By: Karen G. Hatcher, CPM®
“Being partners in life means not only sharing love and laughter but also facing obstacles and challenges together with courage and determination.”
Mike and I recently embarked on a weekend getaway, allowing us to connect and share our personal goals in an intimate setting.. We took this break to plan our next three years as a couple, including family, our businesses and how we can support each other to achieve our shared dreams. We enjoyed each other’s company, swimming, a hike, and delicious food and finished with a shared plan for the future.
Setting aside time for meaningful conversations and goal-setting sessions has made a world of difference in our relationship. It’s crucial to ensure you are both on the same page – you have shared dreams and a path to Sovereignty. If you have not done this with your partner, you must!
We had the usual premarital conversations and shared goals when we were dating, but we never had a formal sit-down with in-depth questions until our recent couples retreat.
Sure, we do business and invest in real estate together, so we’ve had many financial meetings over the years. We’ve also had deep discussions about when we wanted to have children, our big education goals, and other major decisions. But this time, it was different.
We are at a point in our relationship where both our businesses/careers are entering a new phase; time requirements are growing more robust, and our youngest children (twins) are just starting their formal education (at the time of this post, on their way to first grade in the Fall). We felt this internal pulling for us to get more on the same page (for real – this comes from this knowledge of self and pursuit of intimate balance that I spoke about in my previous blog).
Our relationship continues to flourish with every milestone achieved together, whether it’s growing our businesses or expanding our family. When changes occur and create an imbalance, it’s important to reset to get on the same page and maintain equilibrium.
For example, major achievements, success in business, getting a degree or advanced degree, having a baby, getting a huge promotion, all changes like these ultimately change you because you are naturally growing.
If one of you is growing and the other is not, then you are not growing together. This is especially true for success-driven couples like us. We must consistently check in with each other and share our new goals and visions so that we can stay united.
Here’s what we did:
- Find a remote location that is away from the hustle and bustle. We chose a boutique resort in the countryside that offered a wonderful mix of upgraded amenities and nature. The quiet relaxation, wine and beautiful views are a great way to transport you to open up and share thoughts.
- Make it two nights. We made it two full days with one night, but if we could change one thing, it would be that we would have made it three full days and two nights. This gives you time to sleep on the discussions from the first day, then sleep on the final decisions & goals from the second day.
- Arrange care for your children. We love to travel with our kids, but it’s important to travel as a couple, and this planning trip is solely focused on the two of you.
- Pack light – Plan on little to no travel. Make dining and activities easy by choosing a resort with amenities, great food, and walking trails. But, I did not skimp on cute & sexy attire😉.
- Make an Agenda. Plan out your day with what you both want to accomplish. Subscribe to my blog to get notified when I share my agenda with you in a later article. I don’t want you to have to reinvent the wheel; it’s plug-and-play and offers suggestions to customize it for what matters most to you and your partner.
Being partners in life means not only sharing love and laughter but also facing obstacles and challenges together with courage and determination. This time you are carving out to deep dive into your future with your partner is probably the best use of your time you will have made together ever. Your partner is your tribe. Probably your closest tribe, so take it seriously, open up, be honest, and use this opportunity to really let each other in.
You will leave this retreat with something real but magical simultaneously—tangible steps to achieve the impossible and true happiness together.
I can’t wait to hear about the couples retreat you plan for you and your partner! Please tag me when you do. As always, thanks for reading!
Xoxo, 💖 Karen