My vacation officially begins today at 4:00 pm Eastern Standard Time! 

There is always excitement and anticipation knowing you are thiiiiiiiiiiiis close to shutting it all down and heading out for fun, adventure, rest, recovery, and in my case the search for great food, food, and more food.

Yet as I’m winding down this week and planning for what my return, the week after next, will bring, I can’t help but think that maybe next week is about more than the list of “to-dos” above. After all, the ushering in of August means that summer is nearing its end (at least in the Northern Hemisphere). Some of us (myself included) may have kids heading back to school this month or next. For others, the realization that more than half the year has already zoomed by might be a stark realization. And even others might be taking stock of their “yearly goals” and measuring how near or far they are to their accomplishment.

No matter where you are, literally or figuratively, I challenge us to use part of next week to take some time to REST, REFLECT, and RESET (if needed) as to where you are now in your own world.

DO THIS RIGHT NOW…
Open your calendar.
Find a block of time next week (no less than one hour, preferably more) where you can place yourself “out-of-office”

This is Time Devotion and you earned it and you owe it to yourself.

During this time, try some of these:

  • Go for a walk.
  • Journal something you’ve accomplished this year or something you want to accomplish before the end of the year. 
  • Buy the school supplies or backpack you know you’ll need anyway.
  • Think about a project you “haven’t had the space or time to think about.”
  • Sit outside and gaze at what passes by. Notice where your thoughts go.
  • Make a “Fun Do” list. Like a To Do list with stuff you actually want to do.
  • Evaluate your goals and ditch those that no longer serve where you are.
  • TAKE A POWER NAP and give yourself permission to do it!
  • Send funny emoji texts to people you haven’t connected with in a while.
  • Place a phone call (OMG, I know, right?!?!) to someone whose voice makes you both smile.
  • Think about whatever it is that you keep pushing to the back of your mind because you haven’t wanted to think about it…

Gifts are better when you share them. I want to share my rest and reset time next week with you as well. I’m going to try my hardest to gift time to some of the above. Will you gift yourself the same?

And just because I think it might be fun….
Here are a few clues about where we’re heading; email me if you know! 

  • It’s in the United States
  • It has great popcorn and pizza
  • There’s no better place to see a “ballgame”
  • Synonymous with Bob Fosse (for my theatre buffs out there)