2 simple things you can do to get new insight, inspiration or the sense of peace you crave in your life

Doesn’t time away from your usual routine and surroundings sound good?  Even if we are happy with our routine and  job – most people would welcome a break – especially if they could be assured that the break won’t bring about any unwanted disturbances in their life (loss of income, diminished reputation, travel or other personal problems, etc.). 

 

Sabbaticals are more than just “a break”.  They are defined as “a period of time during which someone does not work at his or her regular job and is able to rest, travel, do research, etc.” and “a break or change from a normal routine (as of employment).”  Usually this is done in order to achieve or experience something.  A study published in The Journal of Applied Psychology reported that sabbaticals reduce stress for prolonged periods.  Prolonged stress might otherwise evolve into job burnout – so if you are feeling burned out already, a longer period of time breaking your routines might be the remedy (i.e. 2 months – even a year).

 

Well, I’m heading out on my mini-sabbatical this week.

 

I’m off to Sedona, AZ to engage in a “Soul Adventure.” It’s time to practice what I preach!  I’m going for guidance and support as I take a step back and assess my direction, goals, ambitions – and to take a break from my (daily grind) as a business owner, coach, mother, wife, home owner, etc.  It’s time to focus on me – to redefine my direction and allow life and opportunities to align around me.

 

The key for this to happen lies in 2 simple things you can do to get new insight, inspiration or the sense of peace you crave in your life – make a dramatic change in:

1.  your routine

2.  your surroundings

 

For me, this will look like removing myself far from my east coast suburban/urban life and routine of working out at 5AM, getting kids off to school, working while juggling a home improvement project, prepping at least 2 different dinners every night to accommodate different dietary needs within my family and the usually nighttime kid routine of after school activities, homework, dinner, bath, bed AND one last peek at email and social media before heading off to bed myself – an immersing myself in the dessert in soul-searching exercises and spa treatments for a few days.

 

Often we get so caught up in serving others around us that things start to take us over – for me that looks like:

• piles of paper around my office (a.k.a. a bunch of good ideas with a lost perspective on how to initiate and accomplish them)
• a home improvement project that has my entire home in disorder
• 2 kids who are also bored by their daily routine or stuck in a daily rut of homework, activities they hate but won’t switch out of, video games, and complaining about the dinner menu
• a husband who I only seem to see “in passing” through our busy days

 

I was inspired to book this trip when I was reading a colleague’s blog about procrastination.  In her blog she challenged the reader to think about something they have been holding back on due to perceived constraints (i.e. time, finances, energy, etc.) and to imagine what could be possible if all those constraints were gone – what could be possible if you just moved forward?  I immediately picked up the phone and started my plans to go to this retreat in Sedona – I had my eye on it since late last Fall.

 

From time to time we all can benefit from time to walk away from the perceived chaos in our life and make a temporary yet dramatic change in our scenery and routine and go inward to let a new perspective, insight, sense of peace or sense of calm reveal itself – it’s a refreshed view about how you can best serve others AND care for yourself simultaneously!  It’s a view you could never obtain within your current routine – you must break the routine dramatically in order to let new experiences in – ones you may never even think to engage in within the structure of your daily grind – but those new experiences are the secret to shedding light on new insights.

 

Here are some ideas even if you can’t take a year, months, weeks or even a couple of days for a vacation…

 

• Go someplace you have never been before – maybe someplace that is out of “character” for you
• Make a dramatic change in your routine for a few days (i.e. wake up at 4AM and read something you find spiritually inspiring, work out, meditate, etc. and be sure you are in bed by 9PM – break your nighttime addiction to junk TV, video games, social media, etc. – at least for a period of time)
• Meet with people you have lost touch with – have coffee, lunch or write them a letter
• Connect with people you wish you knew – study their work, read their blog (and write comments on their social media or blog sites), apply to their seminars/programs
• Do activities you always wanted to try – imagine that no obstacles really exist to stand in your way
• Just say yes to invitations you get from others – even if you aren’t sure if you would enjoy the event – go on a “saying ‘yes!‘ adventure”

 

Look, even God rested on the “seventh day”.  Are you feeling like your “seventh day” has arrived?  Are you feeling emotionally (maybe even spiritually) let down by your job, your relationships, your life!  Don’t get dragged down further, let go of disappointed and overwhelmed feelings – you can do it!  I know we all can’t be Donald Draper from Mad Men – walking out of big client meetings on a whim and heading west in our Cadillac to return to work whenever we want with the next bright idea that immediately earns forgiveness from our employer.  But you can pamper and nurture yourself to let some new insights in and to reconnect with your sense of strength and power.

 

So take your sabbatical, vacation, or even just an hour – however much time you decide to invest, just remember the 2 simple things you can do to get new insight, inspiration or the sense of peace you crave in your life – make a dramatic change in:

1.  your routine

2.  your surroundings

 

Share your insights with me – reply with your comments to this post.  For sure I will be sharing my insights from my Sedona Soul Adventure with you in my next post!