I recently traveled to Costa Rica and the humbling atmosphere there made me feel so grounded. The air, the people and the way I felt while I was there gave me a sense of being at home.
It felt like a wake-up call as soon as I landed. Life was going a million miles an hour for me and I thought I could keep up the pace. I also wasn’t looking after myself as much as I needed too, got wrapped up in my phone and was losing myself. I want to thank the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo for helping me reconnect with myself. Every detail in my trip led me closer to myself.
I’m grateful for the resorts Growing Together - Volunteer Program. It’s a custom - designed experience based on your interests and budget - like conserving the environment, adopting a family during your stay, or visiting a local school. We visited a local school on the first day and I almost felt I needed it more than they did in seeing us! Greeted with hugs and love from all of the children gave me a sense of purpose and need. In that moment nothing else mattered in life and it was the shift I was so desperately meant to have. I did deserve to slow down, the small things don’t matter and also I could see how much fun I was having without all the craziness of my everyday life.
To be honest, the room I was in took my breath away, the attention to detail was what made me feel important and welcomed. Fresh sage in the room, fruit, candles, meditation stones, herbal teas, all the things to relax and unwind. The view I had was unbelievable - I could look out the window and take a moment of gratitude for where I am in my life. It was so nice to be still and look out into the ocean and have a wave of inner peace overcome me. If I wanted to get closer to the ocean it was right at my reach - not only that but a swimming pool. They were an equal distance from each other - it was the perfect balance to have them in one place.
I was able to detox my spirit and my body. The food that was fueling me was fresh, delicious, and gave me the cleanse that I craved. When we think of vacation, we usually allow ourselves to indulge in all the goodies. At the resort, they made it simple to eat healthily. I would get a delicious breakfast smoothie delivered to my room and it was the perfect way to start the day. Also - one of my favorites was the acai bowl and “green juice” that the restaurant Añejo served. They had many different restaurants with selections for everyone's taste buds and a healthy range of food.
When we go on vacation - we want to disconnect from reality to do our favorite activities. My favorite was the yoga classes that I took! Costa Rica has this saying “Pura Vida” which means pure life. The yoga classes made sure you felt this - the instructors really knew what they were doing! They made a custom plan to make sure I got the most out of the practice. They had all sorts of activities to make sure you had the “Pura vita” experience - like water sports, golfing, and exploring the rainforest. The perfect way to feel the BURN by doing all these fun activities!
The Costa Rican culture is like no other. The people there have a special ability to make you feel welcome and at home! I got to know some of the staff and they were all so special to me. They made sure that everything I experienced was top notch - they would spend an hour a day to make my room spotless. I was so grateful for the little things they did to make my stay more memorable!
When I got back home I implemented what I had learned from my stay. Spending more time on me which in turn helped my career as I was less stressed, able to be a more productive and better leader for my team. It’s moments like this I like to call a wake-up! And often we only realize how much we needed it after it happens!
If you want to experience the beauty and Hospitality of the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo check them out below:
Website - https://www.fourseasons.com/costarica/
