“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” ~ James Levin
When was the last time you had a day with no electronics? I’m talking no computer, no TV, no smartphone, and no email. Can you remember when you were last “unplugged” from the electronic circuitry that has become so much a part of our daily lives?
Does even just the thought of even doing that make your breath get shorter? Or have a zillion thoughts of all the reasons why “I can’t do that!” just popped into your mind?
There is something very powerful and magical that happens when we unplug and unwind from the constant bombardment of stimulation we get on a daily basis. Apparently we receive more mental stimulation and demands for our attention in a single day, than our great-grandparents had at the turn of the century in an entire year!
For brilliant business owners, it is critical to find ways to cultivate a sense of stillness and peace so that we can stay tuned into our creativity and draw upon the courage needed to build our businesses. Check out these X tips for how you can unplug and unwind easily!
In his book, Crazy Busy: Overstretched, Overbooked and About to Snap!, Dr. Edward Hallowell shares how in a “world gone ADD” there are many of his patients come to him feeling chronically inattentive, disorganized and overwhelmed.
He warns that our technologically-driven, fast-paced, 24/7 open-for-business society is overloading our brains and that we are suffering from a “culturally induced state of ADD”. He calls it the “F-state” which is when the individual feels “frantic, frenzied, forgetful, flummoxed, frustrated and fragmented”. Can you relate to that?
Living in a perpetual F-state takes a toll on our ability to create and sustain relationships with family, partners and friends. It creates impatience and poor listening skills. Enjoying and feeling satisfied in our careers can become a challenge if we operate in the F-state. Clearly, always living in the adrenaline rush that characterizes the F-state isn’t great for our health or peace of mind.
The goal is to move to what Hallowell calls the “C-state.” Here we are “clear, calm, collected, consistent, concentrated, creative, curious”? I personally would add the word “conscious” to that list.
Here are my top 5 strategies to hitting the “pause” button and finding a sense of calm in your busy life.
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Do Only What Matters Most to You
“While no one has total control over his or her life, most people have more control than they exert,” Hallowell notes. There are so many options available to us and technology that can get the job done, but it’s not feasible to “do it all”. Let what is most important to you guide you. We must accept we have limits and be willing to let go or say no to those things don’t speak to your heart.
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Practice Unplugging on a Regular Basis
Whether it’s for a week, a day or even just an hour, take some time to unplug yourself from electronics and other omnipresent sources of distraction. It’s hard to listen to the voice of our spirit or intuition when there is so much internal chatter and we are always exposing ourselves to external attention-grabbing media.
Whether it’s through meditation, yoga, taking a walk in nature or even taking a day of silence, some form of unplugging helps us get more clarity and helps new ideas and creativity to come into our awareness.
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Fuel Your Creative Juice
Take some time to do something that really feeds your creative juices. It might be taking a dance lesson, or trying out a new recipe, or just going for a walk in a new part of your town. Make time to let your creative side find more space in your life, and you’ll be delighted at how it will then spill over into your business leadership and decision-making too.
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Create a Positive Emotional Environment
Positive emotion is a powerful fuel to keeping you living in a C-state. Look at how you’ve designed your external world (that includes elements such as your physical surroundings and your friends) and make sure you set yourself up for success. Make playtime a priority, no matter how old you are!
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View Each Moment as a Precious Gift
The one resource we cannot create more of is our time – and we only get 525,600 minutes per year. What is the wisest, most impactful and heart-fulfilling use of your next minute? Living in a state of gratitude for the abundance you have helps you cut through all the distractions and reconnect to your true values and priorities.
STEP INTO YOUR BRILLIANCE
Come up with one “unplug” action step you can take within the next 7 days. Whether it’s to not turn your computer on until noon, or to get out to a yoga class, make a decision to create the time and space for more inner reflection and stillness in your life. Mark it down in your calendar and go do it!
© 2011 Carolyn B. Ellis All Rights Reserved
Carolyn Ellis is the Founder of BrillianceMastery.com, a Certified Money, Money Marketing & Soul Coach, Money Breakthrough Method Coach and True Purpose Coach. She publishes “Bits of Brilliance” weekly to nourish the soul, feed the mind and fuel the purpose of heart-centered, conscious women entrepreneurs and business owners so they can truly master and express their brilliance with power, passion and profitability! To receive a copy of her “7 Secrets to Unlocking Your Brilliance as a Woman Entrepreneur” Breakthrough Kit, please visit www.BrillianceMastery.com