Author: Lori Deschene

Have you ever taken a trip to recharge but then returned feeling drained? If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP) or introvert—or both, like me—you might yearn for the adventure and relaxation that travel can provide but struggle to find experiences that honor your energetic needs.

Perhaps also like me, you’ve been intrigued by the idea of a retreat but worried that it could be overwhelming, with packed schedules and pressure to constantly engage. Even many wellness retreats miss the mark, leaving little room for personal time and different ways of participating.

Imagine a retreat that allows you to connect with like-minded people and experience new places—all in a way that respects your needs and celebrates diversity. 

Tiny Buddha contributor and sponsor Melissa Renzi offers retreats that are thoughtfully designed to create a supportive environment where HSPs and introverts can embrace their strengths, build genuine relationships, and form meaningful connections with the communities they visit.

With spacious schedules that include time to rest and group agreements that overtly honor each person’s needs, Melissa’s retreats invite you to slow down and be yourself. All activities are fully optional, and taking time to listen to your needs is encouraged.

There’s a special kind of peace in connecting with others who get you. You feel seen and validated. It’s a chance to recognize your own strengths mirrored in those around you.

Melissa’s retreats blend gentle yoga, nature-based expressive arts, and cultural learning to foster deeper connections with yourself, others, and the natural world. She collaborates with partners who are dedicated to the well-being of their local ecosystems and communities. Her aim is to leave a light footprint and create a culture of care and reciprocity where participants engage as mindful visitors rather than mere tourists.

If you’re ready for a retreat that honors who you are, values authentic connection, and offers a gentle pace of travel in a beautiful setting, Melissa’s upcoming trip to Guatemala is a perfect option.

As a ‘thank you’ to Tiny Buddha readers, she’s offering a rare discount of $150.00 off this unforgettable experience with code TINYB150 (through Oct. 31st). 

Join Melissa’s 6th Guatemala HSP & Introvert Retreat coming up February 1-8, 2025.

This eight-day / seven-night retreat is designed to connect you to the land, hearts, and culture of Guatemala through immersive learning about traditional foods, agricultural practices, and weaving techniques.

You’ll also be invited to nurture your body and mind with daily yoga, along with plenty of alone time to relax or choose your own adventures, amidst stunning volcanic backdrops.

The trip begins with two nights in the small city of Antigua, where you’ll have time to meander through colorful streets and baroque architecture. Just outside Antigua, you’ll take a gentle hike through a coffee farm where growers will share the entire production process from seed to brew. After the tour, you’ll hear their stories over a home-cooked traditional lunch.

After Antigua, you’ll spend five nights at an eco-retreat center overlooking Lake Atitlán. You’ll visit small villages to learn about natural dyes and textile weaving at a women’s cooperative and join an interactive cooking journey through Mayan cuisine with Melissa’s friend Anita—an experience that leaves a lasting impact on everyone who meets her.

Guatemala is a special place for Melissa. It’s where she held her first retreat in 2016. It’s also where she began her journey of solo travel, learned to speak Spanish, and expanded her view of herself and the surrounding world. She’s designed this retreat so that you too can connect with the heart of Guatemala.

If I weren’t knee-deep in the responsibilities of parenting young children, I’d be booking my flight right now! But alas, I’ll have to live vicariously through you, dear reader who decides to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

You can join Melissa’s sixth Guatemala HSP & Introvert retreat, scheduled for February 1-8, 2025, here. Don’t forget to enter code TINYB150 to get $150 (offer valid through 10/31).

Want to learn about Melissa’s other retreat opportunities? Check out her other international and U.S. retreats here.

Since you follow Tiny Buddha, I’m guessing you might be familiar with the benefits of meditation and perhaps have already experienced many of them yourself.

I first found meditation through yoga, which I initially started at a gym solely because I was curious.

I didn’t know then that meditation can help with depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia (all of which I’ve experienced); that it can literally rewire the brain to help with healing from trauma (also a battle I know very well); or that it can help prevent and heal numerous physical conditions.

Now here I am, over two decades later, armed with all the evidence I need to make meditation a top priority, yet I still struggle with consistency, especially when life gets busy or hard—which is, of course, when self-care is often needed the most.

If you can relate—if you’ve ever felt like you’re doing meditation wrong or somehow failing at your practice—I have a feeling you’ll appreciate today’s offer: a free year of the Happier meditation app, which is valued at $99.99. (Offer ends October 31^st.)

Happier (one of this month’s site sponsors) is the meditation app that meets you where you are—whatever you’re dealing with, whatever time you have available, and whatever time of consistency you can manage.

With a monthly check-in experience that enables you to reset your interests and intentions, the app is highly flexible, growing or scaling back with you and offering personalized recommendations that meet your needs. No pressure, no judgment. Just a massive collection of calming, healing practices from insightful, world-renowned teachers, delivered to you in the way the best serves you at any given time.

You could say this is the app for “bad meditators,” or rather the app that realizes that the goal isn’t to be good at meditation but rather to nurture a practice that works for you.

Not feeling seated meditation today? No problem—you can watch a short video or enjoy a gratitude practice through the app.

Struggling to take your mindfulness practice off your cushion? The app has you covered with a variety of on-the-go practices, including mindful movement, breathing exercises, and immersive audio experiences.

You can also search by topic—e.g., “parenting,” “money,” or “anger”—for instant access to the peace and perspective you need to make meaningful changes in your life.

With the Happier meditation app, you don’t have to meditate perfectly or daily—the app emphasizes progress over perfection and supports you in the messy, imperfect journey of being human. And because the Happier team believes so strongly in their adaptable approach, they’re offering the world’s first ever Meditation Make-Good campaign, with a five-year money-back promise if the app isn’t helpful to you.

When I first opened the Happier meditation app, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. Offering a wide assortment of courses and on-demand meditations, led by joyful, supportive instructors, Happier feels like a little bit of peace in my pocket. It’s quite literally a breath of fresh air, which is sometimes the most important step toward health and happiness.

Whether you’re looking to start or reinvigorate your practice, I highly recommend you give the Happier meditation app a try. You can sign up for a free year of the paid subscription (valued at $99.99) here. This offer is only good until October 31^st,  so be sure to sign up soon if you’re interested!