Episode 685: 5 Mindset Shifts From Attending In-Person Retreats (Mindset & Self-Care)

EBT685 – 5 Mindset Shifts From Attending In-Person Retreats

Intro  00:01

Hey food bloggers. Thank you so much for joining me in this mindset and self-care focused episode here on Eat Blog Talk. One of the reasons I started a blog talk was to hold a space to talk about the importance of mindset and self-care. Being an entrepreneur can be a lot. If we are not taking care of ourselves, then getting actionable information about SEO Pinterest or whatever else is all moot. I will meet you back here every Wednesday to discuss various mindset and self-care topics. So you have the energy and space to tackle the rest.

[00:00:37]  Megan Porta

Food Bloggers hello. How is your week going? I hope you are doing fabulous this week. Welcome to this mindset and self care focused episode of Eat Blog Talk. Thanks for joining me. In today’s episode we’re going to talk about five mindset shifts from attending in person retreats. I am just coming out of an Eat Blog Talk retreat. Another successful one is in the books. It was seriously so much fun and I learned so much and we had the absolute best, best food and best time.

[00:01:05]   

 As I’m still feeling energized from the experience of it all, I thought it would be a good idea to put an episode together about the mindset benefits of hosting or attending an in person retreat. Obviously there are benefits that come out of attending a retreat such as learning, I don’t know a new SEO strategy or figuring out good AI prompts.

[00:01:30]   

 Oh my gosh, we figured out some really great AI prompts at this retreat or hearing about a VA you can hire those sorts of things. But the things we’ll discuss in this episode are more focused on the mindset benefits you walk away with. And these are all things that are like icing on the cake because most people don’t know they will walk away from the retreat with these new awesome lessons and mindset benefits.

[00:02:00]   

 Before I started hosting retreats, I knew they’d be awesome and powerful and all the good things, but the things I did not expect are the same things we are going to be talking about here today. I know it’s hard for a lot of people to wrap their heads around attending a retreat and there are a lot of different reasons for this.

[00:02:20]   

 The investment plus maybe some fears such as traveling, flying or being in close proximity with a bunch of people you don’t know, you’ve not met them before, or having to be on for a few days in a row. But I promise you, because retreat attendees tell me this all the time, it is 100% worth moving into and through your fears so you can get all the good juicy benefits from experiencing a retreat there’s so much more than we will even talk about in this episode.

[00:02:55]   

 Retreats really are so powerful. This is why they’re one of my favorite parts of my business. There are so many layers to retreats. When you attend one, you will walk away just peeling back all of those layers, exposing all the different and unexpected awesome things you got out of it. If it’s in your budget, give one a try.

[00:03:15]   

 I promise it will deliver everything you imagine, but plus some Take the time and invest the money to step away from your business and life for a few days. Just a few days to attend an in person retreat. With that said, let’s talk through five mindset shifts you will get from attending in person retreats. 

[00:02:16] Sponsor (Jem Mantiri) 

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[00:04:13]  Megan Porta 

Number one the power of in person connections we have all gotten really used to virtual networking, especially since the pandemic. But as in person retreats regain momentum, I believe they are more important than ever. I hear from retreat attendees all the time that they resisted attending for the longest time because it felt too hard, too inconvenient, or even unnecessary.

[00:04:42]   

 But once they finally took the leap and attended a retreat, they always say the same thing, why didn’t I do this sooner? Because truly you guys, nothing compares to the energy and the value of real life interactions. When you are in the same space as others who just truly understand the challenges and the victories of your journey, it creates this deep level of connection and understanding that is impossible to replicate.

[00:05:10]   

 Online retreats are not just about learning strategies. Yes, they do involve learning strategies, but it’s not just that there’s so much more than talking about your business and business growth. They also create a space where you can feel seen and heard and truly understood in a way that just reinvigorates your passion for everything you do.

[00:05:34]   

 Actually seeing others in action and brainstorming with them in real time and witnessing their drive and creativity will inspire you to think bigger. Oftentimes, it’s way bigger than you ever even imagined you would be thinking or dreaming for yourself. There’s also the magic of those unplanned, really organic conversations. Some of the biggest mindset breakthroughs don’t happen during our structured daytime sessions.

