I’m so excited to take you behind of the scenes of our CEO itinerary in Bora Bora. Whenever I plan a retreat, I think about the end goal that I want the clients to experience. Is it relaxation, excitement, clarity, motivation, connection, transcendence – or maybe all of the above?
You can’t change when your environment remains the same so regardless, a change of location will be transformational.
For me, this retreat was about rest and recovery – in service of creativity and inspiration.
Let me explain…
For most female business owners, success is about hustle. It’s about working long hours, putting yourself last, and stretching yourself too thin.
Believe me, I’ve done that before, and it’s a habit I’m still working on.
Take this moment for example: I’m coming off of a very business period personally seeing that we just moved into a new house, we’ve been decorating, landscaping, guttering (is that a word?), and essentially nesting for the last few months.
And within the business, there are quite a few changes happening behind the scenes as well. We’re launching new products on the I Heart My Life side of things (for example, a new Membership, as well as I Heart My Life Experiences), we’ve released and hired five new people on our team, we’re planning this retreat plus another one later in the year – believe me when I say that overwhelm is a very real thing that I’m navigating.
However, in working with my own team of therapists and coaches, I’ve realized that if I continue to show up as stressed and overwhelmed and operate from that place, I’m going to create chaos and not the reality that my heart desires. The same goes for our clients.
So here is our daily breakdown from the Bora Bora retreat and my CEO itinerary, with fun, rest and relaxation at the center of the experience.
Wednesday
James and I travelled from Austin, Texas in the evening and arrived at Los Angeles airport around 8:50pm. I worked on the plane as I knew that I wouldn’t be working on the next flight (because I was going to sleep). We got some food at the airport and stocked up on a few snacks but mentally just started to wind down in service to resting on the plane. (Our flight to Tahiti left around 11:55pm, and we flew through the night to the island.)
Here are some of my best practices for promoting sleep on a plane:
- Book business or first class.
- Take Melatonin and magnesium.
- Don’t drink alcohol or eat on the plane in the evening if you’re trying to sleep.
- Turn off electronics before getting on the plane.
Thursday
We arrived early in the morning at the Tahiti airport, and we were so excited to be there! We grabbed a very strong iced coffee and waited for the small plane that would take us 50 minutes to Bora Bora.
To say that the fight had an incredible view is a major understatement. We were blown away! Every moment was like a dream.
And when we arrived on the island of Bora Bora, it was even better. We were met by the Four Seasons boat that took us to the hotel. We had booked our room the night before to ensure that it was ready for us to check-in. (That’s a pro-tip right there!). So we were met with a personal concierge who took us directly to the room where we, of course, took a million photos and got settled in.
Because we had slept on the plane, we were set up for success that day and weren’t jet-lagged.
Friday
We had an incredible massage booked, overlooking the ocean. This day was about relaxing for us as we knew that every day would be pretty full so we soaked in every moment. I’ve learned that it’s really important to leave yourself extra white-space in your calendar when you’re hosting an event and traveling.
Saturday
One of the uplevels for this experience was flying in one of my favorite photographers from Miami, Florida, Amanda Julca. We planned a photoshoot for this day with her — the mood board, locations and outfits. Over the past few months, I’ve been online shopping to find some clothes that would fit the luxurious island vibe I was going for, and I think we nailed it. (I’ll be sharing the real photos on my social media over the coming weeks so make sure to follow me on Instagram.)
Sunday
Our clients arrived via boat in the morning so we surprised them at the dock (photos coming soon) and then I was off to get my hair and makeup done because this day was all about our video shoot!
I have some promotional material I knew that I had to film in this location. We found a local videographer who my Austin videographer briefed in terms of what we wanted out of this shoot. (He’s helping us with some of the Austin filming and editing so it made sense for them to speak.)
And then we had our special client welcome reception! (More photos coming for that later too!)
Monday
This day was about setting our clients up for success throughout the week. We started with setting clear intentions for the retreat.
