There’s nothing quite like going on vacation to pull you out of your daily routines, expose you to new experiences, and maybe challenge you with a little discomfort (heat near the equator, anyone?!). Travel has a way of inviting us out of our heads and back into our bodies—into the moment, into presence.
I just returned from a week in Costa Rica with my boyfriend, my daughter and her friend, and we visited dear friends from Vermont—Abbe and Jerry—who own a lovely home in Platanillo, about fifteen minutes inland from Dominical on the Pacific southwest coast. (If you’re curious, check out their Airbnb listing! I highly recommend!)
More than a dozen friends have traveled to Costa Rica over the years, but I didn’t truly understand the appeal until I arrived.
Costa Rica is a feast for the senses.
When we landed in San José, we boarded a small 12-passenger puddle jumper to Quepos. The aerial views of mountains, winding rivers, and palm plantations were absolutely gobsmacking.
When we arrived at Abbe and Jerry’s home, we were immediately met by the nonstop buzzing of cicadas—loud, insistent, and impossible to ignore. The sound never fully went away all week; it simply shifted with the light—deafening during the day, softer in the evenings. It was nature’s reminder: you are here now.
On our first morning, Jerry made the most delicious smoothies from local fruits, many of which I had never heard of. My favorite was the beriba, which tastes like vanilla custard. YUM!
And then there was the heat. Even knowing we were traveling far south, I hadn’t quite grasped how close to the equator we’d be. It felt like summertime in Houston—which, if you’ve been there, you know is… intense. The unexpected gift? Daily rest at midday. Reading quietly. Napping in the shade. I could absolutely get used to regular siestas.
Everything about the experience felt vivid and alive: outdoor markets, pristine sandy beaches with hardly any rocks or shells, colorful artwork, and the fluid way Costa Ricans move between Spanish and English (and often other languages, too).
But my favorite part of all was the sheer glory of the natural world.
Yellow-beaked toucans and bright red macaws flew through the backyard as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Every evening at sunset, hundreds of white egrets roosted in the trees by the pond in front of the house. Riley’s friend Finn counted 64 distinct bird species during the week using his bird-tracking app.
On a boat tour through the mangroves, we saw three types of monkeys—squirrel monkeys, white-faced monkeys, and howler monkeys—along with more herons, egrets, and owls than I could possibly name.
What I love most about trips like this is how they invite us to truly connect. Phone use dropped off naturally. There was no television anywhere. I left my computer at home. We shared family dinners every night, taking turns cooking and cleaning up. We talked about the land and culture of Costa Rica, about politics in the U.S., and about our friends and families. Presence wasn’t something we had to strive for—it simply happened.
Here are my two favorite photos from the entire trip. In one, Riley’s laughing and running on the beach, chasing a sandpiper—pure, embodied joy. In the other, she’s parting the curtains as the sun sets, as if asking, “What’s out there, world?”
Both images capture what it feels like to be fully alive. That’s how I felt for an entire week!
And that’s the experience I keep coming back to—the gift of stepping outside ordinary time, engaging all of your senses, and remembering what it feels like to simply be.
If you’re longing for that kind of presence—time away from the noise, space to reconnect with yourself, and get immersed in nature—I’d love to invite you to join me for the Gather & Ground Retreat, April 23–26, in Western North Carolina (just south of Asheville) at Kanuga Conference Center.
Sadly, there are no monkeys or macaws at Kanuga (sorry!) but there ARE magical hiking trails, a labyrinth, big stone fireplaces, a gorgeous lake and stunning pine trees. The property itself is very magical and you feel like you’re stepping through a portal into another world when you are there.
Co-facilitated by me and yoga instructor and retreat leader Aimee Bostwick, this retreat is designed to help you step out of the chaos of daily life and gently come home to yourself—through grounding practices, time in nature, meaningful connection, and spaciousness to breathe.
Learn more about Gather & Ground
And if you have questions or want to feel into whether this retreat is right for you, please don’t hesitate to email me. I’d love to connect.
Kanuga is a truly beautiful retreat space—and I would love to support you in coming home to yourself in these chaotic times.