The Real Magic of Festivals, Retreats, and Weekend Workshops

Retreats don’t transform you—they help you see who you already are.

It’s tempting to think that festivals, workshops, retreats, or backpacking trips for that manner do the work for us—that we need them to change.

But I see it differently and in my latest Psychology Today article I explain how they are a lot more confirmation than catalyst—read it here.

This piece comes from years of navigating the deep connection I’ve felt during these so-called peak experiences, and the letdown that sometimes follows. I hope it helps you find a smoother transition between the joy of big moments and the joy of everyday life. 🌄

Key points

• We’re thinking about retreats all wrong—they don’t transform us, they reflect who we've become.

• Lower the stakes: Needing a breakthrough from them dims the experience.

• Ask different questions: How did I prepare myself for it? Where do I already live out these values?

Remember: it’s already in you. No one can take it away—and no one, not even Burning Man, can give it to you.