Inspired - Hopeful - Vibrant - 2nd Edition

My reservation had been held at St. George's Caye Resort in Belize since March 2020 and this seemed like the perfect place to unravel the tightly wound tension spring before it broke on its own. Realizing there would never be a perfect moment to re-emerge into travel, I started the process of re-booking my trip in late February 2021. I have gone through a couple of passports in my lifetime, but for the first time in my adult life, I was nervous to travel. Things in the world are different and new rules were in place. Despite the chatter of how, if, when, and what questions kept the uncertainty party going in my brain, I chose to let the power of imagination and dreaming forward lead the way. What kept me motivated while navigating the uncertainties of traveling in 2021 was staying focused on the end result. I could see myself totally refreshed, relaxed, and more importantly, a better human after slipping away to the ocean, sand, sunshine, delicious fresh food (Belizean rice and beans), no Wi-Fi, good human connection, adventure, and Mayan Ruins.

 The steps for travel to Belize were clearly laid out by the resort along with information from the Belize Tourism website. Of course, St. George's is already a Gold Standard Hotel and meets all the criteria for transportation, tour guiding, and safety protocols. From pre-departure arrangements with Oliver and Jahnene to Cordell taking us to the Health Clinic for the COVID test before leaving Belize, their staff made a return to travel well worth the wait. This in turn beautifully set the stage for a relaxing, nourishing, invigorating, easy, heart-swelling, and fear mode busting experience.

This island is private, quaint, and calm which gives plenty of space for personal reflection, family connection, or visiting with other guests and staff. And there are so many options to play as well. With a menu that is pre-planned, it took the stress out of wondering what time, what to choose and where to go for each meal. Somehow, each time we sat down at our private table for four, not only was the food delicious, but they also met every one of our food requests without having to remind them. For people with diet accommodations, this is a huge relief, and it makes the meal experience so enjoyable.

Because we also love to engage the local culture, we traveled inland to fulfill our Indiana Jones fantasy of exploring the Lamanai Mayan site, zip-lining through the jungle, and floating through magical river caves. Each leg was seamlessly curated by the staff leaving us to simply enjoy the diverse culture, experience the natural beauty, people, and history of Belize. Once again, following the guidelines for tourism in Belize, the staff made it easy for us to safely support what makes up such a large and important part of their economy.

After sharing fascinating conversations with the tour guides on how they were so grateful to be working again, the common thread of human perseverance brought life into perspective.Our decision to travel there, despite all the uncertainty, was positively impacting their lives in a responsible and respectful way.The profound significance of the last year on ALL of humanity became so clear.As a collective, we were beginning to re-emerge together.

This was the escape that I needed, and St. George's Caye – Belize was the perfect destination.

Marni offers a unique coaching experience for whole-self wellness by deepening the connection to yourself and the world around you.When not working with clients or small groups, she loves to facilitate retreats in the warm waters of Belize (February 2022) (www.coalescediscovery.com).She also founded (www.sunriseretreat.org) to offer healing retreats and resources for widows in Idaho. ©2021 Coalesce Discovery, LLC. All Rights Reserved