We also checked in with them and allowed them the space and time to vent if need be and then shift back into gratitude, desires and brags (a practice we got from Mama Gena).
I taught a session on freedom. I wanted to make sure that the ladies were clear on what their definition of freedom was as everyone has a different version of freedom. Then we went into identifying the limiting beliefs that are currently stopping them from experiencing that level of freedom — because if you don’t have what you want at this moment in time, there’s a reason why.
After my session, we had a luxury lunch (which actually ended up being too much food – pro tip: lighter is better especially if your clients are going to be learning!)
After lunch, James taught a session about slowing time. The ladies loved it and experienced so many shifts.
Finally, at the end of the day, I gave the clients an Instagram challenge where they had to post a key takeaway and message on social media.
After the session, James and I decided to go snorkeling. What an amazing experience to be hosting a retreat and get to swim in the water with the tropical fish in the evening.
The group also chose to attend an authentic Tahitian fire show and dinner event. James and I did not attend this – it’s really important for us to maintain our energy throughout the week and also give the ladies the chance to bond with each other.
Tuesday
This day was about health and wellness. We started with a therapeutic walk around the island at 6:30am and a moment of silence for the clients to center themselves and prepare for the day.
We arranged a healthy breakfast for them and then we went into the venting practice to clear anything out that needed to be released before starting our day.
Because James and I are very well connected, and we’ve spent a ton of time and money cultivating an incredible community, we wanted to “Zoom” in trainings from around the world.
We chose Mona Sharma, who is a celebrity nutritionist and Aaron Erickson who is a breath expert.
Our clients were blown away by what they had to share.
In the afternoon on this day and the next, we thought it would be nourishing to give our clients the option of booking in to have 1:1 sessions with James and me or taking time off. This way, they get personalized support and all of their questions answered.
For those who aren’t doing a 1:1 that day, they have the option of swimming, going to the spa, getting a photoshoot, journaling – whatever they desired.
This was important to me because so often as driven women, we don’t give ourselves the space and time to have free time. We’re go, go, go. This retreat includes required time off for a reason.
Wednesday
This day was all about having fun. We planned a boat excursion around the island that included swimming in the turquoise water and snorkeling. Oh, and swimming with sharks and stingrays! Craziness.
Then we had a beach lunch planned for our clients and the 1:1 sessions or free time throughout the afternoon.
Once again, they are able to choose what they do in the evening.
Thursday
Our final day of the retreat was meant to be a celebration as well as the day where we tie everything together.
We started with a guided meditation overlooking the blue lagoon. We brought in a meditation facilitator to create a memorable experience for our clients. This was at 6:30am. After that, the ladies went to breakfast and then came to our meeting space for the first session around 9am. James taught on psychology mastery.
My final session was deliberately kept as a question mark in my mind as I wanted to make sure that there was room for us to pivot as needed. Don’t get me wrong, I have quite a few ideas about what I would like to teach, and we had our clients fill out a questionnaire before coming on this trip so they told us exactly what they wanted – but there are always surprises on these retreats, and we are available to pivot.
Then we had a powerful hour of hot seats and a closing session to book-end their experience.
After that, they had a few hours to rest before we asked them to film video testimonials for us. I’m never shy about asking clients to record their experiences so that I can serve more amazing women!
And in the evening, we capped everything off with a gorgeous family-style dinner and private show.
Friday-Monday
These four days were deliberately kept blank. (In fact, I’m writing this before they even happen!) Over the years, I’ve learned to add in downtime and that giving myself space is a form of self-care and is required for me to show up as my best self. So these are officially vacation days for James and me.
So there you have it — our Bora Bora retreat itinerary in a nutshell. I know you may be reading this and wondering how you too, can join one of these experiences. We will be releasing Experience and Workshop information on our I Heart My Life website very soon so make sure that you’re on the list.
And if you’d prefer a VIP Day, we have that available right now.
It’s time to join me in revitalizing your entire self so don’t wait any longer.
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