Critical Thinking: A Fun Mini-Retreat to Go Beyond Its Stifling Impact
Our minds like to think of the worst case scenario at times. It is one of those traits that can be useful when we are fighting for survival. However it can also be a trap that can keep us from trying new things, pursuing our dreams and sleeping soundly at night.
One of my clients was struggling to sleep due to several of these worst case scenarios that frequently kept her up at night. I suggested coming up with a few alternative scenarios. We brainstormed alternative scenarios together on the phone and some where so outrageous that we both laughed out loud. My client reported back a few days later that she has been sleeping soundly and that she had lots of fun creating alternative scenarios in her mind.
So, if worries keep you awake at night, try this fun Mini-Retreat to spice up your mind chatter with some outrageous what-if scenarios. Here are a few examples to get you started:
What if I loose my job?
- What if I get a promotion?
- What if I get recruited for my dream job?
- What if I decide to leave my job, sell the house and travel around the world?
What if my kids don’t find friends?
- What if my kids find lots of friends?
- What if my kids discover horsebackriding or music and want to do nothing else all summer?
- What if my kids start a small business and hire the neighbours’ kids?
What if my aging mother dies?
- What if she lives to be 115?
- What if she falls in love at the age of 85 with another charming senior?
- What if she passes on peacefully in her sleep one night without suffering having lived a fulfilling life?
Enjoy this Mini-Retreat!
Once you have come up with your own positively outrageous what-if scenarios, please leave a comment to inspire other readers.
The Joy of Life Unplugged ~ Don’t Miss Out This Summer
It is accepted and expected to be plugged in at all times, connected with a constant stream of information. Entering a coffee shop in this day and age reminds me of walking into the computer lab in my university days. Everyone is silently typing away on their laptops, i-phones and other electronic devices. Coffee shops used to be a place to meet and talk. They have become a place to communicate in cyber space.
During a short break at one of my workshop on Mini-Retreats, I noticed three participants standing close together, all of them checking their blackberries. When I asked why they were using their break in this fashion, one of them responded: “I don’t want to miss anything.”
So what do you miss, when you are afraid to miss out in cyber space?
You miss…
- Face-to-face and heart-to-heart connection with your family, friends and colleagues.
- Opportunities to strengthen the relationships that matter most in your life and work.
- Time for reflection and creativity.
- Connecting with yourself, your dreams and your goals.
You really don’t know what you are missing until you press the “off” button(s) and take the plunge into life unplugged. This might be scary at first, however the rewards far outweigh the risks.
Great Times to Unplug:
Meal-Time
Make breakfast, lunch and dinner, electronic free time zones and eat your meal in gratitude without interruptions.
One of my clients created a family policy to keep dinner time free of interruptions. Her husband was reluctant at first, because he was scared of missing important business calls. Once they enjoyed a few meals together, he thanked his wife for suggesting the new rule. He now understands that business calls can wait on the answering machine. He actually feels empowered and more in control, now that he is answering calls on his schedule.
While Driving
Since you are no longer allowed to drive and talk on your cell-phone in British Columbia, many of my 
clients tell me how much they enjoy fun Mini-Retreats while driving: red-light relaxer, moving to the rhythm and singing along with your favourite music to name just a few. Do yourself a favour and make your commute a special time to unplug and relax. You will feel more energized when you arrive.
Your First Hour at Work
As part of coaching, I help my clients increase their effectiveness. One of the steps towards more focus is to spend the first hour at work unplugged, working pro-actively on a project. It feels fantastic to achieve substantial results when the day is still fresh. You get much more done and feel more in control of your day at work.
Your Vacation
With wireless internet and easy access to the electronic highway of communication, it may be tempting to stay connected while you are on holidays. However, the purpose of your vacation is to relax and recharge. Create an automatic reply message for your e-mail and voice-mail and enjoy a true vacation.
Once you get a taste for the quality of life without constant interruptions, you will naturally want to create more time for life unplugged. You may even choose to make life unplugged the priority and limit your time on cyber space to certain hours of the day. Enjoy!
Please share your experience with life unplugged with other readers and leave your comments here.
NEWS from New York City
I am writing to you from the bustling Book Expo America in New York City where I am celebrating the two gold medals The Mini-Retreat Solution received from Living Now Book Awards and Next Generation Indie Awards.
It has been an amazing day! I have met so many wonderful talented authors today at the award ceremonies and am looking forward to sharing their insights with you on my blog. The spirit of generosity in sharing our experience with publishing and distribution is contagious. I am thrilled to be part of such a supportive community!
Of course I enjoyed many Mini-Retreats today. My favourite Mini-Retreat today was a picknick dinner in Central Park: feeling the fresh grass on my feet and sharing tasty, simple food with a fellow author. I LOVE finding and enjoying nature in the midst of this City!
I will be back in Vancouver next week and look forward to seeing you at the Mini-Retreat Workshop at Harmony Wellness on Tuesday, June 1st. The workshop is filling up quickly, so call 604-484-0389 today to reserve your spot.
This week, also tune into the P3 show with JoyTV, for an interview with Randall Mark on Mini-Retreats. The show airs on channel 10 on Thursday, May 27, 10pm and Friday, May 28, 8:30am and 3:30pm.
Frazzled, Stressed and Overwhelmed? – There is a solution…
… The Mini-Retreat Solution!
Join us for an evening of Mini-Retreats and learn how to:
- Improve your health, performance & happiness in minutes a day
- Relax and refresh, no matter where you are
- Create a supportive environment for a relaxed and happy way of life
Where: Harmony Wellness Centre, 736 West 16th Avenue (between Oak and Cambie Street) Vancouver
When: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 7pm-8:30pm
Your investment: $12.50 (early bird pre-registration) $19.50 (payment at the door)
Some of the nuggets participants took away from the evening of Mini-Retreats in March were:
- relief that I don’t have to spend much time to relax deeply
- clarity that there is always enough time to relax - in fact time will expand, if I do
- knowing that I will make better decisions, when I take a moment to relax
Call 604-484-0389 for more information and registration via phone.
Gold * 2 for The Mini-Retreat Solution
The Mini-Retreat Solution received the 2nd gold medal this weekend!
I am proud and happy to share the great news!
My book will be listed as a Winner in the 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog which will be distributed at Book Expo America (“BEA”) in New York later this month to thousands of attendees including book buyers, library representatives, media, industry professionals, and others.
My designer is busy figuring out how to incorporate the two gold medals in the cover page of my book. What a great “problem” to have! 
Please join me in celebrating yet another great recognition of this very helpful book.
