For centuries the practice of taking time out to do something different has been recognised as a sure-fire way of recharging your batteries, igniting your enthusiasm and solving problems. Indians, I’m led to believe, do it more than any other nation. People with religious beliefs do it once a year, in the Western world we are not always great at taking time out, I know many people, especially those running their own businesses who can go for many months without a break!
We can all however benefit from this very simple step of taking a summer retreat. You don’t have to take weeks off or jet off to a tropical island or spend a week as a hermit on a mountain top. Even taking one day off will release amazing benefits, and the best part it doesn’t cost anything!
Many of my clients benefit from taking time out from their busy personal or business lives. When you put a little distance between yourself and your routine challenges or issues, you see them from a different light and a different perspective. With your head clearer you may even create space for new ideas, as they come to you as flashes of inspiration that can lead you to take the action needed to resolve an issue or create a new opportunity.
Creating your own Summer Retreat.
If you take something like an apple and hold it very close to your face so it touches your nose, you will see a very small part of the apple. Hold it at arm’s length and you will see the whole apple, its textures and its colours. Look at it from the other end of the room and you wont see the detail but you will see it in the perspective of its surroundings and in true proportion. It’s the same with issues or problems, you add distance and see them from a new angle.
The Summer is a fabulous time to do this. Simply set a weekday date in your diary right now, when you can take off to the beach, countryside or hills. Go by car, bike, public transport or foot, but make it somewhere you’ve never been before and where you can be sure of some space alone. Set off early and plan to be out the whole day. Leave your mobile phone behind and travel light. Then just wander around for the day, thinking of nothing, focusing on the ‘now’ experience.
Many coaching clients are amazed how easy it is once they put this in place. They are ‘off the leash’ and just by being in a different place they find that their thoughts turn to solutions and answers rather than problems and challenges. Remember ‘You create in life what you think about’
So, make the date in your diary now. Look forward to it, keep it without guilt, enjoy it and return refreshed.
Your one day summer retreat may just be what you need to
recharge your batteries and create the results you know you deserve.
‘If you do the same, in the same way, you will get the same results’