Finding Empowerment and Enchantment in St. Maarten with Jen Liss

Experience the enchantment of St. Maarten this June as I, along with my dear friend Jen Liz from 'Untethered with Jen,'  take you on a journey to our Island Awakening Luxury Retreat happening in June 2024.

Feel the warmth of the Caribbean sun and the allure of the beauty that is St. Maarten,  where French sophistication meets Dutch Caribbean charm. Our fun banter is not just about the scenic beauty; it’s about the magic of St. Maarten that pulls in travelers and adventurers alike. We talk about our kindred connection and how you can join us in discovering the island's beauty for yourself, from gorgeous beaches to stunning views, as we prepare for an unforgettable gathering this June.

This episode is a heart-to-heart on empowering women through the transformative power of travel. Jen shares her fervor for guiding women to claim their space through breathwork and meditation, backed by science and the promise of new beginnings, while I help you transform through meditation and island experiences into the person you are meant to be.  

Prepare for stories of breakthroughs and the anticipation of real-life connections, as we set the stage for a retreat that's not just a getaway, but a journey towards embracing the abundant life you're destined for. We're thrilled for you to join us for this soulful adventure. Get ready to awaken your best life with us.

Awaken your BEST LIFE  and join me, your host and island friend, Riselle at my island home St. Maarten for 5 amazing days of luxury, fun, wellness and  personal growth.

The Island Awakening Luxury Retreat is a retreat like no other and a unique way for you to dedicate some time to yourself in the company of like-minded people. Don't hesitate because space is limited. Visit the website to secure your spot.

Top Villas has the best selection of luxury villas in the best spots in the Caribbean. Visit Top Villas now to start planning your dream Island Getaway. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:59

Welcome to Paradise Perspectives, a podcast about Caribbean travel from the locals perspective, and get ready for some authentic Caribbean travel tips, recommendations and more from the people who live where you vacation Straight from Paradise. I'm your host and island friend, rizal, the Traveling Island Girl. You, my Caribbean loving friend, are in for a treat. Thank you so much, first of all, for lending me an ear. I know we are all very busy humans running around getting shit done, but I am grateful you decided to listen in on today's conversation, especially because you have so many choices when it comes to podcasts these days, am I right? But you chose to listen to Paradise Perspectives and for that I am so grateful. So today's bonus episode is with my friend, jen Liz, from the podcast on tethered with Jen, so if you are not yet following this podcast, do yourself a favor and check her out. I'm leaving a link in the description, as per usual.

Speaker 1: 2:59

Jen and I met over the net. We realized we have a lot in common. I was a guest on her podcast and I finally got to have her now on mine, which I'm so excited for, and we decided a little while ago that we should do something together Now. Coincidentally, I was in the early stages of planning to host the upcoming Island Awakening Luxury retreat in St Martin, where I live, and we thought it would be so cool if she, jen, could be a part of this retreat in one way or another. So at first we toyed with the idea of having her joined virtually, but then she said and she totally surprised me she's coming down for it, which is so much better. Not only do I finally get to meet this wonderful human with whom I have so much in common, but I get to meet you, who are also as excited to join us as well. Wow, I am just wowed. I cannot wait.

Speaker 1: 3:53

So this bonus episode is all about the Island Awakening retreat and what you can expect when you join us this June from the fourth until the ninth in St Martin. Here's my very fun conversation with Jen. We are talking about the upcoming Island Awakening Luxury retreat that I am hosting here on my home Island of St Martin in June. So it's happening from June fourth until the ninth. If you are a listener of this podcast, you have probably heard about this by now. So I am joined in this up bonus episode by my good friend, who has just said that she is definitely coming down and she is going to be doing some amazing thing in this retreat as well. And that is all the way from Portland.

Speaker 2: 4:41

Jenless, I am so excited to be here and even more excited about this retreat.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Yes, absolutely. I think I started planning this and then you and I already I think it was when I was on your podcast we were talking about you know, we should do something together, and then this was like I'm planning a retreat, you should be part of this.

