In September, I took some time off to get out into nature with Jeff Kinsey. This much-needed break gave me some time to recharge, reflect, and relax. My intentionality around this adventure allowed me to step completely away from business for a few days and gain new perspectives on life.
It was SO worth it.
Returning from three days backpacking in the Desolation Wilderness with Jeff, I extended my time away and eased my transition back to working life with a “life list” train ride back to Denver from Cali.
30+ hours on the California Zephyr was an experience I’ll cherish.
The extended adventure provided me the opportunity to not even be able to be rushed.
Slowing things down was exactly what I needed. An extended hike to camp the first day dovetailed into a “do nothing” second day, where Jeff and I scrambled around the massive rock features and high-alpine lakes west of Lake Tahoe. Another mellow hike out on the last day created a full experience where we didn’t have to be anywhere at any particular time. Refreshing, to say the least.
Extending the “do nothing” ethos to an evening in Napa hosted by Lisa M. Mae was just lovely, and the train ride home capped the adventure by continuing to slow things down and ease my transition back to the office.
My key takeaways:
- Make time for yourself where you can’t allow “normal life” to intrude.
- Do something new regularly. Novelty is an important component of growth and learning.
- Slow down. We’re inundated with stuff coming at us from every direction. Taking time to slow things down purposely allows you to understand better what’s most important and let go of those elements of your experience that aren’t serving you well.
If you want to hear more about backpacking, the logistics of train travel, or how to slow things down to create time, let us know by dropping us a line.
