Three reasons why you should go on a retreat.
Three reasons why you should go on a retreat.
This past month I had the incredible pleasure of attending Sophie Lea Photography’s Newborn Retreat. With 8 other women, I travelled to the Farmhouse on Oxley Island where we talked, ate amazing food, had countless Aperols (well not me but others did) and learned from Sophie who has 18 years of experience in photography.
There are so many reasons why each of us attended this particular retreat but what rang true was that we were all in a season of growth and change. We also wanted a weekend away with like-minded women and a night away from our kids (for those who had them) was an added bonus.
After reflecting on the weekend I thought I would share three possible reasons why you should consider going on a retreat. So here they are:
You get to learn from some of the best.
Depending on who’s retreat you might attend, some photographers have over 10 years+ of experience behind them. In this industry, learning from people who have tried and tested workflows is invaluable. You end up with the skills to start and then change to suit yourself.
You may even decide to attend a different type of retreat. These could be a yoga retreat, an educators retreat, business and more. Retreats have been around for years, they aren’t a new thing but after the past few years its a great opportunity to stop, reflect and connect.
Sophie has 18 years of experience, she has an incredible workflow, she has structures in place that work. Attending and learning from Sophie isn’t so you do exactly what she does but listen, and take away pockets of wisdom for yourself. One reason I attended the retreat was to see Sophie’s newborn session workflow, and it was magic to watch. But I am not Sophie, although I have taken away a lot of what she has done, over the coming months and sessions I will make it my own. And this is an important part of learning and growth. To make things your own and work with what is best for you!
Surrounded by some like-minded women (and men)
Community in this industry, I am learning is priceless. To have the ability to talk through ideas, reason and more is not only good for the soul but helps us improve our businesses.
We get to laugh with people, we get to connect with people who have the similar beliefs or not, and we have the opportunity for friendship that make our life richer. There are different types of friendships and friendships in business are great. Some are there for you to teach and/or learn.
When you attend a retreat you meet new people, people from all over and there is a great recipe for growth. On the second night of Sophie’s retreat we played Taboo, and gosh it was so much fun. Games are a great insight into people, their competitive nature, laughter and just getting to know each other in a different way! It was something so special. This is where retreats really differ from workshops, you have the opportunity to go deeper, cover more and so much more.
We need to be always learning and levelling up
I am sure you have heard it before but we never stop learning, whether we think we know it all the fact is we don’t. Learning keeps our brains sharp and is a part of the everyday. Being able to learn from someone means growth. Growth in today’s day and age is important and I love to do it. I want to always have a learning attitude so that I can become a better human, photographer, parent, friend… well you get the picture.
Sophie is always learning herself, but for her, it’s in a different way to you or I. She is now levelling up to provide an even better experience for photographers like myself. Which is something special. She is always working on something new to improve her client experience. She spoke about feedback on this weekend away and it struck a cord. We have to want to receive our clients’ improvement points to redefine, learn and grow. All growth comes with growing pains and is an integral part of any business. So here’s to learning the hard lessons and always levelling up!
We will always walk away with something positive from a retreat especially if you come into it with a mindset of growth and learning, or ever seeking connection. For me, over 8 months ago, I booked into her retreat, I didn’t even know I was pregnant with my third child, she is a woman in demand as this retreat booked out in seconds! But that is 100% because of how she teaches, how open she is and the journey she takes you on. I am excited to implement what I have learned and grow from there. And honestly, I would go on another one in a heartbeat! BUT watch this space.
Lastly, I have to say a MASSIVE thank you to Sophie, Ash, and Brent for an incredible weekend!
Photos by @rachellevingstonphotography & @madisontessarolo.photography
