The Book That Broke Me Open—and Helped Me Find The Retreat Within

I WROTE A BOOK! It feels so good to say it, I have holding on to this news since November 2023. For over a year, I have been pouring my heart into these pages. I didn’t expect writing a book to break me open.

When I started writing Retreat Within, I thought I was simply telling my story—about healing from divorce, grief, and the disorientation that comes when everything familiar crumbles. But over a year into the process, something happened that I never saw coming.

The very act of putting my pain into words triggered something deep. Memories I had tucked away came rushing back. As I relived moments of despair, loneliness, and heartbreak, I developed symptoms of PTSD. Sleepless nights. Panic. Emotional exhaustion. I was face to face with parts of myself I hadn’t fully processed.

At one point, I almost gave up. I questioned why I ever started.

But something inside me knew: this wasn’t just a book. It was a bridge. Not just for me, but for the women like me—navigating their own quiet storms, trying to find a way to breathe again.

The Turning Point: From Rock Bottom to Rebirth

I realized healing couldn’t only come from writing about the retreat I craved—it had to come from living it. That’s when I rebranded my company and gave birth to something bigger than just a book.

I created Retreat Within not just as a title, but as a philosophy—a gentle movement for anyone craving calm, clarity, and a way home to themselves.

From Trauma to Tools: Retreat Kits & E-Books

Through my own healing, I discovered that creating a sanctuary doesn’t require a passport or a weekend getaway—it starts at home.

That’s why I launched the Retreat Kits—carefully curated boxes filled with calming tools like herbal teas, essential oil rollers, soy candles, and journal prompts to help you reclaim peace in your space and routine.

And for those who, like me, wanted to turn their pain into purpose, I created the "Retreat to Riches" e-book—a guide to monetizing your home as a wellness space or photoshoot location, just like I did when I had nothing but a small apartment and a big dream.

I Found the Retreat Within—And You Can Too

Writing this book broke me down, but it also built me back up. I learned that healing doesn’t mean escaping your past. It means honoring it—and creating beauty from it.

If you're going through something hard right now, please know this: peace isn’t a place you arrive at—it’s something you create. Moment by moment. Room by room. Breath by breath.

Retreat Within is more than a book. It’s a blueprint for coming home to yourself.

And I’m honored to walk this path with you.

With love,
Hoda