At the end of February, after spending nearly a month with family in Malaysia, I headed to a solo retreat in Bangkok – something I’d been wanting to do since the start of the year. My goal was simple: to bask in solitude, reflect on the year gone by, and chart my course for 2024.
When I shared my plans with my mom, she said, people go to the mountain in nature for retreats, why do you go to Bangkok? To which I replied, nobody is cooking or bringing me food in the mountains!
Another thing about this retreat is that I wanted to go somewhere convenient. From my hometown, it’s a 2.5-hour direct flight to Bangkok. In Bangkok, the city offers plenty of convenience, especially Grab Food. I can order pretty much anything I want to eat at any time delivered to my hotel.
Talking about hotel, I stayed at THA City Loft, a place I had stayed before and adored. It’s situated in the Ekkamai area, next to a 24-hour Starbucks. Central World is a 10-minute drive. The room itself is cozy, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.
My retreat was about spending quality time with myself. I established a morning routine that included meditation, yoga, reading, writing, and drawing mandalas. Starting my day with this routine put me in the right frame of mind to make the most of my time.
The day after I arrived, I walked to a flower shop nearby and was eager to treat myself to something special. I browsed through their catalog and discussed my preferences with the shop lady. She customized a bouquet for me that I absolutely loved. I brought this bouquet back to my hotel and it instantly added an extra touch of coziness to my space and elevated the vibe of my retreat.
I treated myself like it was my birthday week. Shopping for new clothes, shoes, bag, gifts for friends, indulging in the food I love – especially my favorite sushi and sashimi, trying a face massage for the first time (which became my favorite type of massage), and enjoying a manicure that made me feel so pretty.
I am so grateful that I could afford to pamper myself for a week.
(Cue Miley Cyrus’s song – Flowers) I don’t have to wait for somebody else to treat me nicely. Me myself can do that and do it well. The feeling of being taken good care of by myself is empowering, it’s sweet, it’s something I love doing and appreciate.
Other than the enjoyment of the modern world, the other main purpose was to reflect and plan. Using the Year Compass format, I revisited the events of 2023, reflecting on accomplishments and challenges, and setting intentions for 2024. These exercises helped me navigate through the past year while focusing on my vision for the year ahead.
After 6 days of rejuvenation, I packed up my suitcase again and headed to the next country to meet up with my sister, niece and nephew. A trip that I’ve been looking forward to doing!