We Believe Happiness Matters A Lot
PARTNERS IN FUN
'We all have a hungry heart, and one of the things we hunger for is happiness. So as much as I possibly could, I stayed where I was happy.'
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- MARY OLIVER -
Paths Of Least Resistance
You may barely notice the underlying structures in your life, and how powerfully and naturally they determine not only the way you live, but the quality of your life. Structure influences behaviour, and behaviour produces habits. When we align our habits with our values, the structure changes and we feel less resistance moving through the world. Structures aren't really something people think too very much about. Yet energy moves where it is easiest for it to go, which makes some structures much more useful than others.
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Most people believe that circumstances are the dominant force in their lives, but this is only partly true. By recognizing the structures at play in your life and changing those in favor of ones that allow you to create what you really want to create, you'll find that happiness is already built in by default.
GUESTS SAY IT BEST
TESTIMONIALS ARE A WONDERFUL REMINDER OF MEMORABLE TIMES WITH PEOPLE FROM NEAR AND FAR. FAR TOO MANY TO LIST OF COURSE, OUR UNENDING JOY AND NETWORK OF LIFELONG FRIENDS CONTINUES TO GROW AND FLOURISH. BROWSE THROUGH SOME OF THE MANY "LOVE NOTES" WE'VE RECEIVED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STUDENT EXPERIENCES WITH US.
YOUR HUMBLE HOSTS
Yvette Neumann
Principal Partner/Creative Spirit
After an extensive career in Aerospace and Technology, I left the Corporate world in 2008 to pursue my first love – art and artful pursuits. More than a decade later, this crazy, creative adventure in reinvention and discovery continues to be incredible fun and continuing to build Heartful Retreats, together with the thriving gallery and art studio business that Yvette Neumann Fine Art is today, brings me immense joy and satisfaction. It’s the human connection between people from all walks of life that truly delivers meaning and purpose to life: there is no substitute for genuine relationships and reverence for beauty; seekers of all kinds know this to be true. Their stories and your story are what honestly inspire me, and I look forward to the pleasure of meaningful connection with you.
I recently left behind a successful 30 year career in aerospace engineering and management to pursue a more engaging way of life at Heartful Retreats full time! As an avid skier, biker, hiker, and water monkey, our part of the world is a dream come true for folks who love the great outdoors as much as me. Being the Professional Sherpa behind Heartful Retreats allows me to tactically support the behind the scenes heavy lifting that goes on to ensure guest experiences are qualitatively relaxed, intimate, and fun. I’m genuinely excited to share our wonderful town, fabulous natural setting, and Yvette’s immense talents with visitors to Anacortes and the great Northwest.
Derek Neumann
Principal Partner/Professional Sherpa
Our Recipe For Well Being
WHAT YOU THINK YOU BECOME
MEANING
Live your best life
We believe in life changing experiences, done in the best possible way. Well-being is more than the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy; it’s flourishing and thriving and living life to the fullest. As life gets busier and the world more unavoidably connected, making time to switch off and ‘just be’ becomes critical to our well-being.
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MINDFULNESS
You are enough
Some of our greatest challenges in life come from needing to balance our inner worlds with that of our outer experiences. In a world that often demands more of us than we can comfortably give, being able to express our authentic selves in varied and creative ways, does a great deal to insulate us from the pressures of modern living.
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ABUNDANCE
There's enough for everyone
We believe in drinking deeply from the Universal abundance that surrounds us - the harmony of Nature and its many bountiful fruits, the intimacy of great conversations and community support that strengthen the bonds of human connection. Add a giant dollop of freedom, where no permission is needed and no one's keeping score, and you have a recipe for mindful experience that feeds and nourishes soul.
