From humble beginnings, this young entrepreneur has been encouraging Australians to practice self-care and self-acceptance from home with her lush subscription Retreat Yourself box while simultaneously providing small businesses a platform to follow their dreams. Kate Williams caught up with WH&F to provide insight into creating the career, health routine and life you really want.

I suffered from disordered eating in my late teens and early 20s, and I was determined to find out why and where these behaviours stemmed from. I soon discovered that so many people measure their happiness by the way they look rather than how healthy they feel and how much fun they’re having.

I went on to study holistic health and became a personal trainer with the hope of teaching others the importance of self-love.

The Retreat Yourself (RY) box is designed to inspire healthy living on every level. Many people can’t afford the time or money to go to a health retreat, so I decided to bring the retreat to them: each box contains in-season, natural and organic pampering products from young Australian entrepreneurs who are following their dreams. The included RY magazine is full of healthy recipes, yoga and fitness sequences, informative articles and a complete retreat plan – it’s all about prioritising self-care and recharging your batteries.

In my opinion, self-love is more important than anything else. When you act out of love and care for yourself, you’ll make healthier food choices and honour what your body needs. It’s great for your own wellbeing, but it also makes you a nicer friend, parent, sister, daughter, employee and co-worker. 

One of my favourite products featured in the box is the Pure Deo Co natural deodorant – it smells beautiful and feels lovely on your skin.

I’m a big believer in nutritional balance and listening to my body. I’ll start the day with a green smoothie, have a big salad for lunch and some form of protein and vegies for dinner. If I feel like a treat, I won’t deny myself: I’ll eat it, enjoy it, and then get on with my life. 

My favourite healthy meal is homemade Vietnamese rice paper rolls. They’re so fresh and delish!

I exercise every day but, again, I make sure I listen to my body. My routine is always changing, from walking my dog or yoga to high-intensity interval training, stability or weights sessions. I spend a lot of time snowboarding during winter and in summer I like to surf.

I relieve stress by heading to the beach with a good playlist and my pup. Nothing beats the feeling of sand between my toes and the smell of fresh ocean air to de-stress. It helps put things into perspective and is a reminder of how insignificant my worries are in the greater scheme of things.

I balance a busy business and personal life by being organised and keeping lots of lists. I also make sure I’m mindful: it’s important to stop and take time to reassess. This may seem counter-intuitive, but stepping back gives you the energy to push on and provides the opportunity to assess your life and rejig things accordingly.

My heroes are my parents. They have shown me that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, encouraged me to chase my dreams and just let me be myself!  

My 2017 will be filled with lots of travel and personal development, while I continue to grow and nurture the beautiful community we’ve created with Retreat Yourself. I’ll also be concentrating on new and exciting events, so watch this space! 

NEXT: Looking for more inspirational stories? Check out our motivational section.

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