What do I really want out of life?

When I was in Costa Rica for the first retreat of 2022, I read an email from one of the few people I subscribe to and she said she spends every January mostly alone, holed up in her home office writing over and over about one thing: “What does she want out of life.” She freely writes about what she wants it to look like and feel like and then she gets very specific about what brings her joy and how she wants to spend the majority of her time.

As I read her email and her realizations, I made a mental note to do the same exercise. And then life happened and I’m being totally honest, it still felt a little to scary. I knew once I started writing some shit I was avoiding was going to come up and if I didn’t finally deal with it, I was going to continue to loathe myself. It’s hard disappointing yourself because you have no one else to blame.

So here it goes…

I want more joy and less “ugh, I have so much to do.” I want to stop feeling overwhelmed and enjoy working on these dream businesses that I’ve created. A past version of me would be thrilled I was living my dream of being self-employed, but lately, I don’t want to get out of bed because I’m dreading sitting at my computer for 10-12 hours to get caught up. And then when I do decide to not work, I usually veg-out on the couch with Netflix because I’m too exhausted to do anything else. I want more long hikes, time on the water (when it’s not frozen), SUP, boating, swimming, more bike rides, much more time with friends and much less time hunched over my computer.

And I want more time with just my husband during his busy season. More vulnerable conversations, time around the bonfire, in the hammock and on the boat. I want to make more time for connections and hobbies and not continue to punish myself with my to-do list. Going for a walk should feel like a privilege and a perk to creating my own schedule, not a tedious task that needs to completed (and normally rushed) to fulfill my obligation as a pet owner.

And as always, I want more travel. I want to explore beautiful places. I want to experience new cultures and cuisines. I want to watch the sunset and (sometimes) rise. And I want to figure out how to not be working when I travel. It’s hard when you’re always scouting for the retreats or creating travel guides, but I know I can figure it out.

So friend, now it’s your turn. What do you want out of your one life?

My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am retreat host, travel designer, and a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.

I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things.

My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.

Anna VanAgtmael | Retreat Host | Travel Designer