'I never thought I'd travel Greece with a group of strangers. Here's what I learned when I did.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Upstate

It's that time of year when we drag our feet towards the blessed holiday break after another year of girlbossing around the sun.

But life doesn't need to be the time spent between dreading your 9-5. In fact, wellness retreats have been exploding in popularity in recent years as a way to reset and rediscover what lights you up.

Consultant and podcast host, Maddison Sullivan-Thorpe told Mamamia she discovered Upstate Retreats, a female-founded venture by two Melbourne sisters, which offers wellness-led escapes to unplug, connect and make unforgettable memories. Maddison even attended an Upstate Retreat in Greece last August.

She stayed on the stunning Greek island of Amorgos, and was blown away by this joyful reset experience that was recommended by a friend. "I loved it so much. I have raved at anyone who will possibly listen," Maddison said.

This particular retreat in Greece is a seven-night stay where guests can wander through the charming Aegiali villages on a guided hike, lounge by the pool, swim in the ocean, get a massage, and move mindfully with two to three Upstate Reformer and Mat classes each day — all set against the jaw-dropping island backdrop.

Sounds like bliss? You'd be right. "Amorgos is quietly the most beautiful place in the world. This is arguably the most breathtaking place I've ever seen," Maddison admitted.

"I kept saying it kind of felt like the last little corner of the world that hadn't been touched yet."

So what exactly did Maddison learn from this experience? These are her biggest takeaways.

You need to make time to stop, pause and reset.

The Upstate Retreat gave Maddison a reminder that life doesn't need to be all about the hustle.

"There was a real moment to stop and pause. I think that doesn't happen all the time. It's an amazing studio — you can go and do Yoga, do Pilates and have a little moment of reprieve," she said.

The trip provided the ultimate joyful reset: more than just a vacay, the retreat was a chance to move, explore and rediscover how good it feels to fill your own cup.

Image: Supplied.

Never underestimate the power of girhood.

Along with delivering on Maddison's wellness journey, the trip allowed her to connect with strangers-turned-friends and foster a sense of community — and that's on girlhood, folks.

"Everyone just got on so well. It was really nice when you have those little moments, you're reminded that girlhood is definitely there," she said.

Image: Supplied.

Maddison was reminded that she can make connections with women of any age. "It's women of all ages, BUT somehow everyone just got on like a house on fire. I felt like I'd known everyone for ages."

Dive into new experiences without expectations.

Maddison had to throw away any preconceived ideas of what a 'health retreat' might be.

"I went in being like, 'Oh my goodness, they're gonna take away sugar and they're gonna take away technology or something!' We've got a warped idea of a retreat, but this wasn't like a biohacking summit [laughs] where it's like, you're gonna leave better than this," she said.

"If you want to have a cocktail at dinner, that's okay. No one's gonna shun you at the hot Mat class the next day."

Image: Supplied.

Doing stuff on your own is a freeing experience.

Maddison said it required a little bravery arriving on the first day on her own — not knowing a single soul — but she reaped the rewards.

"It was just learning you can go away and go somewhere by yourself, and how freeing it was. A lot of people had traveled alone," she said.

"There were people who had never actually been overseas by themselves before. For one girl, it was her first ever holiday… I thought that was just so nice. It is such a gift to give yourself."

When you push yourself out of your comfort zone, that's where the magic happens.

Image: Supplied.

Maddison wouldn't have experienced some of the once-in-a-lifetime moments without pushing herself out of her comfort zone.

"There were great day tours, and there are beautiful little towns that we went into. I think we paid like €12 each for like the best meal I've probably ever had in this lifetime," she said.

Maddison especially relished in her morning ocean swims as a chance to take a quiet moment to herself.

"We did an ocean morning swim every morning. While everyone was so chatty and friendly, once you were in the water, that was everyone's little moment of solitude," she admitted.

"You're watching the sunrise in water you can see your toes in. You're seeing these tiny little fishes swim by. It was one of those moments where you're like — this is living."

You don't need to be a gym junkie or pilates princess to go.

If you don't consider yourself particularly fit, then you need not worry about doing an Upstate Retreat.

"You don't need to be super fit to go. I will be the first to admit, I haven't been to that many Pilates classes. I was almost deterred by that," she recalled.

Image: Supplied.

"But you can do as much or as little as you want, class-wise," Maddison continued.

"This isn't a boot camp. There is no man yelling at you at the end. We don't all need to be Dua Lipa on a yoga mat — just do what works best for your body. It's not built for you to come back with like a six-pack, but I did feel quite strong and fit when I came back."

Being alone can help you rediscover yourself.

After the experience, Maddison was left with a stronger sense of self. "It was the perfect environment to come back and just to be myself. There was no noise, no pressure," she said.

"I think it taught me the gift of just pausing. Giving yourself a whole chunk of time isn't greedy or a luxury. That's just what you owe yourself. I came back so energised, fresh and fulfilled."

And Maddison can't wait to do it all over again. The Upstate 2026 International Retreat locations have been announced in Sri Lanka, Bali, Thailand, Greece and Vietnam — and Maddison already has her eye on her next trip.

"If I could do that once a year or even like once every two years, it would be perfect," she said.

"I'm doing Bali next year. And it was so sweet, so many of the girls were like, 'Do we all go together, so it's the same group?' This group's been really nice. I'm sure all of the groups are great, but we just clearly had an affinity for our own."

Sign up for the 2026 Greece Retreat with promo code MAMAMIA for $100 off.

Feature image: Supplied/Instagram/@maddisonsullivanthorpe.

Born in Geelong and now thriving with 16 bright, bold studios across Victoria, Sydney and Queensland (and counting), Upstate is where positive vibes meet powerful movement. Whether you're flowing through Yoga, sweating in Hot Mat or Boxing, or getting strong with Reformer Pilates, each class is designed to spark joy, connection and a positive state of mind. Upstate doesn't just move bodies — it empowers lives, through next-level Pilates Instructor Training, unforgettable international retreats and a community built on energy, mentorship and pure feel-good power. Want to give Upstate a go? Try the 30-day intro offer for just $59.