Wondering what goes into planning a luxury retreat? Curious to know what it takes to create lasting transformation? I’m sharing all in today’s blog.

When planning these retreats, it begins by stepping into MY desire…

Whenever I’m developing something for my business I ask myself: what do I want to experience? 

Because it’s more than exercising my entrepreneurial muscle but nourishing my creative mind. 

Dreaming bigger, bringing my visions to life, and reaching new levels of fulfillment.

I was once in these women’s shoes. Enslaving myself to the long hours, thinking I had to be tied to my computer to achieve success. I created I Heart My Life and the EW brand to connect with the big dreamer within; she’s always had huge desires for her life. And to me, that meant re-evaluating the foundations of my relationship with business as a CEO.

I became determined to show these fabulous women what it means to live a CEO reality. Our retreat was designed to prove to them there’s more out there for them, down to the very last detail. I realized that holding space for them and their desires created space for my shifts as well! Because that’s the key to changing the world: stepping fully into the next level of you.

So here are some of my main takeaways from the Bora Bora retreat…

Desire is our superpower

Have you ever been told your dreams are “too big” to accomplish? No matter the fine lavish details are drawn out for your dream life, there’s always an excuse for not pursuing them. 

Truthfully, that not only hurts us but the rest of the world! Following our passions (and making them happen) affirms the infinite possibilities we can step into— and that we shouldn’t be discouraged from doing so!

During the relaunch of my IHML Show, I covered my favorite learnings from the book Pussy: A Reclamation written by motherly media personality Mama Gena (I had her as a guest too!). 

Her mission is to provide awe-inspiring insight into the power of feminine desire. She truly believes that the world is blessed when a woman follows her desire— and that resonated with me. What is it about womanly desire that sets us apart from the rest of the world?

When women follow through with our desires, we’re claiming ownership of our authentic identity. Achieving what we set out to do, strengthens our voice. And in a world full of criticism, that’s tough (but not impossible)! 

Fulfilling our innermost desires is the key to empowering our full selves! When a client asked me how I executed our retreat, my answer was “I did what I wanted and what excites me”.

Circling back to that question and answer over and over is what kept me going all out for this trip. I think the location we selected is misunderstood as an exclusive celebrity hot spot. But I don’t think that’s true at all! It’s not solely for the high-profile, but also the high-achievers.

Bora Bora has been a dream destination of mine to visit, so tuning into that personal desire made this experience that much more special. I wanted to offer these women something so different from their day-to-day life, it opened up a world of fulfillment they haven’t seen yet! 

Before the retreat, many attendees were questioning if they could even come. But enlivening my lifelong desire spoke volumes to these women, so much so they couldn’t miss out!

That is how I know that desire can inspire the masses!

Community is crucial to your transformation

If there’s anything we learned in the last three years, it’s that we intuitively crave connection. 

We all want to be a part of a community, we want to feel supported. So you can imagine the overwhelm of love and thanks (and tears) our retreat attendees had to give by the end of this trip!

They were all so touched by the meaning behind our exercises throughout this experience. Our core desire for this retreat was the people here would be grateful for what we provided: community, connection, rest + relaxation, love, and inspiration. We made it clear what this trip was about from the get-go: to be EMBRACED. 

That’s how James and I designed both the individual and group exercises, to cultivate genuine unity. We opened up discourse surrounding the value of work/life balance, what makes our business fulfilling, and how to keep our creative momentum flowing.

In-person interaction is something we took for granted until the world went into lockdown, and our way of life completely changed. Of course, it’s only human for us to feel loneliness in times of isolation and distance, but we wanted to eradicate that. 

Meeting one another in real life was special because it was so refreshing. The outpour of excitement helped open up these expansive conversations! Our attendees found inspiration to create new ideas, beliefs, and even business decisions.

We traveled to great lengths to create this community because there’s no bound on human connection! And it was well worth every plane, boat, and car in the end!

To transform your current reality, it’s imperative to put yourself in a place where you receive the utmost care and comfort as you do the big things!

In-person transformation is REALLY where it’s at

In-person retreats like this one aren’t just beneficial to our sense of community. They empower us to shift our perspective in ways our daily life doesn’t challenge us to!

Our luxury retreats are crafted to step out of one reality and into another as seamlessly as possible. Fulfillment should be effortless, easy, and of course enjoyable! So when we were brainstorming locations for this retreat, we wanted to transcend the norm for business travel. 