[00:06:04]   

 They actually happen in between. So over meals, or during a casual walk, or in a late night conversation where an unexpected aha moment suddenly clicks into place. If you have been on the fence about attending a retreat, this is your sign. It is so much more than just another business event. It is an opportunity to completely change your mindset, your energy, and your belief in what is possible for you.

[00:06:31]   

 Number two Changing the way we talk to ourselves. We all have those unhelpful little phrases we say or think about ourselves that feel harmless but actually shape our mindset and therefore our reality in powerful ways. You have probably caught yourself saying things like I’m not good at fill in the blank, I suck at SEO or whatever.

[00:06:57]   

 I will never be as successful as those bloggers and unfortunately, a list of other things that probably go through our heads regularly. These statements might feel like they’re facts in our heads, but they’re actually stories and lies that we have told ourselves over time, and they’re stories that hold us back. One of the most powerful things about being in a retreat setting is that you get called out on with these limiting beliefs in the best possible way.

[00:07:27]   

 When you are surrounded by supportive peers who see your potential, they do not let you get away with negative self talk. I have seen this happen over and over at literally every retreat I’ve hosted. Someone will say I’m terrible at selling. And immediately someone else chimes in with wait a second, didn’t you just tell us how you just sold a hundred ebooks last month?

[00:07:52]   

 Having other people reflect back the truth to us is an incredible mindset shift. It forces us to 1 become aware of the lies we’re telling ourselves and 2 rewrite those old limiting narratives lies and start seeing ourselves in a more capable, confident way. By the end of a retreat, you are no longer saying I’m not good at X.

[00:08:16]   

 Instead you can start asking yourself, how can I improve in this area? You’re much more aware of those words you’re using and thoughts you’re having. This is such a massive shift in the way you approach growth and success and in the way you talk to yourself. It’s so important to be aware of this.

[00:08:33]   

 You’ve heard me say this before so much your words matter. The way you talk about yourself literally shapes your actions, your confidence, and ultimately your results. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to help you see how and where you need to change the stories that you’ve been telling yourself. 

Number three, identifying blind spots that are holding you back. When you are working on your own day after day, like so many of us are, it is super easy to get stuck inside your head with your own perspective of yourself. You’re so deep in the weeds that you don’t always see what’s limiting you. We all have blind spots. They might be mindset blocks, limiting beliefs, or even just inefficient ways that we’re doing things.

[00:09:20]   

 And we don’t always recognize or even know to look for these things until someone else points them out. This is where in person retreats can be so powerful. When you are surrounded by smart, ambitious people who are looking at your business and your mindset with fresh eyes, they see things that you don’t see about you.

[00:09:40]   

 Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that a certain strategy just doesn’t work for you, but someone else can see that you’re just approaching it from the wrong angle. Or maybe you believe that you’re not ready to take a big leap, when in reality, you’ve been ready for months and everyone else can see it but you.

[00:09:56]   

 Retreats create that safe space to have these really important, honest conversations and to get constructive feedback. Sometimes it just takes one person asking the right question, why aren’t you charging more for this? Or have you considered doing it this way? This can completely change how you think about your business and your potential.

[00:10:17]   

 One of the biggest mindset breakthroughs people have at retreats is realizing that they have been the only thing standing in their own way. And once you identify what’s been holding you back, you can actually do something about it. 

Number four, the confidence boost that comes from external validation. Sometimes I feel like we are so close to our own work that we don’t recognize what we’re doing really well.  

 We focus on what’s not working, what needs improvement, and where we’re falling short. So we rarely stop to acknowledge our strengths and successes. This is why in person, retreats can be such a huge confidence booster. When you share your ideas and your strategies, or even just something simple like what your daily workflow is like, or what tool you use to do keyword research or combination of tools, you start to realize that what seems normal or easy to you might actually be your superpower and not normal or easy for others.

[00:11:15]   

 I’ve seen this happen so many times. A retreat member just casually shares a system they have or a tool they use, and the entire group reacts with, wait, show me that again. That’s amazing. In that moment, the person who shared realizes that they just shared a gem with everyone. When you are surrounded by smart, driven people who recognize your strengths and reflect them back to you, it shifts your mindset completely.

