Dream big!
Let’s Dream Big this year.
Years ago I had a dream to lead yoga retreats around the world. I often tell my story of leaving my day job behind for pursuing my passions. But, my dreams did not stop there! That would have left me with quite the boring and uneventful life. Could you image if I stopped dreaming at the age of 28?!?!?! That would have been crazy!!!
Leaving my job was just the beginning of making my dreams a reality. It all started slowly and sometimes it all happened quickly. But the truth is, I dream crazy, big dreams all the time. Some I may forget before I even have a chance to start implementing them. Others stay fresh and clear in my brain and I work, work and work on trying to make them a reality.
People say to me, when I travel, “Enjoy your vacation!” I often laugh inside or sometimes even outside because my travels are actually part of my job. How did that happen?!?! I have wanted nothing more in life to travel and experience the world and I made it happen. I networked, networked, and networked some more. And, I made it happen!! Ok, there was a little more that I did than network, but that was a huge part of it. I have the gift to gab about my passions and I often have the gift to connect with others as well as connecting others with others.
Uncovering our dreams.
What is most important in my story is the fact that I went after my dreams and began to make them a reality. But perhaps you are uncertain regarding what dreams to go after. For this, we turn to yoga. Yoga teaches us self observation. When we observe what will make us truly happy, we are doing yoga. Observing your “dreams” is all a part of it. Take your day dream and make it a reality.
Your dreams may vary greatly from mine and might be something much more simplistic, or more complex. The key is to find ways to live your dreams and accomplish them.
One of my favorite mantras…
Inhale: Dreams are meant to be lived.
Exhale: Life is meant to be a dream.
Sit and simmer with this mantra and then ask yourself if you have a similar dream. If you do, I am hear to help!
Making your dream of hosting retreats a reality
I still remember walking with a friend and fellow yoga teacher over five years ago, when I said to her, “One day I want to teach yoga retreats.” She looked at me with confidence and said, “Let’s start planning!” And, we did!! And, it worked. Between that very first retreat and now, I have been through many ups and downs with over 20 retreats in several countries around the world. Through all of these experiences I have learned what it takes to make my dream a reality. Now I am excited to share my stories and experience with you so that you too can manifest your dreams in your life.
If you have always wanted to host yoga retreats, but feel overwhelmed you are not alone! The devil is in the details, with logistics, marketing, operations and admin. The details of implementation truly matter, and they matter a lot. If you are ready to fly away, explore and share your passions on and off the mat with your students then retreat planning is for you.
Laurel shares three tips on how to plan yoga retreats
Here are a few tips to get you started…
1) Know Your Market — Consider the following… Where do your students want to go? Where can they afford? What is the best time of year for them to travel?
2) Make Money — Make sure to review your total cost over and over again! And, build in a fee for your services. You are going to work hard and you deserve to make money!
3) Build an Agenda That Will Make Your Students Happy and Healthy! — Remember, it is always easier to retain customers than to find new ones. Make your retreats unforgettable, relaxing and fun and your students will sign up for future retreats and bring their friends.
Start dreaming and start brainstorming! I know your retreats will be fabulous!
Sending you love, hugs and hopefully a little inspiration!
Laurel
Stay Tuned.
P.S Keep your eyes peeled for my new Gather Yoga Video Series, The Art of Hosting and Planning a Retreat. We will be launching this week, so stay tuned!
Laurel is a teacher featured on The Local Collective at GatherYoga. You can find her collections of videos HERE and follow her from her website or in person in one of her retreats at www.laurelattanasio.com.
Featured images by Laurel Attanasio and Arthur Yeti on Unsplash
