need to press pause. Step away from the noise, the schedules, and the constant motion of life and business. My recent retreat in Samoa was exactly that - an opportunity to breathe, reflect, share problems and challenges with a small group of like-minded people, and reaffirm my purpose in both life and business.
The breathtaking To Sua Ocean Trench was one of our stop-off points after a morning of personal development and learning new tools.
If you’ve been to To Sua Trench, you’ll know it’s a pretty gnarly climb down the ladder and not for the fainthearted. I had someone very confident chasing me down, hurrying me along. And there’s also only one way out of the trench – back up that gnarly ladder!
As I climbed down the ladder, one of the retreat participants took a photo of me from the top of the trench, and I experienced a significant realisation.
Even as I descended, I kept my gaze upward. This simple act is a metaphor for how I choose to navigate life and business.
Whether facing challenges or opportunities, I choose to look up and ahead. I’m an optimist, and I approach life – most of the time – with a positive attitude. Going down is just as challenging and scary as climbing back up; perspective and how you choose to deal with a situation and what you’re facing, make all the difference.
Other takeaways from the retreat
The breathtaking To Sua Ocean Trench was also one of our stop-off points after an afternoon discussing limiting self-beliefs, which are negative thoughts or assumptions we hold about ourselves that restrict our potential and hinder personal and professional growth.
We all have limiting self-beliefs, which manifest themselves at home, at work, and as we go about our daily lives. They’re those inner narratives that whisper doubt or hesitation, and some of us—me—spend a lot of time talking to unhelpful thoughts in our heads.
For example:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I don’t deserve success.”
“I’ll never be able to do that.
“I must be perfect to succeed.”
“They don’t like me.”
“I’m not worth what I charge/get paid.”
“I don’t know enough about that to provide my expertise.”
Standard imposter syndrome. Unhelpful thoughts.
They create self-imposed barriers that prevent us from pursuing opportunities, taking risks, or fully believing in our abilities, and as a business owner or leader, they can be huge barriers.
During the retreat, I spent time reflecting, identifying, and reframing these thoughts, reminding myself that skills and capabilities are not fixed and that growth is always possible. The retreat reinforced that self-belief is a choice we must actively cultivate, and challenges and moments of pain help us grow and get ahead in life instead of staying static and where we are.
Another key takeaway was how we can navigate difficult moments with kindness. Life and business are filled with difficult moments, and at times, I find myself slipping into ‘red’—that space of stress, frustration, or doubt. The retreat offered tools to recognise when I’m heading into that state and how to guide myself back with kindness and self-compassion – toward myself. I was reminded that it’s okay to pause, acknowledge the challenge, and give myself the same grace I extend to others.
I do so with renewed clarity as I return to my work at Belle PR. The retreat reminded us that taking time to reflect doesn’t slow us down—it propels us forward.
Just like climbing that ladder in To Sua Trench, each step, whether up or down, is part of the journey. And no matter where I am, I will continue to look up.
Stay tuned for more titbits from the retreat.
