Thanks to PUMA, I was invited to their 2017 retreat just north of Sydney. Along with some PUMA staff, competition winners, some stockists and some other PUMA athletes and ambassadors, we all flew into Sydney and then boarded a bus for what was about to be, one of the greatest 48hour excursions of my life.
Life has been a little hectic lately. Living in LA feels like you are running on a treadmill at times and although you are putting in 110% it can feel like you aren’t getting or seeing results right away. There is this terrifying feeling that lingers that makes it seem like if you step away even for a few days that you might miss those great opportunities that you have been waiting for. I heard a quote from Amy Poller recently “Treat your career like a bad boyfriend. Here’s the thing. Your career won’t take care of you. It won’t call you back or introduce you to its parents.Your career will openly flirt with other people while you are around. It will forget you birthday and wreck your car. Your career will blow you off if you call it too much. It’s never going to leave its wife.Your career is fucking other people and everyone knows but you. Your career will never marry you. (…) If your career is a bad boyfriend, it is healthy to remember you can always leave and go sleep with somebody else”
So with that in mind, I jumped on a plane to New Zealand, then another plane to Australia and took a bit of a break with the PUMA team.
The 5 things I learnt from the Puma retreat at Golden Door Retreat in Hunter Valley
Being uncomfortable is a good thing
I live in the uncomfortable and constantly challenge myself in my career and art to be exactly that, uncomfortable, in fact I have learnt to crave it. For example, I take stand up lessons because it terrifies me. It wasn’t till I joined everyone on the bus to the PUMA retreat that I realised that everyone brought a friend or co-worker. The uncomfortable part for me wasn’t that I would have to make friends, it was actually to enjoy the challenge of having my ‘own’ time and to feel comfortable being alone. I live with two of my best friends in LA and I am very very rarely alone in a room, so this was going to be an exciting challenge for me, mainly because we were also not supposed to be using our phones. Which I quickly came to realise that I reach for my phone almost always when I am alone or waiting for something or someone… Challenge accepted.
Over all, sitting and being still was a bit of a challenge but it was good for me to process a few things and get some clarity on certain relationships or challenges and really think about how I was feeling. It was nice to try to give my brain a bit of a break. I often get an overwhelming sense of guilt when I am not giving 110% to an activity or task. They kept telling us while we were on the retreat, ‘remember, there is no where else you need to be, just be right here’ which was a comforting feeling for sure.
I don’t need coffee or sugar
Well, that is not entirely true. I did have one weak moment where I went and got a coffee. But it was more of a social trip, or so I kept telling myself. I am hugely dependable on the hit from caffeine or sugar in my day and I was worried I would be a zombie without either of them for a few days. Funnily enough I actually felt better than I usually do. This could be a result of the environment but most likely due to the well thought out menu the team had individually prepared for each of us and our personal needs. I have a horrible diet normally, I am not a great cook and often reach for delicious junk food over anything that would actually provide me with nourishment. This was actually a really good re-set for me and reminder to be more mindful of what I put in my body.
Being outdoors is the best way to re-set
For me, nothing beats being outdoors and in nature. Every day there were multiple activities we could take part in. I opted to do the 12km hike on day one and although I ruined a new pair of shoes because of the mud, I think this was the best thing I could have done. Living in the city in LA I forget how nice and quiet it is elsewhere. The older I get the more I can appreciate how accessible that quite and that beauty is to us in NZ or Australia that you just can’t really get in LA.
Pampering is always a good idea
I am not usually one to go and get a massage or spend money on pampering. I actually enjoy doing anything like that myself but, I thought I should make the most of the incredible spa facility the retreat had and booked myself in to get my lashes tinted (no more mascara for me) and a back massage. When you are on a budget or trying to save, things like this always seem like silly luxuries but I will say, If you are feeling stressed or you can’t seem to quiet your brain, laying for an hour and hearing tranquil music while you get a nice massage is pretty freaking amazing. I had a bath and went to sleep almost immediately afterwards and had what may have been one of the best sleeps I have had in a very long time!
Try it!
This is something I am working on when it comes to expanding my palate with different foods but also something I have been working on with health and beauty fads too. Not in a diet sense more in a ‘drinking lemon water before you eat anything in the morning’, or ‘having a wheatgrass shot or a straight ginger shot because.. Well health’ I guess. The latest one for me on the retreat was charcoal toothpaste. I had seen it pop up on facebook a lot and even my dentist told me he would be surprised if it did anything but that wasn’t enough to stop me from giving it a go. I will warn you, the toothpaste is more of a straight charcoal powder and we were all given this mystery power when we arrived at the retreat. It had many uses such as a facemask, a wash or you can dip your wet toothbrush in the packet and essentially turn your entire mouth black… I was convinced it worked but probably because one moment your mouth looks like that of a pirates, and the next you have white(ish) teeth again! If nothing else it’s kind of fun and scary haha
6 of my fave PUMA Outfits
PUMA Culture Surf Crop
PUMA Yogini Live Bra
PUMA Clash Tight
PUMA Swan Cape
PUMA Footie Unisex Socks
PUMA Archive Logo Tee
PUMA Archive Logo T7 Leggings
PUMA Clyde Natural Sneakers
PUMA Clash Tight
PUMA Swan Cape
PUMA Fierce Strap
PUMA Culture Surf Crop
PUMA Core-Run Short Tight
B.O.G. Limitless Hi Animal
PUMA Style Rebel Crew Sweat
PUMA Core-Run Short Tight
B.O.G. Limitless Hi Animal
I loved my time away with PUMA and treating Hollywood like the bad boyfriend it is haha. This little getaway was exactly what I needed! Their motto at GoldenDoor is “a place for you to take time to reset your mind and body and gain a wealth of knowledge to create a healthier, happier and more motivated you.” and that is exactly what it was! I have been a PUMA ambassador since 2010 and I am so appreciative of their continued support in all I do. This retreat was the perfect getaway for everyone who took part. We all made some new friends, learnt a lot about taking care of our body, mind and spirit and had a lot of fun in the process!
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