Speaker 2: 5:06

It's a full body. Yes, From the time I met you, I was just there. You know when you meet that connection with somebody. And then you told me about your own love of the Pacific Northwest and I told you about my love of islands. We were just meant to be connected.

Speaker 1: 5:23

It was just like it was fate. It was all of that magical unicorn stuff that you always talk about. It's just all the universe aligned for us and it was like, okay, these two people have to do something together. It's true, yes, so now we have the island awakening luxury retreat coming up, and I just wanted to talk a little bit about what, you know, the those who are interested in attending, can expect. So I thought what better way to do this than the two of us together? So, yeah, so I'm going to. Should I start or should you?

Speaker 2: 5:58

I think I should interview you. I want to hear. I want to hear about saying Martin, I'm sure everybody else does too.

Speaker 1: 6:05

Girl, girl, I think you always want to hear about saying Martin, but okay, yes, absolutely Go away. What is your first question?

Speaker 2: 6:13

My first question is what is your favorite thing about St Martin that when somebody comes, you're like you need to see this, you need to experience. What is that thing?

Speaker 1: 6:25

Okay, so I think, first of all, this is like so weird, weird, like I'm interviewing you, you're interviewing me.

Speaker 2: 6:31

I love it, though it's weird, but it's great for your listeners because they're going to get to hear a different perspective than what they would get.

Speaker 1: 6:41

Exactly, that's true, that is so true, and you're coming in with those questions that a lot of people who have never been to St Martin probably has as well. So this is actually great, yeah, the. The first thing that I would say that I love about this island, that I cannot wait for somebody to experience, is the fact that it's two nations, one island, but still one people. It's one island, one love, one people, but at the same time, we are half Dutch, half French, and I think that brings in so much with it. Like we say in our tagline, a lot of times when you hear any kind of promotional event concerning Saint Martin, we'll say it's a lot of Sorry. Now I'm thinking what was the tagline? Okay, it's a lot of European, but a whole lot of Caribbean.

Speaker 2: 7:35

Oh, best of both worlds so it's got.

Speaker 1: 7:38

Yes, best of both worlds, I think. Where else can you stand on a tropical island in the middle of the Caribbean? And you can have one foot in France and one foot Well, it's not exactly Netherlands because of our status, but we'll explain more about that later but you'll be standing in two places at once.

Speaker 2: 7:58

That's way cooler. There was at one point here in the States where I stood in Arizona and Nevada at the same time. I would much rather be in Saint Martin standing in those two locations.

Speaker 1: 8:08

I think that would be a little bit more interesting and much more tropical than that. It's so true.

Speaker 2: 8:13

Okay I have to say. Here's my next question. It seems like you are legitimately living your best life. I see you on Instagram, I see your videos. It seems like you are living your best life. Why are you so excited to bring other people to the island of Saint Martin to help them live their best lives?

Speaker 1: 8:33

Because if I'm doing it, anybody can do it, and especially with you know, we've all had our share of issues of really terrible moments, bad timing and all of that stuff that we had to learn to kind of like, adapt, but not only adapt, accept and then transform. And I think I just love sharing my home and that is something that I've been doing for so long as an island tour guide, and I've been given advice on my YouTube channel and on my Instagram, like you said, and on my blog. I've been doing that for so long. But I also want I feel like this place is the perfect place to help someone get over whatever is holding them back and teach them or show them how to live their best life.

Speaker 2: 9:21

Yeah, why is that? What is it that? I think it's more than in luxury, for sure.

Speaker 1: 9:27

I know exactly, and this place is just so magical on its own. What better background than a tropical island in the middle of the Caribbean?

Speaker 2: 9:36

It's so true. What makes Saint Martin so?

