Retreats might seem like quite the modern phenomenon, but humans have always craved spaces that are more than simply a break in the pattern of the daily grind. Retreats are not simply holidays. They offer opportunities for restoration, resilience, wellbeing, and personal growth that a holiday does not.

Retreats vary in style, content, and effort level. But what’s for sure is that they are all beneficial to your overall wellbeing. Perhaps it’s time you looked into one! Which of these retreats best suits your needs?

1.     Fitness

Fitness retreats, perhaps surprisingly, are fantastic for a wide range of people. If you are someone who is already fit and, indeed, into fitness, these offer a chance to actually enjoy your pastime somewhere beautiful instead of having to cram it into your usual schedule for a while. If you are someone who needs some motivation to begin or restart your fitness journey, retreats like this help to inspire!

Fitness is all about consistency. So, a retreat isn’t going to make a huge change. But, it will serve as either a motivator or a reminder as to how glorious having a fitness routine in your life can be.

2.     Yoga

Yoga retreats are as much about working on your body as working on your mind. If you are feeling stressed, stuck, or rudderless, then a yoga retreat will work to realign your body and your brain. A perfect combination for overall wellbeing.

Yoga retreats are also available at all levels, so this mind and body reset is open to all.

3.     Nature

Nature camps are a great way to leave the urban world behind and reconnect with the Earth. A reminder of a simpler time without the manmade pressure we all experience today. They allow you to retreat into the beauty and simplicity of the natural world. You might swim in wild waters, hike through remote hills or ride across abandoned landscapes.

4.     Digital Detox

Nature camps are also an example of one of the most crucial retreat options out there in this day and age, the digital detox retreat. Many nature retreats encourage disconnecting from all your digital vices and devices.

No wi-fi. No TV. No phone. I try to do a day without my phone every week, and I still find it very hard. That said, I also find it immensely freeing and gratifying. I’ve no doubt that a digital detox retreat does wonders for one’s clarity.

5.     Spa

Spa retreats are fantastic because they are easily accessible to all, and require little effort for excellent rewards. All you need do is turn up, and all pampering and relaxation efforts will be taken care of for you. Classes, nutritious meals, treatments, and therapies. Spas have it all. Is it an indulgence? Perhaps. But it is one that benefits you beyond the confines of the retreat itself. Spa days are all about releasing tension… and we could all do with a bit less of that.

6.     Adventure

Adventure retreats are really good at lifting you out of your usual environment and schedule for a while and taking you on an exhilarating and endorphin-pumping ride. Canoeing, rock climbing, surfing, quad-biking, hiking… whatever it is will help to give you a lift. It’s also a way of getting exercise in a way that feels genuinely fun. I love exercise… but it can be quite boring. Adventure activities feel like ‘free’ exercise to me!

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Kinds of Retreat and Their Benefits appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

For many years I have foregone giving and receiving personal gifts at Christmas. There are a number of reasons for this all of which roll into one idea about modern gift-giving at Christmas.

About seven or eight years ago, when I was in my mid-20s, I was finding the pressure of both affording Christmas gifts and selecting gifts that the ever-expanding pantheon of friends and family would actually use and enjoy, well… overwhelming. Stressful. Not at all fun. The other main reason was that, at the time, my friends and immediate family were all adults with income to spare. People who, if they wanted something or needed something, would go out and buy it. How do you gift something to someone who can buy whatever they want at any time?

I was an outlier in my family for requesting this for a while, but now my family have come around to not spending money on buying other people mountains of tathatround Christmas. This is in part due to the reasons above, but also due to the fact that, for us, Christmas is much more about spending time with one another, cooking together, hanging out… all that stuff, than new possessions. Also, in a world where many have so much material need, excessive frivolous spending doesn’t actually feel especially conscious or Christmassy.

Where Does Gift Giving Come From?

The reasons listed above all point, as stated, to one thing. In today’s world, where profit is king, we have kind of forgotten why we gave gifts in the first place.

The festive season hasn’t always been about multiple gifts, swapped at equivalent monetary value regardless of circumstances or personal wealth. The older generations used to give to younger generations, primarily on wedding days, in order to set them up for their lives with essentials when they were still too young to have much to their name. The principle was that, when that younger generation grew up, after they had accumulated their own wealth over many decades, they would then pay that forward to the generation under them, creating a circle of gift-giving.

Then the mid-20th century came along, capitalism crept in, and gift-giving exploded.

Sometimes You Take More Than You Give

It may feel like you are treating someone when you buy them an audacious gift or an abundance of stuff. However, if this person is not in a position to reciprocate your generosity you can trigger pressure, guilt, embarrassment or even shame on them. Gift giving can be such a minefield, and we would do well to think more consciously about how and why we exchange gifts at Christmas, and whether it is adding to the occasion or taking away.

A Few Thoughts On Mindful Ways to Give… 

1.     Secret Santa

My sister-in-law’s family does Secret Santa with whoever is going to be in their house on Christmas day. There is a budget set, and everyone receives and gives a single gift. This has numerous benefits. Spending a little more on one gift costs much less than having to cater to several people. The stress of thinking of what to buy for multiple people is gone. The day is not completely taken over by gifts… and so, there is more time to enjoy simply being together.

