Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to attended a leadership retreat hosted by The Alchemist and Adventurer, and I wanted to share why it meant so much to me.
People often speak about things aligning at the perfect time, or ‘the universe’ sending something their way. For those who know me, you'll be aware this is not generally the way I speak! But this was truly that moment in my life. I have recently been battling chronic undiagnosed health issues which have completely floored me. Life lately has been an endless blur of specialists, scans and tests, layered in between waves of chronic fatigue more debilitating than I could have ever imagined – especially as someone who’s always been fit, healthy and running full steam ahead.
A few weeks ago I was sitting in my car, feeling absolutely defeated following yet another underwhelming specialist appointment, when an email popped up from Keith, one of the founders of The Alchemist and Adventurer, a high level coaching consultancy hosting leadership retreats around the world. We'd been introduced by a mutual contact last year and had chatted about the upcoming Byron Bay retreat and the leadership coaching Keith was running in the UK. At that time I was so deep in the spiralling health issues that I couldn’t commit to the Byron retreat and had forgotten about it completely. Keith was now reaching out on the off chance I could make a last minute dash down to join the group for the upcoming retreat at Soma.
Despite how despondent and anxious I was feeling on the health front, something inside me just sparked - knew I had to jump at this opportunity. After eight months of health-related tunnel vision I was craving some fresh energy and intuitively knew I needed a mindset shift. So two days after that fateful email I drove to Byron Bay with an open mind, no real expectations, and genuine uncertainty about whether I even had the physical capacity to engage with what lay ahead. In hindsight I think the short notice was actually a blessing as it didn’t give me a chance to overthink the opportunity or talk myself out of it.
What followed was more transformative than I could have imagined. I was welcomed by the blissful tranquility of Soma and the absolute legends Margi and Keith, the founders of The Alchemist and Adventurer who host these high-level retreats around the world. We connected instantly, and I couldn’t have asked for two better mentors (now friends) to lead the retreat and guide my journey of self discovery and improvement (again, words I don't think I've ever said in my life). To say this week changed my life would be an understatement - and to be honest referring to this as a leadership retreat undermines the depth of personal work we did alongside the professional coaching. The lessons I learnt about myself and the insight I gained from those around me was mind blowing. It was so powerful to strip everything back and look at how old patterns, habits and beliefs hold us back – and what a different approach might look like. It was humbling to see this group of ambitious and successful business leaders all share such deeply personal experiences, and the transformation we all felt throughout the week was profound.
Digging deep on yourself isn’t something we stop and do very often, especially with the demands of big roles and the complexities of life these days. If this illness hadn’t stopped me in my tracks, I imagine it’s not something I would have prioritised either. But I can honestly say this has completely revitalised my personal and professional outlook. My mindset completely shifted over the course of the week, and following the retreat I felt physically better than I had in months, and mentally better than I ever have. I felt so re-energised about my advisory work that I went on to have some of the most productive and exciting meetings of my career in the weeks that followed. I know the health answers will come in time, and it’s really comforting to know that the deep work I’ve done has left me more energized and ambitious than ever in a business sense - but also reinforced the balance I need to strike between this ambition and the other (arguably more important) things in life.
I’m fully aware not everyone has the opportunity or resources to attend this type of experience, and I’m incredibly grateful that I was able to. But I think the key theme that I took from this retreat is the power of going inward. You must be comfortable and confident in yourself before you can expect to lead a successful workforce, team or family.
I can't share too much about what we worked on that week in Byron, but one thing that really resonated with me is the ability to ask the question, “What is it like to be on the receiving end of my energy?” This really stopped me in my tracks and made me think about how we all interact with our family, friends and clients. Being a high achiever with constant thoughts of what’s next, how can we go bigger etc, I am now much more aware that my energy can be very intense at times. Stop and ask yourself this simple question next time you are holding meetings or spending time with your family. I’ll definitely be taking all these learnings with me into my next chapter, and I’m more excited than ever.
If you are ever in the position to join a retreat or work alongside Keith and Margi in any form, jump at the opportunity. They are such beautiful people and amazing at what they do. Stepping away from big careers to help people become not just better leaders, but better humans, takes an incredible amount of courage. This really resonated with me, especially having stepped away from a huge role myself. I’m forever grateful to Keith and Margi for creating these opportunities and for their ongoing support. I couldn’t recommend it more highly.
