Unplug-and-Play

I didn’t know how badly I needed a break. I’m pretty good being in GO mode. And I coach my clients to plan for a weekend away every few months.  Well, I’ve been reflecting on my birthday get-away that was a couple of months ago. After coming off of a multi-city tour of speaking, coaching, and business building, I spent four days in the land of play.

 

My wife picked me up at an awards ceremony. She, in her jeans and t-shirt, and I, in my formal wear, left the Beverly Hilton hotel for an adventure at… Disneyland. It’s an odd choice, perhaps. And, that’s what we (my wife and I) do. 

 

We’ll do weekend get-aways.

We’ll plan trips here and there. 

And somehow, I always seem to be working because there’s always something next. Had I not been living in alignment? No, not really.

 

I’m sharing this story because we often know what to do. And we find “reasons” (aka excuses) for doing just a little more/different/etc.

 

Between the private screening of and awards ceremony for The Truth About Reading (a documentary on literacy that I was involved in producing) to a keynote speech I was to give at the Dream Bigger conference, I had my birthday get-away planned. Arrrggghhh… my birthday came at such an inconvenient time this year. 

 

Hah! It was perfect. And I needed it more than I knew. 

Yes, I use my birthday as a time to reflect and to plan for my personal New Year.

And this time, I used it to unplug. 

 

With nowhere to be and four days of being away to just enjoy each day and the experiences we could build, I put aside my phones (yes plural) quite deliberately. I opened my computer just twice each day, once in the morning and once each evening to review the slides for my keynote.  And I allowed the days to be filled with spontaneity.

 

I allowed relaxation, rejuvenation, and restoration.  

 

This was a deliberate move and it’s a reminder to you, dear reader, to plan your year ahead with days of unplug-and-play. Research on creativity and intelligence points to the need to do that. Again, that’s something I knew, but convinced myself I didn’t have time for. 

 

Be deliberate about where you invest your time and energy.

Gather the people and experiences around you that will elevate you as you serve to elevate others. And as I’m fond of saying, you can’t give what you don’t have. I didn’t realize how close to empty I was running until I refilled and refueled. Only in doing so, in elevating yourself, can you give to others from a higher place.

 

If you’re looking to invest in your personal and professional well-being, consider getting away for a couple of days, working on you in February in beautiful Napa! My signature elite Exponential Success Summit is made up of people like you! It’s a small group (of a dozen people or fewer) who are committed to their personal and professional well-being and growth. We’re in Napa on February 3rd and 4th. Seats have already been selling. To hold your place at the table and to save $1,000 off of the standard tuition, go to http://ExponentialSuccessSummit.com and use the code ESSFEB1K (that’s for Exponential Success Summit in February, $1K off).

 

See you there!

And see you here next week!

Keep making your magic!

 

= Wayne =