There exists a time-honored folk story of a young woodsman and a seasoned lumberjack. The robust young woodsman energetically attacked the towering oaks chopping and chopping all day long, never stopping to rest. The grizzled lumberjack, chops a little, sits down and rests, chops a little more and rests. At the end of the day the grey beard had harvested twice as much lumber as
Most of us go throughout our days in auto-pilot. Eat, sleep, work, repeat has become a mantra for the frenetic pace of the daily grind. That’s why taking regular Personal Retreat Days is so important – it interrupts the habitual flow of mindlessly moving from one day into the next and gives you a blessed opportunity to simply THINK and BE.
How do you make sense of all your daily events and happenings? The short answer: by journaling! I’m a huge believer in the power of journaling. It’s something I do every morning without fail. If the thought of keeping a journal makes you shudder, have no fear! There are many ways to journal, and I promise at least one of them will resonate with you.
I firmly believe that examining your past helps you create a better future. During your Personal Retreat Day, spend time looking back at the previous month.
Of all the valuable tasks that I perform every day, reading is way up there on the list of my most essential activities. Reading educates, informs, and expands one’s worldview. I try to start my day with a mug of coffee and about 20 minutes of non-fiction reading.
By far, the most effective way I’ve found to begin my own Personal Retreat Day is with moderate exercise. The best kind of exercise to get you in the right frame of mind for the rest of your PRD involves motion that leaves you feeling energized, not exhausted.
Happy New Year! Let’s make 2022 our best year ever. Here are three EASY and FUN activities that you can do in less than five minutes to set you up for success. Grab your journal and let’s get started!
What can we do when we’ve set meaningful goals, and then something comes along that sabotages our best intentions?
In January many people choose a word to focus on throughout the year. This word serves as a guiding focus, a compass they return to as they filter through life’s decisions. I love this idea but in my experience, selecting a word for each month works better for me than a single word for an entire year. That’s because seasons come and go, and what you need in January may not serve you in the summertime.
Creating and sticking to a solid morning routine sets your compass for each day. I’ve come up with a routine that works for me, setting the right tone for the hours ahead. I use this time to remind myself of what’s most important and plan out the workday.
I suffered from burnout while working as a key crew member on a movie shoot. Although it was a painful experience to endure, I learned a lot about myself, about the film industry, and about burnout. A friend of mine when facing difficult situations often quips: “if it’s not a good time, at least it’s a good story!” I absolutely love that quote and will add: “if it’s not a good time, then learn something from it.”
We all have seasons of life that are unusually busy, seasons where we get stressed out, overwhelmed, or burdened. The question is, can we still thrive through these seasons?
I hate breaking promises. When I started this newsletter I promised to send it monthly – no more, no less….yet I’ve allowed three months to slip right on by! However, I’ve decided to give myself grace for an unusually busy season of life and I hope you’ll forgive me as well. My even deeper hope is that everyone reading this will glean some lessons from the
April is here! How busy is your life right now? March was absolutely crazy in our household. We moved from an urban apartment into a house in the ‘burbs AND I’m working full time on a feature film! Did I still manage to squeeze in a Personal Retreat Day in March? Just a mini-version. When life gets intense, that’s OK! Read on… Latest from the Blog Ummm…hello?
Lists are a fantastic and easy way to record memories from the past month. They can be used to track progress towards a goal, or simply help you check in with your inner self.