Low Battery
I was in Port Aransas, Texas, last week for a getaway with friends, and we met up with a friend who lives in the area. He recently started a business, and things are booming. He kept talking about how it was great to see us, and we were a great excuse to have a night off. He went on to tell us that he was working long days and missing the time that he used to spend with his family and granddaughter. He loves his business, and he is very grateful that things are going so well, but he kept talking about all of the things he was missing. Things he didn’t have time for anymore.
I wanted to coach him so badly, but a good coach doesn’t coach a friend who hasn’t asked for coaching. I did suggest that he schedule a day (or even just an evening) off every few weeks for his peace of mind and health. He gave me a story about how he had to be there, how busy he was and how his customers depended on him. Blah, blah, blah. My friend captains and customizes boats, and I bet my last dollar that he would never take a boat out, even for a short trip, without the proper maintenance and once-over. Yet, he couldn’t see that taking care of himself is just as important as maintaining the boats. So, I smiled and let it go.
But it got me thinking about how important it is to recharge your battery and reset your mind. That was why I was in Port A in the first place. I was on a “workcation.” I needed a change of scenery and some intentional joy. So, I packed up my laptop and headed to the beach. One day was cold (Texas cold) and very windy, so I didn’t even leave the condo. I sat inside with a view of the ocean and worked, and although I was working, I was really in a good, relaxing headspace. I would look up every now and then and just take it all in.
You don’t have to spend a week at Miraval to relax and unwind. You just have to make some space, mentally, to let it all go for just a while and reconnect with YOU. Just get quiet and go deep and examine what is going on. Or relish in the fact that nothing is going on. Or spend real, undistracted time focused on your loved ones. Just take some time to stop and really tune in to life, your life, and your world.
That is where the magic happens, where you can tune in to what is truly important or figure out what is important to you. You spend so much time racing through life at full speed (even if right now, it is more just the thoughts running through your head) that you forget how important downtime is for physical and mental health. So, don’t forget to make time to recharge and reset before your crash and burn, even if you only carve out a few hours every couple of weeks.
Make time to live…
Your Day. Your Life. Your Dreams. Your Way.