“The thing is, I’m scared. I’m scared of not being able to pull this off.  I’m scared of looking like a fool. I’m scared of contacting venues. I’m scared of having to cancel my retreat.”

Be honest, now. Does this sound like you?

Or how about this: “I’m scared of technology. I’m scared of writing blogs. I’m scared of doing webinars. I’m scared of making sales calls. I’m scared of public speaking. I’m scared of doing a hundred things I’ve never done before.”

Words like this are common from the students in our Retreat Blueprint Program. Truth is, though, they might come from anyone who’s planning a retreat. Maybe even you.

There’s no getting around it: Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned retreat planner, you’re going to run into fear. Whether it comes from a block or a setback or a sense of overwhelm, at some point, you’re going to feel like a deer in the headlights, asking, “What have I done? What have I gotten myself into?”

So just in case you’re sitting on the fence, shaking in your boots or, Goddess forbid, feeling a sudden urge to flee from your retreat dreams, here are a few tips to help get you get through the fear and back to the fun.

1. Welcome the Fear as a Good Sign

First of all, welcome the fear as a good sign. Take a deep breath – maybe a few deep breaths – and remind yourself that fear is only a sign that you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone.

And that’s a good thing! Because anytime you step out of your comfort zone, you step into your adventure zone!

Sure, it’s scary, but it’s also exciting! You’re in new territory. You’ve never been here before. Like the explorers of old, you’ve sailed beyond the borders of your familiar world, and sometimes it feels like you might fall off the edge of the earth.

But of course you won’t. Quite the opposite – you’ll explore new lands, make new discoveries, and come back with treasures unimagined!

So just hold that thought and look at this new land, whatever it is (technical, business, personal or otherwise), as ground that needs to be covered in order for you to get to your goal. Then continue on, one step at a time, into your adventure zone and beyond.

2. Ask yourself, “Is this what I really want to do?”

Once you’ve reframed the fear and calmed down a bit, take a moment to consult your all-wise, inner voice.

What voice, you ask? Why, the voice of the future you, of course! The one who’s been beckoning you from the very start. The one who sees the big picture and knows how it’s all going to turn out anyway. Ask her whether this is what you really want to do.

If you listen carefully, your wise inner voice will almost certainly remind you of all the wonderful reasons you decided to do retreats in the first place: How fantastic it will be to explore the world, inspiring, healing and helping others. How exciting it will be to immerse yourself and your tribe in the intrigue and excitement of foreign cultures.

And not least of all, what you’ll become in the process – how you and your business will grow and prosper and how you’ll thrive as never before, living the lifestyle of your dreams.

3. Reach Out and Ask for Help

Another thing that’s critical during a deer-in-the-headlights attack is to have the courage to ask for help. And it does take courage!

After all, you’re used to being the one who has it all together, right? You don’t want to look like a fool. You want to show people you’re strong and can handle anything. The fact is, it sometimes takes more courage to admit you need help than it does to stifle the fear and struggle on.

Just remember, anyone who’s ever done a retreat has gone through the same thing you’re going through. There are people out there who would jump at the chance to offer you support and guidance – to share their journey with you and cheer you on in a moment when you need it most.

There are also ways to educate yourself and get support – like through our Retreat Blueprint Program where we hold our retreat leaders by the hand and guide them step-by-step through the planning, pricing and marketing process.

So don’t deprive yourself or them of this golden opportunity to grow. Dial that number. Write that email. Make that contact. Take that course. Reach out and touch someone. Then let them touch you by helping to support you and your exciting retreat-in-the-making!

4. Pick one thing you can do right now, then DO IT!

Once you’ve cleared the cobwebs and gathered new energy and resolve (or even if you haven’t), make a list of all the things you need to do. If those things are already written on your calendar or to-do list, so much the better. If not, make that list, then pick one thing you can do right now – one simple action that will make you feel better and move you toward your goal.

Maybe it will be calling a potential client, maybe watching a Facebook tutorial, maybe writing an ad-funnel email, maybe hiring a virtual assistant or getting help with your logo design. Whatever it is, do it right away. That one action will help banish the fear and give you a sense of accomplishment. That’s all you need to fuel your next step.

5. Then pick another thing, and do that. Then . . .

At this point, there is really only one more thing you need to do, and that’s the next thing. Just stay in the moment, doing one thing at a time, and before long you’ll be home free.

If you haven’t done many retreats (or maybe even if you have), a lot of the actions you take are going to be outside your comfort zone (but inside your new adventure zone, remember?)

Sure, you’ll have to learn new things, but think of it as learning a new language. Every skill you master and every fear you face is going to make you more fluent and successful at filling your retreats, traveling the world and transforming lives – including your own!

Want In-Depth Training On How To Plan, Lead & Profit From International Retreats?

If you’re struggling to get your retreat up and running, check out our Retreat Blueprint Program. It will give you the edge in creating the kind of retreat that will have you standing-out and selling-out

So what do you get with the Retreat Blueprint Program?

• Access to one year of 26 LIVE coaching classes! (all recorded, just in case you miss one).
• Six course modules you can watch anytime (you have lifetime access to the online course modules).
• Transcripts for each video course module.
• Forever access to our Facebook group and community, where you can share ah-ha’s, resources, ideas, and revelations — AND get answers and feedback from our retreat coaches.
• All our CRAZY bonuses, proprietary forms & worksheets!
• As soon as you register, you can start the online course and work at your own pace.
• You can print out the video transcripts and worksheets if you’d prefer to work offline.
• And you’ll get our liability forms which you need to protect yourself when running retreats!

To your wanderlust life,
Brandt Morgan, Wordcrafter Extraordinaire & Retreat Strategist @ The Retreat Blueprint Program

During his 30-year career as a professional writer and editor, Brandt has written nine successful books plus hundreds of lively and informative articles for a wide range of publications.

In addition, as a spiritual teacher and Toltec Mentor trained by don Miguel Ruiz, he has designed, marketed and facilitated dozens of his own international retreats.