I recently spent a week at a small leadership retreat in the North Georgia Mountains.
It. Was. Magical.
The leaves were at their peak of color. The sky was crystal clear and so blue it hurt my eyes to look at it for too long. Seriously, the dazzling display of color and natural wonder in this area of the world brought me to my knees.
For four days, I immersed myself in the gorgeous natural environment surrounded by trees and mountains and birds and awe-inspiring sunrises and engaged in the process of self-discovery.
Here are some notes that emerged from my experience. These are simple suggestions for how to begin or enhance your process of self-discovery:
1. Create the habit of checking in with yourself daily, ideally first thing in the morning before the external world storms in and then in the evening after the day’s chaos subsides. If you can also learn to do this during the chaos, all the better.
Bonus tip: Extending gratitude to yourself and others during this check in works wonders.
2. An effective question to ask during check in:
"What do I need right now?"
How you answer this question will provide guidance for your next move which could include:
- Drinking a glass of water
- Eating a snack
- Taking a walk
- Taking a nap
- Reading a chapter in a new or favorite book
- Calling someone you love
- Absolutely nothing
3. Add a solo date somewhere unexpected or out of your usual routine to your calendar in the next 7 days and commit to it. It could be for an hour or an entire weekend. Self-discovery requires alone time. Do something by yourself for yourself to clear your mind and gain a new perspective.
Some ideas:
- Go to a museum
- Go to a play or movie
- Eat lunch or dinner at a new restaurant
- Listen to an entire album you’ve never listened to before on vinyl and read the liner notes
- Take a trip for a night or two to a city you’ve never seen
- Drive a road or route in your city or town you’ve never driven before
Small endeavors can generate big results even if at the time it doesn’t seem like we’ve done much.
The Process of Self-discovery Is Easier than We Think
Throughout the retreat, we were encouraged to take a nap during our break time. Nothing extravagant. 20-30 minutes would do the trick.
I haven't been much of a napper since my kids were small, but I was willing to give it a go.
An interesting thing happened.
I discovered how much I like taking a 20-30 minute nap in the afternoon. I feel more refreshed and energized heading into the dinner hour and evening when I give myself time to close my eyes and drift into sleep.
I also sleep better at night on days I take a nap.
Who knew?
Now it's your turn. Pick something from one of my suggestions and see what happens.
You can also reflect on what you've done by yourself in the past that has added to your process of self-discovery.
If it's been a while since you've given yourself the gift of time alone, get something booked on your calendar ASAP.
It will make a difference. You just don't know what you will discover!