There’s so much power in a change of location, scenery, and way of life. Getting out of your normal day-to-day implores you to recognize there’s more to your world. And that broadens your perspective (and appreciation) for what life is meant to be like!

Stepping fully into the next level you as compared to virtually is astronomical! From the moment our clients stepped off their boat and onto the dock, it became crystal clear there was power within them. All they needed was that little boost to push outside their comfort zone!

When you complete virtual retreats or programs, you’re working by yourself. Completing the exercises, doing the deep work, and self-reflecting in between (and resting of course). 

No one else is around to hold you accountable or ask the tough questions that can push you one step further to experience something massively transformational.

And not to mention, it’s still happening inside the current reality (not the desired). To leap from one reality to the next, you’re required to be present in ways you typically aren’t. 

For example, jetting off to a gorgeous island in French Polynesia!

The purpose of our in-person Bora Bora retreat was to challenge our clients’ old way of being. We did so through relaxation, fun activities, and immersive experiences that didn’t force them to rethink their reality. That all came naturally because it was so different from their normal!

Our clients left this retreat glowing with newfound inspiration to change their business, and life as a whole! This goes to show us that in-person transformation cannot compare. 

So when presented with the chance to explore an opportunity outside of your comfort zone, you should take it!

It’s important to embrace the human side of us

Even though I’m the CEO of two companies, I’m a human first and foremost. 

And so are you.

When I first embarked on my journey of entrepreneurship, I overlooked the importance of self-love. I was solely focused on building client lists, making fast money, and launching. But that’s not what I Heart My Life or the EW brand is really about.

The core of my mission is to show you how (and why) you have the power to create a life beyond your wildest dreams! That was something I wanted to achieve for myself also knowing there were so many other women in the same position as me. 

So when I finally learned that my sense of self was the core foundation for everything else to succeed, I rethought how I looked after myself. How I implemented self-care, asking myself what I needed, and the boundaries necessary to protect my peace. 

As soon as I started investing in myself just as much as I did my business, everything aligned on a deeper level. Operating from a space of self-love helps you express (and achieve) more authentically. And pretty soon those soulmate clients you’re looking for will start showing up! 

When I started facilitating luxury retreats, I knew I should focus more on the whole self than just the entrepreneurial gene my clients possess. Rather than only navigating conversations about business, I wanted my clients to reflect on their life. 

I also wanted this Bora Bora retreat to cultivate the perfect balance of expansion and entertainment. From group dinners on the beach to snorkeling, everything we scheduled was meant to show our attendees what they were missing out on outside of their usual.

Because that’s what entrepreneurship is meant to show us: new ways of freedom. 

Entrepreneurship is about breaking the mold of traditional success and offering services that align our dreams with reality. Often people in entrepreneurship, especially women, are focused on fitting their packages and clients into a box. 

But that is how we forget about the most important part: ourselves. 

So by giving my retreat attendees lots of downtime and luxury-level fun, I was showing them how the connection to themselves is integral to a business. It would be a disservice to us all (and our missions) if we restricted that relationship and were unable to learn from it.

We all have a zone of genius— and should live by it

When you’re living out your passions you don’t feel like you’re working. That perfect blend of mindset, strategy, and energetics is what makes or breaks your work (and life) flow!

I’m sure you’ve heard someone in the entrepreneurial scene use the phrase “zone of genius” before. The zone of genius is your unique power, that undeniably one-of-a-kind quality you have to offer. This includes your interests, passions, knowledge, and life experiences!

Altogether they influence your creative momentum, that “flow” you hear everyone talking about. James & I felt very much in our zone of genius creating and facilitating these retreats.

Why? Because we are stepping into a space that embraces our authentic selves and everything they stand for. That includes sharing our stories, wisdom, and guidance with these women. We do this in the hopes of stimulating our clients’ new ways of thinking and doing.

Encouraging these women entrepreneurs to become abundantly aligned with their life and business is something we care so passionately about. This probably explains the sheer happiness and enthusiasm we had the pleasure of waking up with every morning in beautiful Bora!

But don’t let that fool you— we want to be operating from our zone of genius as much as possible. It even helps us navigate how we operate the back end of I Heart My Life and the EW brand. We need to be constantly embodying our values through our business decisions, how we delegate work to the IHML team, and professional communication.

If you’re looking to discover your zone of genius (and live by it), the first step is reflecting within to figure out what lights you up (and fills you fully). Maybe you have this clarity, but you’re wondering how to go to the next level? If so, you can work with me directly. Check out emilywilliams.com.