Back in my backpacking days I spent a lot of time in Thailand. One of my most memorable moments was sitting on a southern beach, with one of my closest friends, drinking beers and watching the sun go down. The vibe of the place was incredible, it was a scuba diving island called Koh Tao. Lots of healthy, chilled out, at one with nature scuba divers mixing with grateful tourists and happy locals. Everyone united by the beauty and simplicity of the place.
I remember feeling closer to understanding the truth of the world, of us, of what I’m all about in those moments than ever before. Being around such beauty I felt like I was allowed into a secret. I felt chilled out, at peace and full of optimism.
Sometimes, in the modern hectic world of owning my own business I feel like I’m spinning plates. It feels like I’m approaching things at the speed of light, heading down a motorway with lots of racing cars around me, trying to keep up. When I approach my work from this perspective I feel exhausted and unmotivated.
However, when I think back to my Thai beach experience, I immediately connect back to that feeling of peace and optimism. And when I’m connected to that feeling life and work become so much more manageable and light. It’s like taking a big breath of fresh air and going back to the to-do list not from a place of manic panic, but from a place of chilled out understanding that the most important things are health, joy and internal happiness.
So I encourage you to give yourself a moment to think back to a time when you felt totally alive. Remember all of the elements at play, the sounds, colours, tastes, smells. Remember who was around you and how they made you feel. Remember who you were being at that time. And when you have that moment in mind, look at everything you have in your life right now, and notice how this new perspective makes things seem.
I’d love to hear what came up for you in the comments below.
