02 April 2026 - Issue #028

Hey Reader,

Guess what? After living in Bali for six months I finally left Ubud for a weekend, which I think says a lot about how much I love this place 🥰

Last weekend I finally got out of my comfort bubble and drove to Sidemen for what turned into something a bit special.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect considering what I've been thinking about lately.

I'm truly struggling with the version of wellness that asks for more of me.

More discipline, more structure, more consistency.

More practices, routines, health hacks all stacked into already full days.

For years I've ignored the other side of wellness.

The one that asks us to do less, but actually feel and sit with emotions and situations more.

Now I'm really feeling the pull.

This revelation has sparked interesting conversations with people in my life, and there's one particular conversation I want to share with you this week.

It's with Dhara, the founder of Soma Yoga Flow and the facilitator holding space at the retreat we're co-creating in Ubud this November.​

We talked about what it means to support women through change, why slowing down can feel unfamiliar, and how the spaces we create matter more than we might think.

From the Blog

A Conversation with Dhara: On Slowing Down, Holding Space, and Creating What's Actually Needed What if we built retreats where the focus wasn't intensity or performance, but creating the space women don't realize they're missing until they finally experience it? What does it mean to support women through transition? And why are restorative practices so often misunderstood? If you've ever wondered what it takes to hold space differently, or why slowing down feels so radical for women, this one's for you. Read the Article

What's Stirring

Let me tell you about what happened in Sidemen last weekend.

Together with Girls Be Change we gathered for a slower, more inward kind of day built around mindful eating, mindful walking, and deep presence in the green.

A proper pause from the momentum of doing and a return to simply being with ourselves, nature, and each other.

We walked through the hills.

We spent time at Anandinii a beautiful plant-based restaurant with a garden that feels like a secret, where we learned about the power of plants, spices, and nature. (Apparently I need more moringa in my life and so do you!)

We rode our motorbikes together like a proper gang, wind in our faces, rice terraces in the distance.

We visited Sukha Cabin, Sidemen's first container cabin, designed and built with incredible attention to detail. A beautiful reminder that sometimes taking up less space is exactly the kind of freedom we need, especially when that space is immersed in nature and built with real intention.

To make the weekend even more special, I spent 24 hours at Surya Shanti Villas, one of the first hotels built in Sidemen back in 2010.

I had a wonderful conversation with Clara, whose French parents chose Sidemen as their home at a time when almost nobody outside Bali knew it existed.

They've spent years genuinely supporting the village and its people in a way that should be an example to every westerner who comes to a place like Bali to build something.

And to close it all, I got to do one of my absolute favourite things: walk through rice terraces at sunrise. This time in Sidemen, with no one around, just me and a few locals.

Retreat Radar

​ ​Escape in Sidemen Sidemen, Bali | April 2026 If reading about my weekend made you want to experience Sidemen for yourself, Surya Shanti is where you should go. This is the place to slow down and leave the chaos behind. Swim in the pool, walk by the rivers, listen to nature, visit the rice terraces, drive around the mountains, try a silver class, or simply enjoy the beauty of being surrounded by green. They have a special offer for April that can't be missed. Book Here

This weekend reminded me how much community matters.

How slowing down matters.

How getting out of my comfort zone, even just for 48 hours, always gives me something I didn't know I was missing.

There's a version of wellness that keeps adding to our plates, asking us to do more, be more, achieve more.

And then there's the version that invites us to pause, to feel, to be present with what's already here.

I know which one I'm choosing.

And I hope the conversation with Dhara, and this little glimpse into my weekend in Sidemen, reminds you that slowing down isn't a luxury. It's how we stay connected to what actually matters.

Ciao ciao,

Milla

P.S. Hosting a retreat, event, or programme soon? I'd love to feature it in Retreat Radar. Just hit reply with the details (where, when, what makes it special). It's free and open to everyone in this community 😊