A Journey to Feeling Whole
(& Why I Launched the Get Rooted: Wellness Retreats)
I’m someone who has struggled with anxiety & panic attacks for YEARS. When I was first diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder & Panic Disorder at age 19, I felt completely alone. I felt alone in my struggles & ashamed of my “inability to cope”.
After months of working with doctors & going to therapy, I was on the road with my college dance team & when someone asked me why I was driving hours back to Purdue that evening, I took a deep breath and said I had anxiety. An older girl who I looked up to - who seemed like she had it ALL together - said in a very calm tone, “Oh, I have anxiety too.”
In a moment as quick as a breath, I felt a rush of relief at knowing I wasn’t alone. Knowing that this girl - who was [is] a phenomenal dancer, confident, brilliant, and someone I looked up to - also struggled with anxiety suddenly made me feel like I wasn’t as “crazy” as I thought.
I will never forget this moment when I decided to launch AllRootsWellness and open up about my own struggles with anxiety.
Fast forward 15 years later - and I’ve had my ups & downs with anxiety, depression & ADHD. I haven’t always handled my stress in the healthiest way. I overworked myself, partied too hard, was really unkind in the way I spoke to myself, and would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air because my anxiety was so high.
Somewhere along the way, I hit my breaking point. I realized I could lose my job, my relationships, and most importantly - my sense of self worth. After a few therapy break-ups, I found a therapist who helped turn my life around. She listened to my story without judgment. She helped me reframe the, “This is a problem, I should do better, what’s wrong with me, why aren’t I handling things better” thoughts to “what’s coming up for me when I feel these intense emotions? What are they trying to protect me from, and how are these big feelings trying to help me?”
Alongside therapy, I picked up the book, “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero and slowly but surely, I started repair my heart. I started to heal my relationship with myself, learn how to truly love myself, and learned that speaking from a place of kindness and self-compassion will always be more impactful than bullying myself ever will.
Throughout these years, I learned [& continue to learn] many coping skills; as a 2w3 enneagram, I’ve always felt the desire to help others, and while my ups & downs with mental health have not always been easy, they’ve allowed me the opportunity to open up in the hopes of helping others.
I immersed myself into healing modalities, and when they helped me, I took a deep dive that lead me to where I am today: a level-II reiki practitioner, yoga certified meditation & breathwork leader. Someone who is learning to find ways to laugh when things go wrong, to live in the moment, to not take everything so seriously, and someone who embraces the healing power of laughter.
I know how it feels to be burnt out. I know how overwhelming life can be at times, and I know how hard it can be to let yourself feel everything - and I’ve also learned that the only way past those heavy emotions is through them.
I’m grateful to have met so many people over the years who have played an essential role in my healing journey, and if I can help you find even a tiny bit of stress relief, an ounce of extra love for yourself, 5% more confidence or a week of feeling like you can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel - then I’m fulfilling my purpose in paying it forward for everyone who has helped me so far.
(Keyword: Help. Your healing journey is YOUR journey, and it’s important to remember that those big leaps you’re taking are because of the work & determination you’re putting in to live a healthy, joyful, & more fulfilling life. I really can’t take too much credit. 😉)
Having the opportunity to witness shoulders drop, echoing laughter & the light come back into everyone’s eyes during these retreats feels like the universe is giving my heart a giant hug. It’s an indescribable feeling that was echoed by every single attendee on the last retreat…
…and this is the type of experience I want you to have. This is the experience that I know you deserve.
I look at these retreats like an oil change; they’re maintenance for your heart & soul. They’re an opportunity to reset, to deepen your relationship with yourself, to expand your energy & to recharge what you need to in order to feel whole again. (While I can’t say that I’ve ever had the latter experiences from an oil change… I hope you get the comparison. 😂)
If you’re someone who has been through the ups & downs, who could use a reset, who needs to unplug & recharge… I can’t wait to welcome you to the Get Rooted: Wellness Retreats, whenever the timing is right for you.
If you’re someone reading this piece right now, if you’ve liked a post I’ve shared on Instagram, if you’ve ever found a piece I’ve shared to be helpful for you & shared it with others… thank you from the bottom of my heart. It reminds me that none of us are really alone, and that using my voice to open up about my struggles just might make an impact to help someone else who is struggling.
Xx,
Allie