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Have you ever come home from a vacation feeling like you need another vacation? As women, we’re so often the ones planning the itinerary, making the reservations, packing for everyone, and making sure everyone else is comfortable. Even when we’re technically “away,” we’re still managing.

In this episode, I’m talking about why traveling alone—and retreats in particular—can be such a powerful experience for women in midlife. I’m sharing some of my own retreat experiences, the transformations I’ve witnessed in other women, and why there’s something radical and necessary about letting someone else hold you for once.

And when I say solo travel, I don’t necessarily mean spending a week alone in another country. It’s about traveling for yourself, on your own terms, without being responsible for managing everyone else’s experience. That might mean getting on a plane by yourself, spending a day or weekend at a retreat closer to home, or even traveling with someone you love while giving each other the freedom to have your own experience.

In this episode:

[1:20] The retreat experience that showed me how powerful learning to enjoy your own company can be

[3:39] Why retreats aren’t accessible to everyone—and how day and weekend retreats can offer that same intentional space

[5:04] How women end up managing everyone else’s experience on vacation, and what changes when you only have yourself to take care of

[6:37] “I am not in charge”: the freedom of letting someone else handle the plans, meals, and logistics so you can finally turn your attention inward

[8:13] Why I desperately needed a retreat after a fire at my clinic left me running on fumes—and why I knew a regular vacation wasn’t what I needed

[8:57] The fear of going on retreat alone, why those first moments can feel uncomfortable, and how quickly real connection can happen

[10:06] How taking my daughter on a retreat gave us both space to be ourselves outside of our usual roles

[13:19] Why letting yourself be supported can be especially powerful in midlife—and the questions to ask yourself if you’re curious about going on retreat

One of my favorite mantras from my Costa Rica retreat was simple: I am not in charge.

Someone else had planned the meals. Someone else knew the schedule. Someone else had figured out the logistics. My only job was to show up and receive.

For those of us who spend so much of our lives caring for, organizing, planning, and holding things together for everyone else, that kind of spaciousness can be incredibly powerful. It creates room for reflection, connection, conversations you didn’t know you needed, and the chance to hear yourself again.

Links & Resources:

Restore in Costa Rica with Sara — January 16th–23rd, 2027
https://www.wetravel.com/trips/restore-in-costa-rica-restore-with-sara-5965794857?_wbc#about-this-trip

Connect with me, Sara Poldmae:

• Website: https://risingwomanproject.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarapoldmae

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