Speaker 1: 9:40

special. Yeah, saint Martin has a lot of things to make it special, but I think that is One thing, is, like I said, that duality that it has. You know that we have so much European influence, we are still very much Caribbean, but I think it also has beautiful beaches. It's got so many beautiful beaches. We say we're 37 square miles, we're a tiny pack in the ocean, but we are also. We have also 37 beaches, so it's like one beach for every square mile and you know we have. Oh my gosh, the food here is just phenomenal. I am so spoiled wherever I travel. It's hard to please me when it comes to food, because I'm. My bar is set high.

Speaker 2: 10:25

Same as a Portland foodie.

Speaker 1: 10:27

Oh, exactly, so you understand what I'm talking about. You know, when you travel, you go to another destination, I was like, oh, I want to try to cuisine. I'm like, okay, yeah, no, so I get that a lot. But, yeah, I think that is another thing that makes Saint Martin special and that is one thing that we're incorporating definitely into the retreat, because we are definitely going to have some gastronomical experiences out of this world. We're having a private chef at the villa that is booked for this retreat. We have a private chef, but besides the private chef, we are also going to be going or visiting some of the best restaurants on the island, so I think that is such an important part of it. Food is just so important.

Speaker 2: 11:11

I mean, yes, if we're talking about living your best life, there's got to be good food, food, good food, good food, good food is going to be there Exactly.

Speaker 1: 11:19

But I think another thing also is the exploring that we're going to be doing, and exploration is just also another part of travel exploration, discovering new places, and so, say, martin's location is so close to other beautiful islands in the Caribbean, so we're going to do a little day trip to where I am currently recording this from, which is Anguilla, and if you have never heard from Anguilla, oh my gosh, google it and then go back to me. It's just, it's perfection. It is just perfection.

Speaker 2: 13:34

Have one conversation with Rizal about Anguilla, and I'm already dreaming of it and I haven't been there yet.

Speaker 1: 13:40

Oh, my gosh, oh my gosh. I call it my happy place. This is where I feel my most grounded, with the exception of St Martin, of course, but it is definitely one of my favorite islands to visit, and it's only 30 minutes away from St Martin. That makes it so much more special. I can quickly come here whenever I really need to, but so I think that is another one of those things that I really wanted to share. Because it's my happy place. I am sure it's going to be everyone's happy place too, so a day trip to Anguilla definitely has to be part of this retreat.

Speaker 2: 14:16

If, when you've done a visualization, you have ever pictured yourself on an island, on a beach, you're actually going to physically get to go. It sounds like to that visualization that you've had of the beautiful beach. You're going to literally live that visualization.

Speaker 1: 14:31

Yeah, Anguilla is known for its beaches. It really is known for its magical, beautiful beaches. I mean nothing wrong with St Martin beaches those are as gorgeous as you can imagine as well. But Anguilla has this, like you know, that image that you have of the Caribbean or of the South Pacific Islands when you're thinking like complete powdery white sand and this like layer of different colors of blue, like this clear water going into turquoise, going into royal blue, going into darker blue. That's what Anguilla offers and it's like completely, and their beaches are never crowded. We could easily find ourselves, just us with our little group, where this retreat on the beach by ourselves, or at least a section of the beach by ourselves. It's that amazing.

Speaker 2: 15:25

So beautiful. As somebody who supports people with their nervous systems as well, I have to say, because you made that note about groundedness, being grounded in nature, especially near water, in the sand there is no better place to have a transformational experience genuinely except maybe here at Waterfalls in Portland Oregon. Both of those places are so freaking good for transformation because water is. It's changed, Water is actively changing landscape and so, being around, water is all such good things.

Speaker 2: 15:59

It's healing. It, legitimately, is natural healing for your body. So it's, it's the perfect from my perspective. I'm like there's, it's just the perfect location, and then you get to add the adventure and fun, and adventure and fun is also so healing. So I just had to note that, because you said that groundedness, which is so dang important, what have we not talked about? About this retreat that you're like everybody just needs to know how good this is going to be.

