Personal Retreat: Time for You
Last week I got to the point where I was feeling overwhelmed. If I allowed myself, I could work twenty four hours a day. Keeping up that pace, however, is not feasible. I was beginning to feel the strain of it all. I felt it so much so that I was beginning to shut down. I was not motivated to continue working. I simply could not keep moving forward without recharging. So on my day off, I checked into a hotel near the beach for a much needed personal retreat.
When most people think of a vacation they think of sight seeing and exploring someplace foreign to them. Instead, I retreated to an area that I knew well. I spent hours on the couch watching crime dramas on television in my hotel loft suite. I walked. I drank some wine and ate lots of snacks. I spent very little time on the Internet. I did not dine in restaurants, but opted instead to go to the market and eat in the suite. You may be thinking that this doesn't sound like much of a vacation, but to me it was.
You see, the key to a personal retreat is to step out of your ordinary surroundings, return to a state of keen awareness and gratitude and "recharge your battery". Another key is to engage in activities you don't normally engage in. For example, at home I don't watch television. So for me, spending hours on the couch doing that is relaxing. Being off the Internet for a long time, when you use the Internet daily for work, can also be relaxing.
I spent some time walking near the beach and contemplating how I'd like to create my life. I spent some time thinking about what has shifted and the losses I've experienced. I spent some time healing and growing my soul.
Spending time in solitude, walking, and contemplating your life can give you the much needed recharge that is necessary in order to continue doing the good work you do every day. If you are not recharged, you will not have anything to offer anyone else. What can be drawn from an empty well?
Many believe it takes a lot of money to get away, but it probably costs less than you think. Groupon, LivingSocial, and several other discount sites often offer hotels and local getaways at half price or even more off.
So take the time for yourself, even if only for a few hours or a day. Take time for you.
When most people think of a vacation they think of sight seeing and exploring someplace foreign to them. Instead, I retreated to an area that I knew well. I spent hours on the couch watching crime dramas on television in my hotel loft suite. I walked. I drank some wine and ate lots of snacks. I spent very little time on the Internet. I did not dine in restaurants, but opted instead to go to the market and eat in the suite. You may be thinking that this doesn't sound like much of a vacation, but to me it was.
You see, the key to a personal retreat is to step out of your ordinary surroundings, return to a state of keen awareness and gratitude and "recharge your battery". Another key is to engage in activities you don't normally engage in. For example, at home I don't watch television. So for me, spending hours on the couch doing that is relaxing. Being off the Internet for a long time, when you use the Internet daily for work, can also be relaxing.
I spent some time walking near the beach and contemplating how I'd like to create my life. I spent some time thinking about what has shifted and the losses I've experienced. I spent some time healing and growing my soul.
Spending time in solitude, walking, and contemplating your life can give you the much needed recharge that is necessary in order to continue doing the good work you do every day. If you are not recharged, you will not have anything to offer anyone else. What can be drawn from an empty well?
Many believe it takes a lot of money to get away, but it probably costs less than you think. Groupon, LivingSocial, and several other discount sites often offer hotels and local getaways at half price or even more off.
So take the time for yourself, even if only for a few hours or a day. Take time for you.
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