[00:11:41]   

 You can begin owning your expertise finally, and believing that you actually know what you’re doing and that you’re really good at it. This confidence boost doesn’t just feel good, it also changes how you show up in your business. It helps you start charging what you’re worth, sharing your expertise more boldly, and pursuing opportunities that might have felt impossible before the retreat.

[00:12:04]   

 If you have ever doubted yourself or questioned whether you’re doing enough, an in person retreat might be just what you need to see yourself through the eyes of others and realize how capable and awesome you are. 

Number five the Energy Shift that Comes From Stepping Away when we are constantly in the day to day grind of running our businesses, it’s so easy to get caught up in tasks and to do lists.  

 Oh my gosh, I feel this every single week. If we are always focused on the next thing, it can be hard to take a step back and ask am I even moving in the right direction? This is why stepping away from your normal routine, especially in a retreat setting, is extremely powerful. Removing yourself from your normal environment gives your mind the space it needs to slow down, reset, and just think a little bit differently.

[00:12:57]   

 When we’re at home, we are often in reaction mode and go go go mode where we’re responding to emails, keeping up with social media, keeping an eye on our to do list very closely, working through deadlines, and on and on and on. But being in a retreat allows you to step into a different kind of mode.

[00:13:16]   

 Instead of just do do do, you can start dreaming. You think bigger. You allow yourself to reconnect with your why. There’s also an energy shift that happens when you are surrounded by like minded ambitious people who are also thinking bigger. It is so contagious. The ideas, the inspiration, the breakthroughs, the those things happen naturally at retreats because you’re finally giving yourself permission to step outside of the everyday routine and tap into what is truly possible in your business and in your life.

[00:13:54]   

 So when you return back home, you don’t just go back to business as usual. Hopefully you come back refreshed, recalibrated and ready to take action and tackle anything. You can re enter your business with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose that makes taking action even easier. If you feel stuck, overwhelmed or uninspired, here’s your reminder.

[00:14:19]   

 Sometimes the best way to move forward is to step away. And what better way to do that than by attending a retreat. There are a few Eat Blog Talk retreats coming up. No pressure. If you want to go to another one, I will not be offended or create your own. I just want you all to to be going to quality retreats.

[00:14:41]   

 There is a day retreat I’m hosting for one day, no overnights in Minneapolis this summer on July 9th. If you’re interested in that one, just send me an email at [email protected] and let me know you’re interested in coming. And the fall retreat which is multiple night overnight retreat here in Minneapolis happening October 9th through 12th, 2025 including Chef Ryan and all his awesome food including and all the other goodness involved in a multiple day retreat.

[00:15:12]   

 You can go to eatblogtalk.com/retreat to get more information about that. Okay, let’s do a quick recap of the five biggest mindset takeaways from attending in person retreats. 1. The power of those in person connections 2. Changing the way we talk to ourselves 3. Identifying blind spots 4. The confidence boost you get from others 5. The energy shift from stepping away. I know, I get it that attending a retreat is not always possible, but I really encourage you to find a way to step away and connect with others in this way. Whether it’s a small meetup for a couple of hours in your city, a mastermind group, and if you’ve attended a retreat before, I’d love to hear from you.

[00:15:58]   

 What was the biggest mindset shift you experienced? Maybe it’s completely different from anything I’ve mentioned here. At the end of the day, growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones, right? We all know this, so host your own. Attend one this year. You can shift your mindset, open yourself up to new perspectives and this will lead to big results in your business.

[00:16:20]   

 I just know it. Take that leap and see what happens. You’ve got this. Thank you for joining me today. I will see you again next week. 

Outro 

Thank you so much for listening to this mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk. If you are a food blogger providing a service for other food bloggers, and you want to spread the word about the value that you offer. I would love to offer you a free way to do just this. Send me a 60 second audio clip to be featured in a mindset and self-care episode here on Eat Blog Talk. Go to eatblogtalk.com/audioclip to learn more.