Speaker 1: 16:26

There is so much because I think the one thing why we call it a luxury retreat is that you are going to be completely pampered as well. So once you're here in St Martin, all of the ground, transportation is going to be taken care of. You're going to be picked up, taken to a beautiful villa with a fantastic view. I mean, this villa is just out of this world. I love this villa so much, and the name of this villa is called the wellness villa. I mean, like, how appropriate, right, and we're going to be taken. You're going to be taken to the wellness villa, we're going to be introduced to other people that are as excited as you are to be there and we are going. I think it's just being in that space, being on a new location. I think all of that is so empowering as well. The reason why I started doing what I do is because I want to empower women through travel, and I think this goes perfectly well with this retreat. It's like you are going to feel so empowered by the time you step foot into this, this beautiful villa, and then from there, all of the you know the itinerary that we have planned is just going to be mind blowing. So, yeah, I think that's another special thing about this retreat that I'm still looking forward to.

Speaker 1: 17:44

But I have a question for you, okay, yes, I want to know what exactly, because we already said that you are going to be part of this. You are already in the process of booking your trip. You're coming down to see Martin for the first time, but I am putting you to work. You're going to be doing something other than just enjoying the. You know what this retreat has to offer. You are also going to be, you know, blessing, I might say, because after experiencing what you do myself, I can say it's, it's a blessing. You're going to be blessing us with some of your talent as a breath worker. So can you tell us a little bit more about what we can expect when it comes to breath work?

Speaker 2: 18:30

Yes for sure. First of all, I have to say how much this entire how you describe the retreat why I want to be there, why I want to come and have this amazing opportunity to be part of this thing that you're putting together, is that your mission to empower women to travel really touches my heart. Travel has long been something that I am passionate about and, in fact, I take my nieces and nephews, when they graduate high school, on a trip because I believe in the power of travel and how much it transforms us. So I'm like so down with your message and everything about this and simultaneously, I'm all about people living their most brilliant, best lives. So all things are matching up and that's what I do with breath work.

Speaker 2: 19:14

I help people through breath work, through transformational breath work, through meditation, to reprogram the stories that exist within them that are stopping them from living their best lives.

Speaker 2: 19:25

That's what I do, and it helps you to reset your nervous system Physically like we're talking scientific, at the biological level. You can go in and reprogram things and have this huge transformational experience that moves energy and shifts energy. My goodness, to do it in this luxury way is like saying a huge heck yes to everything that is possible for you. Doing it in the location of luxury and pleasure and wonder and magic and travel and adventure, is saying yes to everything, yes and more. Thank you, universe. We can go into the nitty gritty of breathwork, but that's why I'm so genuinely excited about this opportunity to do this with you and to help people really call it in, because doing it in this whole new experience is saying this is something that I'm ready for. Bring me more of this. So if you're somebody whose dreams of like going to islands, living on an island, being an island's, like living this magical life, this is it, y'all.

Speaker 1: 20:33

Oh my gosh, it's so, so true, and I'm so excited for you to be here, for you to be actually, you know, sharing this with us. You know not only breathwork, but you are also a life coach. So I think the two of us together is going to be amazing in helping transform people's lives, help them live a better life, help them live their best life. That is what both of us have as our you know ultimate goal. So and it's our purpose, Both of us have that purpose to help people grow, empower, etc. So I think that is another thing that is so magical about this retreat. So, Jen, thank you so much. One last question to you what is the one thing that you are looking most forward to about being here for this retreat?

Speaker 2: 21:23

Well, giving you a huge hug after that, yes, obviously St Martin.

Speaker 1: 21:30

This is one thing that a lot of people nobody knows this, but we have never met in real life before. We've had like numerous, you know, zoom calls and conversations, but we haven't met yet. So that is going to be really one thing that I am definitely looking forward to as well. But, yeah, what is another thing that you're looking forward to?

