It’s winter, and winter is rubbish. Near-unequivocally so, at that. The only redeeming feature of the winter months, outside of an excuse to wear your luxurious collection of wool knitwear, is the joy and warmth of the festive season – but when a new year dawns, and you’re jettisoned unceremoniously back into a drudgerous routine of cold commutes, working after dark and ever-encroaching burnout.
But what if this winter was different? The cold isn’t fun when it’s actively impinging on your daily commute, but it can be a vessel for something more: a circuit break. Indeed, winter offers the perfect excuse to step away from routine, breathe in crisp mountain air, and set yourself to recharging properly. All it takes is a thoughtfully planned winter retreat, which allows you to combine adventure and relaxation in fair and equal measure. How do you do that, though?
Reconnect With Nature
The key difference between a holiday and a retreat, It could be said, is the removal of distraction as opposed to the introduction of new distractions. The point of the retreat is to give your brain space to reconfigure itself; to set new habits in motion, that benefit your mental health and give you the perspective necessary to restart your daily life with fresh vim and vigour. This means throwing yourself into nature – and nature, in the winter, can be magical.
Whether or not you choose to take yourself abroad, you’ll find no shortage of snowy landscapes, fresh mountain air, and panoramic views in the northern hemisphere – all of which can offer a sense of calm hard to otherwise find in daily life.
Adventure That Energises
Calm and relaxation are one part of a much more comprehensive equation when it comes to re-energising yourself. The winter retreat is also an opportunity to invigorate yourself, whether by light exercise or more thrilling activities. Just as you could benefit from a scenic walk through a national park, you could give yourself to an adrenaline-fueled weekend on a European ski slope.
This is where planning ahead well and truly pays off. If you want something a little more exhilarating, a Val d’Isère ski holiday will be much more your speed than an impromptu slide down a local hillside… Such a ski getaway also puts you in touch with some luxurious conveniences a world apart from quieter rural fare, including apres-ski evenings by the fire with fellow retreat-ers.
Making Memories That Last
Whatever it is that you end up doing for your retreat – be it a ski holiday, a quiet introspective camping weekend or a tour of the many amazing public footpaths through the rolling hills and mountains of Britain – the purpose of your getaway doesn’t exist purely in the present. This is also true whether travelling solo, as a couple, or with family. This is because the memories you make are just as important as the rest you allow yourself to have; these memories can sustain you as you return to that drudgerous day-to-day.
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