For the past 7 days, I lived in my tent with my family. I woke up with the sun (OK, not really... I woke up to my dog wiggling to get out of the tent), played in creeks and waterfalls, ate too many s'mores, biked and hiked until I was a sweaty, stinky mess, and laughed next to the campfire with some of my favorite people in the world. After months of feeling like I was in Groundhog Day, this week helped to change my attitude from grumpy to grateful.
One of the pillars of my business is helping people reset their internal compass, and it is important to me to make sure I do the same. Which is why when I felt myself living in a "scarcity" mindset, I knew it was time to get away from the monotony of Covid-19 and get into nature where I feel normal. One of my core values is "adventure", which I define as exploring the world around me, trying new things, or challenging myself physically, mentally, or emotionally. The easiest and fastest way to get a sense of adventure is to go on a camping road trip.
While I have been to Crested Butte many times, this trip was extra special because my daughter did her first mountain bike ride there, and I got to celebrate a dear friend's birthday with her first ride on the famous 401 trail. Everything about this week was amazing... the company, the food, the views, the weather. It was like Mother Nature knew that we needed this trip more than ever.
For me, the hardest part of Covid-19 is how much time we have spent at home. It seems like that is the safest place to be ("Safer at Home" has been the theme after all!) but it has also felt very confined and isolated at times. The sense of freedom and lack of agenda each day was refreshing in a time where so many things are off limits and routine has been the only thing providing a sense of normalcy to our day.
Getting back to my core values, releasing stress, and being outside really helped me to reset my own internal compass. If you are also feeling like you want to reset your internal compass, here are a few tips:
Identify your core values- I mentioned that my core values are adventure, community, and growth. I spent a lot of time over the past few years defining these, and this is a large part of my wellness work that I do with clients. Once you know your core values, you can filter every decision, purchase, and activity through that lens to see what fits and what doesn't.
Get rid of unnecessary things- Being out in nature, it is really obvious how much STUFF and how many TASKS we do each day that are not important. And once you know your core values, you can start to eliminate things that don't match them. Random kitchen tool you haven't ever used? Give it to Goodwill. Tired of mowing the lawn or pulling weeds? Find a neighbor kid who will do it for $10. Begin to notice what is really important and what you can start to eliminate.
Get back on your path- When you know what is important to you, you can start to make small changes each day that help you stay on track. Maybe it is something as simple as eating more vegetables ot taking probiotics to make your body feel better. Maybe you want to quit social media and have phone conversations with friends instead. There are so many little things we can do to create habits that help us live in alignment with our values.
And if you really want to reset your compass quickly, the 3-day Mind-Body Reset is a great way to kickstart new routines or break old habits.
Hope your day is filled with adventures and laughter!
This photo was taken on our evening stroll through the foggy, misty rain on the last night in Crested Butte. My friend kept joking that I was channeling my inner Ansel Adams because I stopped every few steps for another angle.