2.     Ask

Don’t buy blindly. The worst thing, for me anyway, was receiving gifts that I had no use for. I had the awkwardness of performing elation, and the gift giver would have had the pressure of trying to know, magically, exactly what I wanted. Ask people what they want. Tell people what you want. Do a shortlist if you still want a surprise. Take some of the pressure and awkwardness away.

3.     Agree on Budget

Gift giving can often mean spending the same on one another even if your financial statuses are hugely different. If you HAVE to swap gifts with everyone, maybe have a conversation about budget first.

4.     Gifts to Share

Instead of single gifts, my family often each bring something to contribute to the celebration of the occasion. Maybe one person will bring a new board game, another will bring a cheese board, another might supply a fancy breakfast, another might buy everyone new slippers… and on and on.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Why We Give: A Brief History of Gifting appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Just because this season is light and airy, with long days and outdoor opportunities in abundance, it certainly does not mean that we are happy all time. That being said, if you do find yourself in a funk during Summer, there are some unique Summery things that you can enjoy that will do a pretty good job of lifting your spirits.

So, if you are not feeling so great today, why not see if any of these summer activities manage to lift your spirit at all!

1. Paddling Pool

Paddling pools may be aimed at kids, but that isn’t to say that they are fantastic for adults too. Imagine, you are feeling down, you are all hot and bothered, it’s been a long day. Here’s what you do, you crack a paddling pool out in the garden and fill it up with cool clear water. Then you go and put on your shorts, grab your favourite drink, pull up a chair, and dip your feet into the wonderfully chilled water whilst you sip away and listen to the sounds of the world around you. This is sure to calm and lift your spirit.

2. Sit In Nature

Often we get down because there is too much going on in our heads. Too much to deal with, too many little things to remember, too much to be distracted by. Take yourself out into the world and away to somewhere that is not in the vicinity of your daily life nor in reach of any of your material detractions. Find a park, a wood, a green… or even the end of your own garden. Then find yourself a patch of grass to sit on, or a tree to sit under. Get comfortable, close your eyes, listen to your breath and then let your senses enjoy the nature around you… the sound of birds tweeting, of wind moving through the trees. Feel the glare of the sun on your skin ad the grass between your toes.

3. Walk and an Ice Cream

A walk is always a good way to clear your head and to mull over and untangle things getting stuck in your brain. However, what makes this even better is something that is in abundance in the Summer, ice cream. My local park has a café in it that serves wonderful Italian ice cream, and this has lifted my spirit on many a lockdown walk during the last year.

4. Summer Soundtrack

Music has a wonderful ability to stir emotion. I have soundtracks and playlists for all occasions; music for when I want to emote, music for when I want to relax, and music to lift up my heart and to make me smile. Whatever ay you choose to listen to music, I can recommend taking some time to put together a ‘happy playlist’ of songs. a compilation of the songs that make you feel happiest. Once you have that playlist, I can recommend playing it whist on your ice cream walk or whilst dipping your toes in your paddling pool!

5. Evening Stroll

Indeed, I have already mentioned the healing properties of the summertime stroll. However, to be able to have a stroll in the evening is a treat that only Summer can really provide. There is something about an evening stroll that feels decadent. Nobody else out in the park at that time is rushing to get anywhere like they are in the day, the atmosphere will likely be much more serene. It is a great way to wind down for the day and takes you away from the distraction of your devices… which don’t always help when you are stressed and your brain is full.

6. Sleep Under the Stars

Not safe or possible for everyone, I understand, and maybe a bit of a risk with our British weather. However, should you find yourself outside on a warm and clear night, maybe you might consider sleeping under the stars. The wonder and calm of staring into the night sky is a humbling way to find some quiet and serenity. Even if you don’t opt to spend a full night in the back garden, a few moments of meditation whilst taking in the stars is also a sure-fire way to lift the spirit.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Summery Activities to Lift the Spirit appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

The starting point for increasing our personal capacity for mindfulness must be a practice of stillness. Group classes make the practice accessible and fun whilst a daily ritual of home meditation is fundamental. Whilst, the challenges are intense, the learning is exciting and the discoveries plentiful.

Beginning to uncover your own internal sphere of experience is a little like exploring a new world and as such can be a surprisingly enjoyable and unexpected endeavour.

Whatever you do find in your internal sphere, the mystery and the wisdom that you discover will be your own. As you go deeper into the experience there will no longer be any need to rely upon someone else’s definition of mindfulness because you will know that state for yourself and perhaps increasingly choose to live and create from it.

So I would encourage you to move further towards mindfulness and experiment with meditation. With a bit of luck, the mysteries will come along hand-in-hand with the wisdom.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post How To Increase Your Capacity For Mindfulness appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Personal development should be a core focus for both individuals and companies. As individuals, we are simply more generative, impactful, successful and conscious when we take time to answer the big questions for ourselves.

When we know ourselves we become more authentic and more powerful. We are able to make decisions with clarity and direction. We are generative employees rather than reactive employees and this is seen by the people we work with and for. When we step up to be a leader in our own life this creates a distinct impact in the workplace and sets the tone for our professional contribution.

Take the time to understand who you are, your strengths, values, style and goals. It will be the best investment for your career.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post A Case for Personal Development At Work appeared first on The Conscious Professional.