Pete Steadman describes himself as a “freedom-preneur.” And not just because he wholeheartedly embraces the journey toward Financial Freedom for himself, his family and the clients he coaches.
Rather, the Wales native, who credits his nose-to-the-grind work ethic to his father, a dairy farmer, sees Freedom as a release from the technological and material forces that weigh us down and squash our true spirits.
When people get into nature, they feel different. The desire to have the latest smartphone dissipates.
Reconnecting with nature
And so Pete, a world traveler and environmentalist, recently invested in 32-acre space near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. He has a vision of reconnecting people with nature. His plan to create a “conscious” retreat where travelers reconnect with their true values is well underway.
“I am constantly looking for new challenges, experiences and ways to positively impact the lives of others,” says Pete. “When people get into nature, they feel different. The desire to have the latest smartphone dissipates.”
And he has plenty of experience in navigating challenges, having bought his last business, a small boutique hotel, weeks before the financial crash in 2008.
“I was able to increase revenue by 300 percent through a recession and then sold it for twice what I’d bought it for in less than 7 years,” Pete said.
In order for real, significant change to take place, it has to be simple to adopt.
Quiet, conscious bliss
He sees his current business venture in Playa del Carmen, where he lives his wife Latisha and two sons, as an opportunity to marry his travel industry experience with his desire to preserve our planet. All while inspiring others to truly disconnect. But this is only the beginning.
Pete hopes Playa del Carmen is the start of something bigger — a network of high-end “eco” retreats. The intention is to help everyone from highly charged workaholics to individuals seeking a different kind of quiet, conscious bliss. Playa del Carmen, which is being built with the most energy-efficient buildings and materials possible, will offer enriching activities that connect people to their planets and each other. The goal is a balance of active and quiet within a luxurious backdrop.
However, Pete believes the spiritual and emotional transformation one experiences on a retreat shouldn’t evaporate once a traveler returns home.
“I’m hoping to go one step beyond [the typical retreat] in helping individuals bring some of the tools and ideas around sustainability, into their real world,” says Pete. “In order for real, significant change to take place, it has to be simple to adopt.”
We need to realign ourselves with the environment, our physical bodies, our friends, and others. Connecting with nature helps us connect with ourselves.
Escaping the workaholic trap
Pete arrived in Playa Del Carmen after a long journey through North, Central and South America. He says the retreat can also help people let go of financial dependencies, or addictions, to material things. All the tangible desires that ultimately lead to overwork.
Pete intimately understands this struggle. He’s had to do a lot of work to reframe his thinking around some of the lessons he was brought up with as the son of a workaholic dad who worked overtime to pay off debt.
“I came to realize that … this isn’t living, this is just existing,” Pete told Mindshift Money. “If my vision is to spend more time with my wife, then why am I working? If I am working for money, what am I spending money on? We need to realign ourselves with the environment, our physical bodies, our friends, and others. Connecting with nature helps us connect with ourselves.”
The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of MindShift.money.
image credit: Bigstock/artmim
Marisa Torrieri is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer specializing in personal finance, business, healthcare and technology. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and resides in Fairfield, CT. Her work has appeared in dozens of media outlets, including LearnVest, Forbes, The Washington Post, Business Insider, TIME and Health.com.