Clear the Way: How to Hand Life Off for a Weekend

By C Alexa | September 25, 2026
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By Jenny Warner
ETJ Retreat Leader *

Preparation & Mindset

This is for your own well-being: You need to take care of yourself. You need time to relax and rejuvenate. You don’t have to earn it — not by finishing every task first, not by making sure everyone else is fine first. You’re allowed to need this simply because you’re human.

Permission Granted: Give yourself permission for a change of scenery, disconnect from daily responsibilities, and make yourself a priority.

Covering the Bases Checklist
(So you can let go)

The responsibilities don’t disappear for a weekend — they just need a plan. Most women who hesitate aren’t actually worried about the logistics; they’re worried about the guilt of leaving.

So before your retreat, do this:

1. Take a vacation day from work.

  • Let your boss know you will be off-grid for the weekend.
  • Let your co-workers (spouse/partner/family members) know you really want this for yourself and would like their help covering anything essential that comes up.
  • It will all still be there Monday morning when you have a clear and fresh perspective.

2. Prep Meals Ahead of time for anyone left at home

  • If the people who will be left at home can’t/won’t cook, make a double batch of food in the week leading up to the retreat and freeze it.
  • List phone numbers and favorites of the kids on the fridge for favorite restaurants.
  • Prepping lets them know that you’re not running away and just leaving them to figure it out.

3. If you live alone but have pets:

  • If you live alone, this might mean lining up a pet sitter, a neighbor check-in, or a friend who’ll grab your mail.
  • If you don’t have a pet sitter, book them with a boarder now, not the week before the retreat.

4. Be specific about what you need:

  • Don’t leave it to guesswork. “Can you handle dinner Friday and Saturday, and take the dog out at 7?” leaves no room for misunderstanding.
  • Clarity isn’t you being demanding — it’s you making it easy for the people you love to actually show up for you the way you need.

5. Make it fun by giving them their own weekend too:

  • Tell whoever’s home that this is their time for personal space as well.
  • Movie marathon, junk food, slumber party in the living room, the hobby you never let them do because it’s “a waste of time”.
  • Give them permission to enjoy the weekend, not just survive it. That reframe turns your absence from a burden into a gift for all of you.

You’ve Cleared the Way — Now Get Excited About Your Retreat

Look at what you just did. You made a plan for the dinners, the dog, the “what if something comes up.” You told the people you love exactly what you need, and you gave them a weekend of their own to enjoy. That’s not selfish — that’s leadership. That’s what taking care of the people you love and taking care of yourself actually looks like at the same time.

There will never be a perfectly convenient weekend. There will always be one more thing that “needs” you first. The women who come to these retreats aren’t the ones with fewer responsibilities — they’re the ones who stopped waiting for permission or the “right time” to matter to themselves too.

The house will be fine. The dog or cat will be fine. Everyone will be fine.

And you will be better than fine when you return.

 
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