Follow the Pull
A life update, a dream realized, and an invitation to come home to yourself
Hi friends,
I’m writing to share several life updates and some reflections on the power of pause and following the pulls in life —especially when it comes to investing in ourselves and taking those leaps of faith.
I’ve moved!
At the beginning of May, we moved from Carlsbad, CA to Port Angeles, WA. For several years, I’ve felt a yearning to find a place that could feel like home on deeper levels. I’ve been craving closer access to nature (trees and green in particular), smaller-town living, and a place to settle and put down roots.
Many people have asked how we chose Port Angeles or why we moved. There are a lot of ways to answer that, but the simplest, truest answer is: it felt right. I felt a pull, and I trusted it. In many ways, this move was a leap of faith.
And like all leaps of faith, it’s been a journey—one that’s required me to cultivate a steadiness of spirit and a deeper trust in the mystery of the unknown.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the month I took for myself in Costa Rica earlier this year (remember my raccoon story??) created a foundation for this huge inner and outer shift. That time away gave me the space to listen more deeply, and to hear what was ready to come through.
I’m hosting a retreat!
This has been a long-held dream of mine—because I believe so deeply in the unique kind of transformation that happens on retreats.
There’s something profound that occurs when we intentionally step away from the daily routines and roles we inhabit. When we pause and create space, we’re able to tune in, hear our own voice more clearly, and receive the clarity or next step that’s been waiting for us just under the surface.
Of course, weekly therapy or daily practices are incredibly valuable. But there’s a certain kind of shift—a cellular remembering, a clarity from the inside out—that happens when we immerse ourselves in an intentional container for several days at a time.
I also want to acknowledge the privilege that retreats represent. Not everyone can take time off work, travel, or make the financial investment. And at the same time, I know that many can, but don’t—because fear, guilt, or self-doubt gets in the way.
That was me, too.
The first retreat I ever attended was a yoga retreat in South Africa in 2016. I barely knew the instructor, but something about her announcement at the end of class sparked something in me—a longing to rest, to explore, to play, to meet myself in a space where I didn’t have to do anything. A desire to just be.
At the time, I was working in corporate consulting, burnt out and living in survival mode, trying to perform perfectly at a job I hated. I knew something had to change, but I didn’t know how to get unstuck.
With that spark of desire came soooo much resistance and fear:
“Can I really take time off?”
“You’re going to spend that much money on yourself?”
“Why don’t you just go visit family like a normal person?”
But I also heard another voice—quiet, but steady. One that said:
“I care about you. I’m here for you. I believe in you. You are worth investing in.”
And so I leapt.
Since then, I’ve invested in four retreats over the past nine years, and I can say without a doubt that each one gifted me the space, perspective, and tools to move forward in my life with more clarity and heart.
Now, as I plan to step into the role of retreat facilitator for Soul Return, I notice the same voices of resistance arise:
“No one will come...”
“You’re not ready...”
“Who are you to offer a retreat while there is genocide and injustice in the world?”
But alongside those voices is a deeper current of love. A knowing and trusting that rest and healing are not frivolous—they are essential. They are the very things that allow us to meet the world with more courage, presence, and heart.
Retreats are a portal.
They invite us into a sacred pause.
They allow us to taste and embody change.
They give us space to come home to ourselves.
To rest. To be cared for. To gather up our energy so we can steward it wisely when we return.
And so, I want to tell you about Soul Return.
Soul Return is a 3-night, 4-day all inclusive retreat in Bass Lake, CA—happening July 23–26, 2025.
This offering isn’t about escaping your life—it’s about coming home to yourself within it. Soul Return is for those who feel the pull… even if there’s resistance alongside it. It’s for those standing at a threshold, craving space to listen to what’s next. It’s for those longing to be held by nature, by community, and by their own inner knowing.
We'll be weaving together mindfulness practices to bring you back to presence, somatics and embodied movement to connect you to your body, and nature connection play & ritual to ground you with earth.
This retreat isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about returning to what’s already whole within you—and having space held for that return in a grounded and nourishing way.
If something in you feels curious, I’d love to connect. There’s no pressure, just an open-hearted invitation.
You can reply directly to this email and we’ll explore together whether this is a good fit for where you are at right now.
With love and gratitude,
Kristin
PS - I feel strongly that financials should not be a barrier to you attending Soul Return. We have a small number of partial scholarships available to significantly lower the cost of this retreat for you. Just email me back to inquire and apply!