top of page
Search

How I help people transform in one day during retreat!

Writer's picture: Jody WilliamsJody Williams




You can’t have the Retreat experience from a one-hour class, a Zoom session, or a self-help book. Retreats are a complete immersion—a chance to escape the noise and drop into something more profound. And that’s why I love leading them.


Retreats aren’t just about relaxation. They aren’t some luxury getaway for people who have it all figured out. They’re about transformation—real, raw, and often messy. They give people space to pause, get quiet, and meet themselves in ways they haven’t in years (or maybe ever).

Here’s why leading retreats isn’t just something I do—I live for.


1. Watching People Finally Arrive in the Present


People show up to retreats carrying the weight of their lives. Stress. Anxiety. Exhaustion. It’s written all over their faces. But after a few hours? You can see the shift.

Shoulders drop.

Breaths deepen.

Something inside them softens.


And that’s when the magic happens.


Because when you’re constantly running—chasing deadlines, putting out fires, keeping up with expectations—you don’t even realize how much of life you’re missing. Retreats snap people out of autopilot. They give them permission to just be. And that moment? That’s everything.


2. Depth Over Surface-Level Change


Podcasts and self-improvement books are great. But let’s be honest—how often do we actually slow down enough to let those lessons sink in?


A retreat forces you to step away from distractions. No emails. No notifications. No endless to-do lists. Just you—facing yourself without escape routes.


That’s where real growth happens—not in theory but in practice, not in intellectualizing but in experience.


And I get to witness it firsthand.


3. The Power of Real Human Connection


Something shifts when people come together in a retreat setting. The walls come down. Conversations go deeper. There’s no small talk, no performative bullshit—just raw, honest connection.


I’ve watched total strangers become each other’s biggest supporters. I’ve seen someone finally say out loud what they’ve been holding inside for years.


And I’ve learned that healing isn’t something we do alone—it happens in the community.


Because when you’re surrounded by people who get it, see you without judgment, and walk their path beside you, something inside you wakes up. You realize you’re not alone. And that changes everything.


4. No Masks, No Pretending—Just You


In everyday life, we wear a thousand different masks. We show up as the “professional,” the “parent,” and the “strong one.” But at a retreat, those masks start to crack.


You don’t have to perform. You don’t have to impress anyone. You don’t have to “have it all together.” You get to show up exactly as you are—messy, uncertain, human.


When people experience that kind of freedom, they don’t return to their old ways, which are unchanged. They remember what it feels like to be real, to be seen, to be enough.


5. Holding Space for Transformation


My job as a retreat leader isn’t to be some guru or to hand people all the answers. It’s to hold space.


It’s about creating an environment where people feel safe enough to explore their inner world, to let go of the noise, and to listen to what’s been waiting underneath it all.


And that’s the part I love the most. Because healing isn’t about forcing. It’s about allowing. And when people give themselves that permission—when they stop trying so damn hard and just let themselves be—everything changes.



Why I’ll Never Stop Doing This


Leading retreats isn’t just a job. It’s a calling.


Every retreat reminds me why I do this work. I see people leave feeling lighter, more transparent, and more themselves, and I know they’ll carry that back into their lives in some way, big or small.


The world doesn’t need more people running on empty, stuck in cycles of stress and burnout. It requires more awake, present, and deeply connected people—to themselves, each other, and life itself.

That’s why I’ll keep showing up, creating these spaces, and guiding people back home to themselves.


And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.


Keep an eye on my website for upcoming Retreats.


Or, if you would like to discuss planning a Custom Retreat for you and some friends or your work- reach out!



39 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Contact

St. John's, Newfoundland
​​
Email: jodyawilliams@hotmail.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram

© 2025 jodywilliams.ca.

 All rights reserved.

Thanks for reaching out!

I'll respond as soon as I am able.

bottom of page