From Mexico, with Love pt. 1

Grab your comfort beverage, we've got some catching up to do

I am living my ancestors’ wildest dreams.

With a little over a two-week notice, I packed my bags and my never-been-used passport and traveled to Quimixto, Mexico for the Wake Wellness Retreat. This year’s theme is the “rebirth retreat.” While I don’t know if I’ll be reborn yet (let’s check back in at the end of the trip), I can definitely say something has awakened in me.

I am conquering deep-rooted levels of fear I didn’t know existed. I am ending generational cycles and limiting beliefs. I am stepping into the unknown and embracing it with open arms and an open heart. I am here not only for myself but for the women who came before me: my mother Ruth, my maternal grandmother Blanche, my paternal grandmother Willie Mae. I’m doing this for my ancestors and my future descendants. I pray that me opening the gate to international travel, solo traveling and conquering my fears results in the most liberated lineage I could ever imagine.

So, how did I get here?

Long story short - my friend Katie did photography for a Pilates studio that was looking for influencers and people to spread awareness about their programming. I did that for a few months and loved it. (Shout out to all the pilates girlies, because pilates is no joke!) That same Pilates studio owner went on to start Wake Wellness Retreat and invited me to experience the retreat as an influencer and to see if it’d be a good fit to have me as a workshop instructor at future retreats.

It was SUCH aligned timing because one of my goals was to travel outside of the U.S. before I turned 30 this year. My birthday is coming up on Christmas Eve, so I thought I’d have to figure something out myself, organize a trip, book an Airbnb, etc. But then I got a text inviting me to come to Mexico, which changed everything.

Where am I?

I am staying at the Mixto Villa in Quimixto, Mexico. It is right off the beach, near a jungle and a small village. The villa is engulfed by lush greenery and layers of trees as far as the eye can see. In the trees are every type of bird you can imagine, large iguanas and a few squirrels. (Seeing squirrels and alligator-sized iguanas hanging around in the same tree was quite bizarre for me as someone who lives in Louisiana and only gets to see squirrels and birds in trees. But I digress!) There’s an endless amount of free-roaming cats and dogs. The animals have been walking right up to me as if they know me. I’ve been calling them my kindred spirits because they ease right up with the calmest energies, appearing to just want to share space (and probably get a belly rub and some food).

What am I doing at the retreat?

I’ll probably do deeper dives with every digital diary entry. But in a nutshell, I am doing a ton of inner work. The retreat includes seven days of yoga, breathwork, physical activities and workshops around topics like ancestral healing, grief, rewiring negative beliefs, self-confidence, boundaries and soooo much more. It’s kind of hard to believe we’re covering this many big topics in one week. So far, in addition to yoga, kundalini and breathwork, we have done the grief and ancestral healing workshops. I felt so many emotions bubbling up to the surface after the grief session, especially after just losing my dad this July (more on that later.)

I am just grateful I committed to this experience and am brave enough to face my feelings head-on. So much has happened in my life within the last 4 years from thyroid cancer, topical steroid withdrawal, full body eczema and then losing my dad…there’s been a lot of heaviness and life changes. It’s refreshing to be in a space where I can tell myself “Hey, you’ve been through a lot. It’s totally normal for you to have trauma. It’s time to release it now. Let’s talk about it, find ways to heal and let it go.”

My intentions for my time here in Mexico

I want to be extremely present. I want to experience pure, undistracted joy. I want to disconnect from whatever roles I have established for myself and give myself the permission to create a whole new reality. I want to see myself in a new light and show myself how unlimited the possibilities truly are. I want to prioritize myself, my needs and my wants—unapologetically. I want to be brave, intentional and grounded. I want to return to my truest form of self, because I may have strayed away from her a bit this year. And that’s okay.

What I hope you receive as readers

I hope you, my very appreciated and valued reader, feel inspired by this blog and the ones to come. I hope this outpouring from my mind, heart and soul speaks to you and makes something within you light up. Whether you want to travel, go on a solo trip, leave the country, go on a retreat, start a blog, or create something—whatever it is, I hope you follow your heart. I am rooting for you, wherever you are. Just know, the world needs your gifts. However niche they are, the world needs your very special unique talents, creations and offerings. Please, continue showing up for yourself and pouring into whatever it is you love.

I love you. God loves you. And most importantly, I hope you love you.