(And that’s a good thing!)

Just about every time I take a Personal Retreat Day I do something very out of character for me:

I cry.

Typically, I’m not a leaky faucet (except at sappy movies). My grandfather was 100% German and I seem to have inherited his stoic, even-keeled nature. 

But about an hour into my PRDs, tears start to roll down my cheeks. It’s as if I’ve been bottling up all this emotion all month and I finally give myself permission to let it go. I’ll be walking in the woods, enjoying the sounds and sights of nature, and I’ll just start weeping. 

My tears underscore a principle I preach over and over: We desperately need time and space to do nothing. 

Think about all the existential angst we’ve been collectively carrying since, well, the pandemic and probably prior:

• Inflation, debt, & the increasing wealth/poverty gap
• Political unrest & division
• Conspiracy theories
• Climate Change
• The opioid epidemic 
• Gun violence
• Ongoing armed conflicts around the world
• Not to mention the personal challenges that each of us carry individually, day after day!

We need to build in rhythms of rest so we can process all this stuff. So that our minds, bodies, and spirits can heal. For more on that, check out this article which explains 4 benefits of crying.

I’ve been practicing monthly Personal Retreat Days for over 12 years now, and every month I learn something new about what to do and what NOT to do in a PRD. This year I’ve been especially intentional about NOT packing it with a bunch of activity. I’m allowing for more space to just BE with what IS. 

Here’s what this year’s PRDs have looked like:

I walk
I listen
I see
I notice
I think
I don’t think
I write
I nap
I laugh
And yes….

I cry