Summer 2024 in Crete is going to be full of adventure. Not only do we have four one-week retreats hosted by the More Life Adventures team, we also have an additional two retreats hosted by industry pros from across the world. 

The first of those two weeks, from 26 July - 2 August, is hosted by CrossFit coach and yoga teacher Kayla Marie. Having taught yoga and group fitness classes for over 12 years, she opened her own CrossFit affiliate, CrossFit For The People, in upstate New York City in 2018.

From working in a bank to marketing to pursuing yoga teaching full time, Kayla Marie’s journey has been guided by the Steve Jobs quote, ‘If you were going to die today, would you continue to do what you had planned?’ For the 2012 Kayla, the answer was no, which led to a career in coaching both CrossFit and yoga. She has also previously hosted retreats in El Salvador, Spain, and Hawaii.

Ahead of Kayla’s retreat in Crete, we spoke to her to understand more about:

• Her love of movement

• What to expect from her retreat

• What the key ingredients are for an adventure

• And much more…

In her own words, here are Kayla’s key learnings from her over 12 years as a coach, and why movement and adventure are the perfect pair this summer in Crete.

Small things that you don’t think are stressors but they are, such as setting the alarm every day and planning what to have for breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the week. At a retreat, you can let go of all of these things, turn off your notifications, and connect with people who are all looking for something similar. By doing this you’re allowing yourself to go all in and get the most out of a retreat.

The Kayla Marie Retreat Experience: Live Your Best Life Through Movement

Connection is one of the fundamental elements of my retreats. I’m very intentional about this, in that I curate the programme of workouts, yoga sessions and workshops with connection at the core. They are designed for anyone and everyone as I work with so many different levels and capabilities, so it’s super important that the retreat is accessible to everyone.

In fact, one of my favourite things is introducing someone new to a retreat, who might be nervous and scared, to the power of movement. I LOVE to give them all the tools, show them what they already have and what they’re capable of, and watch them leave feeling so empowered.

I want people to live their best life through movement, and they can do that by being open and doing all the things to see what works for them. Try something new. Just because you do CrossFit doesn’t mean you can’t do yoga. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one identity. Keep exploring all different types of movement. This will be a key theme at the Crete retreat.

I always say: move, and move in different ways. It’s not just about running every day, or only ever lifting weights in the gym, or having a yoga practice that doesn’t allow for anything else. Do ALL the things and you’ll develop a well-rounded relationship with your body that will both challenge you and help you to not get injured. 

The Mistakes We All Make & Letting Go Of Your Ego

When it comes to movement, I often see people continuing to do the same things and getting the same results. Overall, it’s not a bad thing, as they’re still moving and keeping themselves healthy, but we plateau when we don’t continue to make changes. 

It’s so important to always look to do something different. That doesn’t have to be a big dramatic change because consistency and quality of movement are always key. But it can simply mean thinking about changing the weight lifted, the intensity, or the length of the workout—always introducing something new. The body and brain both adapt and grow when we go out of our comfort zone.

I also think the best thing anyone can do is let go of their ego and start from wherever they are. Something in our brain always tells us that we’re the only person who doesn’t know how to do something, that everyone else can do it except us, but it’s just not true. We all have thoughts that we allow to get in the way of exploring and working towards new things. 

The best thing to do is acknowledge those thoughts, accept there’s help available and move in the direction we want to go. It’s also worth remembering that you don’t have to do what other people do; you just need to do what’s right for you.

It’s so important to be somewhere where the daily stressors hit pause temporarily. Where you can retreat, hike, try a new sport - basically do all of the things that constantly show you that you’re capable of so much more than you think. That’s the essence of what happens at a group retreat when you’re surrounded by like-minded people.

Plus, when you factor all of this into your adventures, it trickles into your daily life. You will try new things on home turf, say yes to different opportunities, and ultimately lead a more fulfilling life.

Kayla’s Mantra For Life

Our purpose in the world and life changes on a seasonal basis, and right now my purpose is  to leave people and places better than how I found them. I want people to leave interactions and relationships with me feeling better  about themselves. I try to empower people to discover and explore their potential, but also know they’re worthy and valuable already. And lastly that there is no need for comparison - being who they are is enough.

Join Kayla in Crete this July for eight days and seven nights of training, exploring and making new friends.