For the past two years, I took a solo trip to Miraval Wellness Spa and Resort in Tucson, Arizona. It’s such a special place, and it’s where the seed for the upcoming Single Mom Wellness Retreat was planted.
Miraval Wellness Spa and Resort
At Miraval, I align my chakras during crystal bowl sound baths, spend time with God during floating meditation sessions, hike and bike through the mountainside, release stress at the spa, and rediscover my purpose walking the labyrinths. I became a beekeeper for the day and a wine connoisseur at a tasting at night. I leave feeling renewed and recharged, remembering to practice self-love and always to extend grace and gratitude. But I also leave saddened that all single mothers cannot experience such calm and contentment. A chance to reset and rejuvenate, even if only for one week. Something I desperately needed when I became a single mother.
It was a trip that I never imagined taking. Five years ago, when I founded Single Mom Defined, my bank account was in the red, and I stretched myself beyond capacity, often anxious or exhausted. Twelve years ago, when I became pregnant, I moved in with my sister and her family. I wasn’t working and spent countless hours battling my ex in child support and custody court. A wellness retreat was the last thing on my wish list. It was unheard of, actually.
Making My Home And Heart My Wellness Space
But one day, God pointed out that I was unbalanced. I was the living, breathing example of the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” I forgot that I was not just a mom but also a woman. I had to find ways to pour back into myself to strike a balance between work, motherhood, and social life. Before booking a wellness retreat, I learned how to create a happy place right in my home. I downloaded free meditation apps, took yoga classes on YouTube, and created sleep rituals by limiting screen time before bedtime, spraying a lavender linen spray, and listening to the sound of the sea on my phone.
I also made more of an effort to spend time with friends without our children in tow. We planned both family activities and girls’ nights out. I became less stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. I also dusted off my journals and wrote affirmations, reminding myself of who I was in God’s eyes.
Single Mom Wellness Retreat 2023
I invite other moms to join me on the journey of self-care and self-love. That’s why Single Mom Defined is teaming up with Allegheny Health Network’s First Steps & Beyond (FSB) to host a Single Mom Wellness Retreat. It’s a way to bring back some of what I learned in Tucson to Pittsburgh. Hear from soulful speakers. Participate in a kintsugi-inspired activity. And reflect during a walking meditation. You’ll also learn more about FSB, a Pittsburgh area collaborative working to reduce Black infant deaths and racial disparities.
Click here to register! Space is limited.
