What Happens When You Say Yes to Yourself

testimonials

Mar 3

Written By Team Cube

Rachel’s Winter Retreat Story

“I learned that I could do scary things, as long as I wasn’t doing them alone.”

Content note: This story includes personal reflections on mental health and healing.

Three women smiling and enjoying the winter retreat organized by AdventurUs.

I first found AdventurUs through a text from a friend who knew I was stuck in a deep rut. When I opened the link to a Winter Retreat, I felt that familiar pull of “I would love to do that,” followed immediately by the response I had perfected over time: “but I can’t.”

I kept the tab open. First for a day. Then a week. Then a month. Each time I picked up my phone, it reminded me of something I wanted but felt unable to reach. Eventually, with more than a little encouragement from my therapist, I finally asked myself why.

Life has taught me how to survive, not how to thrive. In my case, a traumatic experience had changed everything. Like many women, I had learned to keep going no matter what, taking care of responsibilities, people, and expectations while quietly setting aside the parts of myself that wanted more.

Somewhere along the way, I had absorbed the idea that being “good” meant being selfless. What I slowly began to understand was that being brave, authentic, and whole requires the opposite. It requires trying new things, being willing to be uncomfortable, and investing in experiences that bring you closer to the person you want to become.

My only goal for the retreat was to show up. I told myself I would make it through one day, meet a few new women, and try something that scared me. Even if I left early. Even if I felt awkward. Even if it didn’t go perfectly.

One minute before the retreat began, I walked into the cabin and found myself surrounded by women who felt warm, welcoming, and real. At that moment, I knew it would still be scary, but I also knew I didn’t have to do it alone.

A group of women posing for a picture at a winter retreat organized by AdventurUs.

Over the weekend, I learned what it meant to be supported without being pushed. When a panic attack hit, I was able to ask for the space I needed. I adjusted my schedule without judgment or explanation. I skipped part of a morning activity so I could come back grounded and ready to enjoy the rest of the experience.

The next day, after initially saying “absolutely not,” I found myself being the first person to step into an icy cold plunge at Suttle Lake. Sitting there, focused on my breath, I felt something shift. The courage it took to show up for the weekend was the same courage that carried me through that moment. I realized I was capable of more than I had allowed myself to believe.

What made this experience different was not the activities themselves, but the environment. I was never questioned for needing rest. I was never made to feel behind. I was encouraged to listen to myself and supported every step of the way.

Rachel taking a cold water plunge during the winter retreat organized by AdventurUs at Bend.

This experience reminded me that fear doesn’t disappear. It becomes manageable when you are surrounded by women who believe in you. In choosing to show up, to be vulnerable, and to try without knowing the outcome, I came closer to the woman I had always hoped to be.

Before you say no to something that calls to you, I encourage you to pause and ask why. Are you afraid of failing, or are you afraid of discovering what might actually make you feel alive?

For me, saying yes was the beginning of something I didn’t know I was ready for, but deeply needed.

Trip Details

Winter Retreat
Bend, Oregon
Joined Solo

About AdventurUs

AdventurUs is a women-led adventure travel company creating thoughtfully guided experiences that meet women where they are, emotionally and physically.

Explore upcoming retreats designed to support you, challenge you gently, and help you say yes to yourself.