We're slowing down, but going deeper
We’re slowing down, but going deeper
I don’t know if it’s something in the water or just something about turning 40, but lately everyone I know seems to be in a season of transition.
Not too long ago, I shared that my dear friend (and fellow co-host) Elise has made some BIG changes this past year.
If you’ve met her, you know she’s the kind of person who makes everyone else’s world brighter — until early last year, when, atop a mountain in Peru, she hit that point so many of us do: burnt out, but still pushing through because that’s what “high-functioning” people do.
So, she stopped. Closed her studio. Took a creative sabbatical. Stared at ceilings. Ate beef jerky in the bathtub. (Yes, that’s a story she’ll have to tell another time.) And relearned what it feels like to have one brilliant idea a day and the audacity to do NOTHING about it.
And, as it usually goes, the second she made space, her second act found her.
Our friend (and strategic growth and leadership wizard) Anna Baeten, founder of The Human Solution, swooped in with an opportunity that lit Elise up in ways I hadn’t seen in years.
Now, in classic Elise fashion, she’s turned her “time off” into a master class — learning, training, and co-facilitating The Human Solution’s human-centered leadership and Tactical Emotional Intelligence™ curriculum for busy professionals who are just trying to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
(Shocker: she’s had plenty of real-world practice with stress, failure, and change.)
Watching her come back to life reminded me why I started Wandering Roots in the first place.
After countless nights of swapping “burn it down” stories and morning voice memos that went completely off the rails, we’ve both landed in a season of slowing down — AND growing deeper.
Which is why we’ve given the Shenandoah Retreat a glow-up.
Less adventure-for-the-sake-of-it. More intention.
Less “doing it for the ‘gram.” More of the kind of work that keeps working on you — long after you’ve gone home.
Elise has been dreaming of adding more intentional conversation and deep work to Wandering Roots retreats for YEARS. (You know — right alongside the half-a-bajillion other projects she somehow kept spinning.)
Turns out she just needed the space and a second Anna to teach her the language, hand her a mic, and then whisper, “Go preach, sister.”
We’ve always believed in the power of adventure — now we’re giving that power a purpose.
If 30-year-old us and 40-year-old us had a baby, it would be this retreat.
Anna (B), Elise and I are THRILLED to announce that Elise will be facilitating two live workshops from The Human Solution leadership curriculum in Shenandoah.
Navigating Discomfort I: Understanding Self
Get honest about what happens when things get hard — in order to identify your default response to failure, stress and discomfort. This session is all about self-awareness, learning to catch yourself in that ‘oh shit’ moment, to practice responding with curiosity instead of control.
Navigating Discomfort II: Understanding Others
Shift from me to we. Explore how different archetypes show up under pressure and what happens when people stop being polite and start getting REAL. (God I loved the 90’s.) Learn how to have better interactions with others — even when humans get weird.
You’ll learn your leadership archetype, (Who doesn’t LOVE a personality quiz!?) lovingly call yourself out, and practice curiosity even when your brain swears your boss is a tiger.
(Spoiler: They’re NOT)
This retreat experience isn’t about “running away from your life” or “finding yourself.”
It’s about understanding yourself — and coming home more awake to your life.
And because we still believe that nature heals faster than WiFi, we’ll hike, make meaningful connections, and eat well in the Blue Ridge Mountains like the Wandering Roots retreats you’ve come to know and love — just a little slower this time.
April 18–24, 2026 | Shenandoah National Park
More details (and early access) are here.
With love, gratitude, and slightly fewer logistics and spreadsheets…I really hope you’ll join us!
Images by Personal Branding Maven Elise Kutt at Mod Bettie Portraits
My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am retreat host, travel designer, and a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.
I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things.
My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.
Anna VanAgtmael | Retreat Host | Travel Designer