Self-improvement is important, and I’ll tell you why. No one is perfect, in fact, we are all perfectly imperfect. We are utterly human. We make mistakes from time to time, sometimes we learn the easy way, but if you are anything like me, sometimes you learn the hard way. It’s not to say that any one path is right or wrong but whatever path it is that you are on it’s YOUR PATH. Failure teaches us what not to do, and it’s whether or not you learn from your mistakes that make you a better person.

Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing something over and over and expecting a different result.

There are two options in life; the first is to continue to make the same mistakes and never progress. If that sounds good to you then by all means, just keep scrolling. If you have decided to keep reading clearly, you would rather evolve. Also, you just proved to yourself that you are capable of change. To change, all you have to do is take action. Some identifying emotions manifest when change is required. So if you can accurately identify why you feel the way you do, whatever mess you are in, you can figure a way out. Maybe you aren’t even in a mess, perhaps you are just feeling stuck, or unsatisfied, uninspired, overworked, underpaid, not equally loved, or maybe you are lugging around some seriously heavy emotional baggage.

There are telltale signs, red flags if you will, that indicate times of necessary change. They are called emotions for a reason; the word motion is the key. When you feel uncertainty, loss, fear, or discomfort you will be hyper aware of whatever negative holding pattern it is that you are experiencing, you may just not know exactly why or what to do.  You either need to let go, move on, move in, deliberate, negotiate, speak up, listen more, let it all out, live it up, talk it out, write it down. Either way, you will have to decide, and at some point, you must take action.

So to put this metaphorically, think of a river flowing down a mountain. The water is crystal clear, drinkable, rich with nutrients. Now think of a pond, the water is stagnant and murky, filled with all sort of scummy bacteria that probably isn’t the best to consume without some serious filtration. Your body and mind work better when there’s motion, a fluidity of energy creates positive potential. Negativity, on the other hand, is like the pond, it is dormant and turbid, it feeds off of itself.

So five reasons why going on a yoga retreat will make you a better person:

SELF IMPROVEMENT: it’s a guarantee. Whether you are looking to gain more knowledge about yoga, who you are and why you are here, get in tune with your body and feel better about the skin you’re in, chill out, find your inner bliss, follow your heart, make new friends, learn new skills and become more able, then you should go!

CULTIVATE AN OPEN MIND:  Surrounded by like-minded individuals, you will experience a safe space to open up, you will feel free just to be yourself. However, you will be challenged to explore different cultures, talk to people from different walks of life, explore alternative solutions to everyday problems, and broaden your perspectives and willingness to consider opinions and views other than your own.

STRIKE A BALANCE: you’ll be able to experience life in a way that inspires you to live both passionately and have fun. Not only will you be cultivating balance in the body with your daily yoga practice, but you will also begin to delve into the mind space, meditation allows you ample time to figure out the kinks and reflect on your Self and contemplate those big questions you’ve been meaning to get around to answering.

BE GRATEFUL: if anything, travel teaches you to adopt the attitude of gratitude. Not every country in the world has your exact comforts of home. You will experience for yourself the trials and tribulations other people face on the daily, whether it be power outages, extreme poverty, poor air quality, pollution, or whatever harsh realities lie amongst the path of travellers. In the chaos of it all, exploring new horizons will unveil the beauty in human adaptability. Some sunsets and sunrises will blow you away and make you realise just how simple life is. There will be people who change you, move you, challenge you, hold you accountable and inspire you to be the best possible version of yourself.

LEARN TO LOVE: I’m not talking about the head over heels type of love, but anything is possible when you are travelling. In fact, one of the girls on my retreat met her boyfriend a year ago while on a yacht during a YogaLife Tour, but the kind of love I am speaking about is Self Love. You will learn to care for your body and mind in a holistic way that will emanate out into all other areas of your life. You will leave a more enchanting, confident, magnetic force with the ability to draw your intentions into fruition.

LET GO: Each cell in our bodies contains water. Water retains memory, and when you practice yoga, you are moving energy through your body and creating inter-cellular space. So whatever trauma, anger, resentment, fear, disbelief or doubt you are holding onto it is being worked out. Yoga reroutes negative patterning in the mind and body, making way for some serious healing and transformation. It’s both physical therapy and psychotherapy. You will learn to consciously and actively let go of that which does not serve you, illuminating your path in life with the least resistance. And if you don’t believe me, I suggest you find out for yourself.