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If you’ve ever been on a yoga or wellness retreat, you’ll know the wondrous sense of wellbeing, calm, & mental clarity that they can bring to your mind, body & soul.

Yet, for many, taking a week off to retreat remains a luxury that can only happen once in the rarest of blue moons.

For some, overbooked schedules, projects at work, & feeling guilty about taking time off are the culprits. While for others struggle with financial concerns, not knowing what to look for in a retreat, or not wanting to go alone. But whichever category you fall into, we’ve got you covered with the next best thing…

Find your zen with these 6 dreamy, DIY wellness retreat tips & activities that can be incorporated into even the busiest of Google calendars. All you need is the comfort of your own home – you can choose to invite a wellness loving friend along on your soulful journey – or go it alone. And if you’re extremely time poor, why not select just one tip to weave into your week – every little bit counts.

Book It Now!

It’s amazing how quickly the days turn into weeks, and the weeks into months. Time can fly by, and come July all our New Year’s Resolutions have faded from memory.

So instead of procrastinating on self-care, set a date for yourself now!

Pick up your favourite pen and diary (or Google calendar), choose an upcoming weekend you don’t have plans for already, and make time for YOU!

♥ Yoga mat from Wild Mingo

Dust Off Your Yoga Mat

What better way to reinvigorate your spirits than some targeted minutes of yoga & meditation? Meditation helps to relax your body, calm your mind as well as improve your mental health, and yoga will have you feeling relaxed and connected to your body.

We recommend investing in a beautiful mat to make your home practice even more luxurious – our top pick is the stunning, and eco-friendly, Wild Mingo ‘Dot’ Mat (pictured above).

To make your time even more worthwhile, guide yourself with some yoga & meditation apps.

Our favourite recommendations are Insight Timer (meditation), Soul Alive (meditation) & Glo (yoga) – for a virtually unlimited supply of zen-inducing inspiration to help clear and energise your mind.

For some extra inspo – check out our list of the best Aus & NZ yoga and fitness classes!

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Turn your Skin Care Into A Ritual

Really taking time with applying your skincare is a great way to get the retreat feels flowing. By using natural face and body products that are sans harmful chemicals and ingredients, you can truly feel & know on a physical & mental level that you’re taking care of yourself in the best possible way.

Find a time where you wont be disturbed, get cosy in a deluxe dressing gown, close your eyes when applying the products and be mindful throughout the process. Pay attention to how the product feels on your skin, inhale the scents, and enjoy this moment you’ve created for yourself.

You can light up some candles and play your favourite tunes in the background to relax. The bottom line is to be mindful when you apply the products, so the application process becomes a form of meditation in itself.

Pop on a face mask to prepare you for the next step…

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Take a Warm Bubble Bath

There are so many physical and mental benefits of bathing, especially if you include some luxe epsom salts & essential oils to dial up the experience, so indulging in a warm bath is another must-do relaxing activity during your wellness retreat – why not have a soak morning AND night if you really want to treat yourself?!

Remember – you are not in a hurry, so take the time to slowly prepare the bath, pour in the epsom salts & your preferred amount of oil, make sure the temperature is perfect for you, set the mood with some soy candles, & lay out that cute robe from earlier for when you’re done – our eyes are firmly set on these gorgeous Cactus Green & Muted Clay waffle robes from Kip & Co.

Slide into the blissful oasis you’ve created, keep your glass of wine (organic, natural & vegan, of course) at arm’s reach as you soak up all that loveliness, and listen to a self-love podcast while you wonder to yourself why you don’t do this EVERY weekend.

♥ Soulara Gochujang Goddess Noodles

Wholefoods are a Whole Mood

While we’re taking care of our outer wellbeing with stretching, skin care, bathing & long walks – let’s not forget to treat our inner self to some retreat-y goodness too.

This could be in the form of blitzing up green smoothies, lovingly putting together wholefood & home-cooked meals, or if you’d like to take the hassle out of it all and really feel like you’re on retreat, you could try a pre-prepared healthy vegan meal service, such as Soulara, Plant Made Crew, or a vegan My Foodie Box (if you wanna do a little cooking yourself!). All of their meals will leave you feeling completely nourished & cared for, so you can pretend you have a private chef for the weekend.

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Go For a Long, Slow, Walk in Nature

During the hustle and bustle of rushing to get to work on time, we miss out on many of the amazing natural sights around us. Our recommended way to start or end your wellness retreat is to go for a long walk in nature.

Take a 30-90 minute walk around your neighbourhood, local beach or even at Kings Park. Enjoy the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair. Mindfully take notice of birds, local wildlife, flora & anything else that catches your eye. You’ll be amazed at the beauty you’ve been missing, and will definitely feel refreshed and more at peace afterwards.

The importance of having an exclusive ‘me’ time should not be underestimated. You don’t need to save for a whole month before you can enjoy a 5-star wellness retreat.

A day, or even just a few hours here and there can do wonders for your mind and body.

So go ahead and give yourself that much-deserved treat.

Written by Mel Driver & edited by Annette. Mel is an award winning skincare formulator and the founder of Merindah Botanicals, a 100% natural range of face and body care products for busy women who want something quick, easy to apply yet delivers results. Find out more about Merindah Botanicals on Instagram & Facebook.

Be well,

xoxo