Speaker 2: 21:50

Our souls have met, but we have not physically met yet and we're going to get to meet in the physical and it's going to be amazing. So that's number one. Can I say three things? You're like, what's the number one thing? And I'm like, give me three. I can't stop at one, st Martin, because you make it look just like everything, and I know that it's because you love it so much and you're so excited to welcome people. It's what you do. You're, you know, a travel coach and motivational coach like you help people to really enjoy the beauty of this island that you love so much. So of course, I'm super excited for that. And then I'm super excited to meet all of the people who are coming and saying yes to themselves for this amazing experience. Can I mention one thing about breathwork that I didn't dive into and why? Why it's so powerful to do it there?

Speaker 1: 22:42

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 22:42

I want to get like a little bit science, just real quick. Your nervous system can only handle so much joy. Can only handle so much joy. We have a capacity for joy. So, just like when something negative happens and you freak out, we've all had like your day doesn't go as planned and you start to freak out and you start to panic and you feel your nervous system freak out.

Speaker 2: 23:04

Your nervous system also does that on the other end of the spectrum. You've got both sides. You have a capacity for negativity and you have a capacity for joy. And here's the thing we can expand that window on both ends. You can expand your capacity to hold yourself poised in negative situations. You can hold yourself poised in joyful situations. But you have to allow yourself to experience joy, true joy, true pleasure, true bliss. You have to let yourself experience your desires for your nervous system to understand that it's okay. You have to signal safety. It's okay for me to be in this magical place and have this magical experience Like I am safe to accept this much abundance. So when you go and you do breathwork, we're reprogramming your nervous system in real time to say, yes, this and something better, this, or you know that's.

Speaker 2: 24:01

That's what we're doing with our breathwork is going in and telling your nervous system this is beautiful. I want more of this. This is so luxurious and wonderful and I love it. And so your joy breaker now has moved to a different capacity. It's just like a breaker box can only handle so much current. So you have now upgraded your breaker box and it's going to flip. The next time it flips it's because you have suddenly welcomed in a million dollars and you're living in Paris. You know what I mean. Like it's well, I really don't live on the island of St Martin, yeah wherever it is you want to be.

Speaker 2: 24:36

And so you're expanding that capacity for joy, and we don't know. We often like that. That's a new concept to to most of us. It was a new concept to me a few years ago, but it is so important. It's so important for your abundance and for you to accept all of the good things that you desire in life. We've got to expand that joy. So this is a way to physically do it.

Speaker 1: 24:58

Yeah, so well said, and I think when you combine that with meditation and the workshops that you and I have planned, I think it's just going to be an amazing, amazing thing for anybody to experience, really, and I just want to say that it is. You are deserving of abundance, you are deserving of having it all and you are definitely deserving of being in St Martin and going through this transformation, but not only the transformation, but to having this much fun with like-minded people. You are totally deserving of that.

Speaker 2: 25:33

So true Beautiful.

Speaker 1: 25:36

Yeah, thank you so much for your time, jen. I'm so happy we did this.

Speaker 2: 25:40

Thank you, I'm so, I'm so happy to talk to you anytime, and especially about talking about going to an island, oh my, gosh, are you kidding me?

Speaker 1: 25:50

I was just like, so excited I'm dreaming of this retreat. I literally I am. I'm so excited for it. Yeah, so I think that's it. So I think we're just going to say thank you very much, thank you for listening, and we're going to see you in St Martin soon.

Speaker 1: 26:07

Okay, caribbean People, problem number one has got to be trying to record a podcast while Doc's sitting for a friend in Anguilla and having the fur babies give a barking orchestra in the background. That was totally not planned. I wanna know now what did you think of this bonus episode and what do you think about our upcoming retreat? Are you getting the same full body, yes, as we did? Are you excited to join? And why wouldn't you really? This is going to be so epic, so make sure you check out the show notes description whatever it is that you wanna call it for the link to the retreat page where all the details are listed. You, my friend, you deserve this getaway. You really do. You deserve to be in the Caribbean with us in June and you definitely deserve to awaken your best life. Stop making excuses and just get here, ken, and I cannot wait to welcome you to Simarton. I'm Grisel, better known as the traveling island girl, signing off. Thanks again for listening. I love you, my friend. Ciao for now.