This is the question that I was always asked after talking about my company, AnamBliss, to others. The plan has been to lead pop up retreats around the world, to take my retreat programming experience, expertise in wellness, outdoor skills, and love of travel on the road, and to be a tour company with a healthy twist. My customers were those who want to explore, but also want to feel better doing it.
After all, wellness tourism is on the rise with a 9-11% growth every year. Every yoga teacher is offering a retreat, why can’t I get a piece of the pie? The name of the company says it all, Anam means soul in Gaelic and try not to say bliss with a bit of longing and joy.
But it wasn’t the answer they wanted and I didn’t really have a better one.
To be honest, I was also feeling lost. Starting my company, meant that I was sitting at a computer more than moving. Since a lot of my exercise had always revolved around work, I found it hard to be self-motivated to go out when it felt like everything I had to do was pressing. Feeling fat and out of shape, isn’t a great way for a fitness professional to feel. People that I thought were potential clients, seemed to be ignoring my emails. I also had to put myself out there more with networking, videos, and even writing, when I prefer being more behind the scenes and being private.
Honestly, it was as if I was running on a treadmill. I was working to get somewhere, but not really feeling as if anything I was doing was actually productive. All together, I have been wondering if I could even get the company going. Something was off and I knew it.
This led me to spending the last two years quietly pondering. I needed to dig deeper into myself for recovery and healing. And it’s been a long process.
Recently, a few events have hit home and helped me to shift to what I feel is the conclusion I needed for this current state to begin a new chapter. What I realized is that I want to shift the way we think about wellness and self-care. Our current practices only scratch the surface, but there are underlying problems that need awareness. Then we can truly find our soul’s bliss.
Now I feel like a hibernating pupa, sheltered by choice, just waiting for my thoughts to come together and for me to emerge fired up and ready to go. That is why I titled the series, The Cocoon.
How fitting that it arises toward the end of the year?
This is my Eat, Pray, Love story. It is series that is part of a conversation that I want to have with the world.
Let’s continue the conversation in Part 1: The Candle Flickers: Work Burnout.
Kate Hamm combines her 15+ years of experience in the fitness industry and high-end resort program development into sought after wellness adventures at AnamBliss. Visit www.anambliss.com for future retreat dates and locations.