The Wake-Up Call You Need Now
There was nothing wrong.
Every question could be answered with a ‘no’. All the results were in the middle, the average, the “good range”. I left the room with a firm understanding, an enlightening reminder, of the power of good health. As they say at The Ranch:
Health is the ultimate luxury.
The Ranch is a luxury in and of itself. The retreat takes the thinking, the planning, and the preparing, out of the equation. Your agenda, meals, and activity follow the same schedule every day: early rise and stretch, 4-hour hike, lunch, fitness/yoga/massage in the afternoon, followed by dinner and downtime.
Easy to follow, but easy to execute?
That’s up to you.
By showing up, you’ve already proven to yourself that you’re ready for a reset, ready for a change, ready for meaningful results. But it’s up to you to do the work.
If I’ve learned anything about health and wellness, it is this:
Our why, our purpose, for being on the journey is so much more than what we’re doing to get the results we desire. Without knowing why you’re there, there is no commitment, there is no long-term benefit. It’s just another lovely, luxury, all-inclusive vacation.
It was on the last day of the retreat, after reviewing my test results, that I had my aha-moment and my ‘why’ started to become crystal clear. I realized that I had been taking my health for granted; my lack of allergies, injuries, or trauma are my norm. Was I going to sit around waiting for a wake-up call, for something to go wrong before I started prioritizing my health again? Further, after following The Ranch program for five days I felt rejuvenated and energized - I was ready to hit the ground running and build my life and my business with more enthusiasm and imagination than ever before. But none of it was going to be possible if I didn’t have my health.
This trip sparked something that had been dormant for awhile:
Overshadowed and covered up by the doing, the productivity, the need to get through the day and feel like I had done enough. The pressure from work to do more with less, the expectation to be social after being distanced for so long. I found myself in a trap of saying yes to everything and as a result, I was saying no to my body, to my health, over and over again. Although I had done a lot of work to shift my mindset away from one of hustle & chase and towards that of aligning & attracting, I had left my body behind.
But for the first time in my career, my top responsibility is to take care of myself. In my role as business owner and entrepreneur, prioritizing my health and wellbeing is critical to my success. It’s only when I take care of myself that I can be there for others. It’s only when I feel healthy, whole, and energized that I can show up fully for my business, my clients, for my family and my friends. When I feel I’m at my best, I give my best to others; I can serve my clients in a way that leads to the impact and transformation that they are seeking in their own lives, businesses, and careers.
As a result, my day starts with a focus on my well-being. It’s the foundation of my being and my business. It is where everything I am, everything I do, comes from.
So, what did I really take from my time at The Ranch?
The real purpose behind my commitment to my health and wellness:
I believe people have everything they need to have more love, abundance, and joy in their lives and I’m here to help them get there.
Kirsten Schmidtke is a professional coach, creator, and lover of lake life. She works with leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs to help them up-level their careers, businesses, and lives. Are you ready to explore what’s possible for you? Contact Kirsten to start the conversation!
