Camila Mendes: Week-Long Retreat Changed Her Life

Camila Mendes decided happiness matters more than hustle, and a week away from her phone changed everything.

The actress checked into the Hoffman mental health retreat for seven days with no phone and no distractions. She spent the time doing intensive psychological work on herself after realizing she'd been texting friends "sorry, life has been really crazy" for two straight years.

"Something's got to change because the way I'm living my life is not making me happy," Mendes told Josh Smith's Great Chat Show. She recognized patterns of saying yes too often, struggling to set boundaries, and holding herself to impossibly high standards.

The retreat gave her space to reset and figure out what actually mattered. When she left, Mendes felt she knew herself better than ever and started making real changes to live more authentically.

Her definition of success shifted completely. "I don't need to be this mega successful person," she explained. "I want to have enough success to live a happy life. If at any point my success is getting in the way of my happiness, it's not worth it."

The 31-year-old actress also opened up about her 10-year journey with body image. A decade ago, she struggled with an eating disorder and wanted to be thin. Now she's intentionally gaining weight and building muscle through weight training.

"That was such a full circle moment of, like, wow, look how much I've grown since I started out in my career," Mendes shared. Therapy played a crucial role in her recovery, and she was surprised by how effective it was.

Weight training taught her about strength beyond appearance. "Women need to lift," she said. "You're not going to get buff. You're just going to have stronger muscles, and you're going to look toned, and you're going to feel stronger within yourself."

Why This Inspires

Mendes demonstrates that seeking help isn't weakness but wisdom. By stepping away from constant busyness and doing the hard work of self-examination, she found freedom from patterns that weren't serving her. Her story shows that healing isn't linear, and it's never too late to redefine what success means for you personally.

She feels comfortable sharing her eating disorder story now because it's become another part of her journey rather than her whole identity. The distance from that difficult time gives her perspective on how far she's come.

Her message resonates because so many people find themselves texting the same "life is crazy" excuses year after year, never stopping to question if that frantic pace is actually necessary or healthy.

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is pause, reassess, and choose happiness over the version of success that's making us miserable.