The Power of Chillin'

My family just returned from a week in the mountains of Colorado. We were in the spectacular setting of Snow Mountain Ranch, aka YMCA of the Rockies. We tie-dyed shirts, rode horses, hiked, made s'mores, played miniature golf (a new favorite of my 3-year-old), and hurled down the Winter Park alpine slide as many times as we could cram in to our half-day pass!

Best of all - no television! Sure, I missed my nightly wind-down with HGTV and my daughter missed "Curious George," but after a day or two we hardly noticed. We actually found ourselves conversing in the evenings, or spending time with other people. We went outside and looked at the moon and stars and smelled the pine trees all around.

What does this have to do with Life and Career, you ask? Not much. Except that a pleasant change of scenery always lends fresh perspective.

I went away thinking I would write a few chapters in my book, make a lot of notes and come back with a jump on some projects. Didn't happen. Instead, I came back with a greater appreciation of all that I already have. Some of the things I was spending my energy on before vacation seemed silly once I could put some distance between myself and them. Other things now seem way more important and I will focus on those with fresh energy.

Perspective. If you haven't stepped away from the very things that are consuming your thoughts right now, I encourage you to do it. I never cease to be amazed by the power of stepping back. Chillin'.

If you can't take a full blown vacation, the next best thing is to completely change your routine for a day or two. Get up at a different time, change the order of things, go different places than you normally do. Shake it up and shake out the cobwebs. It will do you a world of good!