Retreats, we all have opinions about them. Some will feel as if they changed your life, others will feel like a necessary break, and sometimes, they will feel like a wasted weekend. Recently I attended one that felt like a mix of the first two. On this retreat, I received a necessary break from school and heard a number of talks that had a great impact. A retreat never impacts all participants the same way and everyone will leave with a different message. These are times when you learn about yourself, make new friends, and try new things.If the retreat goes well you might experience what people call a “spiritual high”. Spiritual highs are awesome, but to be honest, they rarely last. Sometimes getting caught up in the spiritual highs make it difficult to act upon the changes the retreat inspired in you. If the retreat does not go well it is easy to ignore everything that you might have gained from the experience. You never want to leave on either extreme of the spectrum. Whether you enjoy the experience or not, it is important to make the most of the moment and live it out afterward. After my last retreat, I have come up with a list of the top 10 ways to get the most out of your retreat:
1) Unplug
Who knew an iPhone battery could last from 8 am Friday through nearly midnight on Sunday? I learned that this was possible this weekend. By unplugging you are able to give all your attention to the talks, new friendships, events, and the moment as a whole.
2) Go Alone
Friends are great, but they allow for a comfort zone. In order to grow as a person, you must step out of your comfort zone, which means interacting with people you may never expect. Going alone also allows for time by yourself and time to form new friendships. Plus, you will have someone that you cannot wait to tell about the retreat afterward.
3) Make New Friends
It’s the perfect time to make new friends or allow for new friendships to grow. You will always be able to reminisce and bond over that weekend.
4) Say Yes
It’s such a simple thing, but it can be so hard to do. It’s the simple yes’ that you need to answer. Say yes to talking to someone you don’t know. Say yes to learning something new (my friend tried to teach me the ukulele and later we created a game out of different games that were set up). Say yes to participating in your group discussions. Say yes to karaoke (or something else out of your comfort zone). Say yes to being open about everything around you. You already started with your first yes by going on the retreat!
5) Take Time to Pray
Not all retreats are religious retreats, but there is never a bad time to pray. Take time to pray and discern everything going on around you, it can be slightly overwhelming.
6) Open Your Heart and Yourself
Sometimes the talks and discussions on retreats can be difficult to hear. Whether it is one that triggers past events in your life or it is something you just don’t want to confront, it is important to be open. Opening yourself to what has to be said can allow you to grow. You can come to terms with the things you may not want to or you may simply hear some good advice on how to deal with something. Never dismiss anything before you experience all of it.
7) Take Notes on the Talks
Taking notes on the talks is so important. I’ve said it before, a lot is happening, it is overwhelming. It is so easy miss something important or not be able to remember something after. Taking notes will help you go back and reflect and get the most out of each talk.
8) Take time to reflect
A lot will happen over this weekend. There will be talks, adventure, and new friendships. It can be easy to get caught up in the moment and not let everything soak in. When you have a moment reflect on everything that you have been exposed to and take a moment to think about how it affects you now and how you will let it affect you after the retreat.
9) Don’t Leave the Retreat at the Retreat Center
This is probably the most important part of a retreat. You just had a great weekend filled with fun and new memories, but to be honest, you’re probably riding a spiritual high. Take what you learned from the weekend and apply it to your life. Keep those friendships going, continue to say yes, change something (no matter how small) in your life. Don’t let this weekend be a memory, let it be a change.
10) Tell Others About It
This is the best part, you get to share the excitement with your friends. Tell them how this weekend impacted you. Let them celebrate the joy with you. Make sure you only tell them what you can though, some retreats can’t be talked about ;). Telling others will help you reflect on the weekend and be a reminder to live out the retreat. Don’t forget to encourage them to go next time :)
~Sammy~
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