Why You MUST Find A Way To Unplug Occasionally…
ADVANCE CONFIDENTLY!
“Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.” ~Ernest Hemingway
The greatest gift you ever give yourself will probably come in the form of time…
Unstructured time is the gift many of us have forgotten to schedule into our busy lives. Sometimes, we must be reminded that almost everything works better if it is occasionally unplugged… Yes, that includes YOU!
I recently had an article delivered into my inbox by the prolific author Jeff Goins! You know you’re really on to something when you get an article in your inbox on a topic that you’re already writing about. His article was delivered into my inbox a week after my trip to Yosemite where I intentionally unplugged from my day-to-day activities so I could reconnect with both nature and my inner-being.
If we ever hope to accomplish what we’re truly capable of, it won’t be by working harder, hustling, grinding, or trying to find the 25th hour in the day. Trust me, it doesn’t exist, I’ve looked for it, I’ve searched for it, and I couldn’t find it anywhere.
The same way I searched for “someday” that fictitious place we create to park our dreams, I also was unable to discover the 25th hour because it doesn’t exist either. We each have 24 hours in any given day to accomplish whatever it is we choose and if we can’t manage our time within that 24-hours, we do make a mess of things! Resource on Time in the article link below:
If we don’t recognize time as a finite resource, we will find ourselves at the mercy of a life stuck on a hamster wheel with no ability to step off.
We must, and I will emphasize the must, we MUST make time for ourselves. We need space between the space. We need time between the time. The only way to make sure you get this most precious time is to schedule unstructured time into your day. Avoid the temptation to fill up every single minute. It can be intoxicating to look at a schedule that is full, from top to bottom, front to back, side to side, and say to yourself look at all that I’m doing, look at all that I have accomplished, when in reality, what you’ve really done, is cheated yourself out of the most important gift you could ever give, to the most important creature on the planet, “you.”
No one will be impressed when you show them your schedule and there’s no time in it for you. And, the truth is, there’s no way you can be as effective as you possibly can without making sure that you’ve taken the time to fill up your cup first. If you’re attempting to fill the cups of others without making sure to fill your own first, there will be nothing to pour into the lives of others. You cannot fill the cups of others from a depleted cup.
If you wish to make a real difference in the world then you absolutely, positively, must make time for yourself. This is non-negotiable. Well, hopefully, after reading this article, it will NOW be non-negotiable for you.
The purpose of this article is to get you to slow down long enough to understand that the only way for you to be the absolute best version of yourself is to make sure that you’re taking time for yourself. Unstructured time is the time we create on our calendar to reconnect with our breath. There is a space between our breath. We breathe in, and we breathe out. Between the breathing in and breathing out there is a space, there is a natural pause. I’m asking you to extend that pause. I’m asking you to intentionally extend that pause. Then, after taking the pause, I invite you to take a deep breath… Breathe in, breathe out, now one more thing, embrace the silence of the space between the space.
Our minds need room just like we need room. One of the best places to find the extra room we need is in the great outdoors. If the outdoors is not your jam, then maybe it’s the spa. I don’t know what does it for you, but whatever it is, you need to schedule time for it. Schedule unstructured time to embrace the space between the space. Schedule time to reconnect with your breath, to reconnect with your inner-coach, to silence all the chatter, including your inner-critic.
This is one of the greatest gifts you will ever give to your mind, and your soul will thank you later… It is the greatest gift you will ever give to your soul. It’s the greatest gift you could ever possibly give to your TEAM, to your family, and to your friends.
The “you” that returns to whatever it is you do on a regular basis to earn what you earn to provide for those you provide for, will be a “YOU” that is 10 times better than “the you” that left, than “the you” that was in the trenches, on the hamster wheel, grinding out the daily grind. Take a moment right now to reconnect with your breath.
Breathe!
And if you’re wondering about how you’re going to get everything done, let me remind you of something shared with me by my coach and mentor. He reminds me on a regular basis that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Let me say that one more time so it sinks in, so you don’t just read past the words.
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast!
When I slowed down to experience everything available to me in Yosemite National Park, I gained clarity about the direction of not only my next book but the future of my life. I saw in the space between the space a life that looks exactly as I choose, a life by design, a life designed by me, for me and those I intend to serve.
You will find my most recent article on Yosemite here: Bobby Kountz
I made a commitment to a life of service over 31 years ago and I’ve done my best to honor that commitment the best way I know how. However, until we’re ready to look in the mirror and truly see our own inner-awesomeness, or as Michael describes, our inner-awesome sauce, we will only ever be providing a sliver of what’s possible in the way that we can show up for others, because we must first learn to show up for ourselves.
I am done playing small. I am finished hiding in plain sight. I am ready, willing, and able to embrace my inner-awesome sauce and share it with the world in every avenue I can possibly think of so that I can create a ripple across the planet and make the world just a little bit better so that my grandkids can experience a world worth experiencing.
I can’t pretend the challenges that face our planet are so great that there’s nothing I can do. I may not be able to solve all the challenges that currently exist, but I can show up and do my part every single day. And one of the best ways I can show up is to make time for myself. If my cup is overflowing, then I will have more than enough to spread across the planet to create the ripple that I’m capable of creating to make the difference that only I can make by fearlessly sharing the story that is only mine to share and I invite each of you to do the same.
Find a way to share your story in a way that only you can share it, because no one else can share the story that is “you.” If you want to make a real difference in the world then embrace your inner awesomeness, stop hiding in plain sight, find your voice, and share your message!
Here is my promise; when you find your own authentic voice, when you discover who you really are and what you’re capable of, you will have more confidence than you could have ever possibly imagined. It will show up for you in everything you do. Your family will notice. Your friends will notice. Your team will notice. Your employer will notice. Everyone will notice and the most important person that will notice will be you when you go to the mirror when you see yourself for the very first time. I mean, to really see yourself, the REAL you, the you that you always knew was somewhere inside…
Most of us are barely scratching the surface of what we’re capable of.
If you want to take your life to the next level, then give yourself permission to get off the hamster wheel. Go out and connect with your breath, connect with nature, connect with the space between the space and when you do, you will find the “you” that’s been hiding in plain sight all along. When you return to the mirror and you take a long look, what you will see will be a vastly different you than you’ve ever seen. Because you will be seeing you, the real you, for perhaps the very first time.
PPAUSE • BREATHE • REFLECT…
My dear friend, mentor, and coach, Michael O’Brien has created a movement to get people to reconnect with their breath. The movement is very simply titled as you see in the line above, pause, breathe, reflect. He has a meditation room on clubhouse where he offers 5-minute meditations throughout the day, typically three to four times a day, and I’m inviting you to step off your hamster wheel and join us in the PAUSE, BREATHE, REFLECT room where you can get your breath on!
Get your BREATH on! Get your PAUSE on! Come reflect with us as we step off the hamster wheel of life to PAUSE, BREATHE, REFLECT… Join our 5-minute guided meditations to re-connect with your breath. You’ve got nothing to lose and a brand-new appreciation for life to gain! See YOU soon!
( https://www.clubhouse.com/event/xovkv9LY )
Finally, here’s a link to an amazing challenge: It’s the 20 Ripple Challenge to commemorate my friend’s last bad day ever! There are only 2 days left in the official challenge but any ripple you create is sure to make a difference!
My name is Bobby. I am The Inspirationalist!
I inspire people to pursue their gifts!
If my words somehow inspired you to pursue your gift, then I succeeded…
Advance Confidently is still the title of my next book, but you will have to wait to celebrate its release as I celebrate my 60th birthday. I have concluded the world doesn’t need another self-help book from me right now, so I am listening to my muse and will write a sci fi — personal growth, story of self-discovery instead. I believe you will be INSPIRED with the story that chose me to write it! I never saw it coming, but now that it’s here, I can’t wait to share it with all of YOU! I know it will be worth the wait because that’s my commitment to you, my readers.
Thanks in advance for your trust and patience!
In the meantime, I released a special audio short story on Twitter to commemorate my Independence Day and my 31st year of sobriety. You can watch the story here:
You can find me on Twitter @bobby_kountz
Keep Pedaling, Keep Going, Keep Growing!
Advance Confidently!
If you enjoyed and found value in this article, please share it.
In Gratitude,
Bobby Kountz, Author, Speaker, Sobriety Scholar, Inspirationalist!
PS. You can find out more about me here. You can find my book on Amazon.
