Personal Success Strategy: Schedule an Appointment to Mentally Rest

“It is the journey that brings us happiness, not the destination.” – Dan Millman – Peaceful Warrior

Have you ever felt as if your mind was about to burst from overwhelm?

Have you ever felt that nothing is going right no matter what you do?

Do you feel immobilized when you search for answers and none seem to appear?

Are you distracted by watching TV, eating when you’re not hungry, or anything else that keeps you from meeting the challenges inherent in transformation?

It’s not uncommon for people to get so caught up in the quagmire of struggle when going through change that they forget to rest. Yes, a mental break to leave behind the daily worries and routines that take up a lot of time.

Doing more of the same unproductive strategies or forcing yourself to follow through with uninspired actions causes more harm than good. Even when good things are happening all at once, it can be stressful keeping up in uncharted territory.

When you feel yourself spinning in circles or stressed beyond your limits, take a mental break by doing something creative and relaxing. The creative act can be something as simple as visiting a museum, window shopping, or taking a walk. Do something unrelated to what you’re striving to find an answer for. By doing something out of the ordinary, you engage your right brain where your imagination resides, giving your left brain a break!

Make an appointment to rest. Your mental break date is exempt from normal daily activities. Take a break from left-brain routines and go somewhere that stimulates your imagination and gives you a well-deserved mental break. Give your problem-solving mind a break to access your inventive, intuitive, and imaginative powers. Maybe it’s going to a museum that you tell yourself you’d like to visit, but you keep putting it off. Maybe it’s reading a nonfiction book, picking up an unfinished creative project, or taking pictures in nature.

We miss the boat when we don’t allow ourselves creative time that allows our imagination the space to do its part in giving us new perspectives. Pushing and producing to find answers just causes more delay. Not only that, but when we keep applying stress to find a solution, we usually end up with recycled data that is akin to a broken CD stuck in the same grove. We need to use a source that we carry with us everywhere 24/7: the right side of our brain!

There are two hemispheres in the brain: a right side where our imagination is ready to create and the left side of the brain to take what we create and make it happen. Unfortunately, most people get stuck in the left side of the brain and neglect the wonderful and creative right side of the brain. Of course, the opposite is true when someone can be very creative and neglect the logical side of their brain. For the purpose of this writing, I am focusing on those who allow the left hemisphere of their brain to rule.

When you give yourself a mental break, you let go of the attachments you have to finding solutions, leaving room for your imagination and intuition to bring you new possibilities with ah-ha moments. Whether or not you’re stressed out while going through a career change or looking to play a bigger leadership game, take a mental break by doing something creative and you’ll be amazed at the possibilities that come to mind and what you attract.

Questions for a brain break appointment:

• What creative activities would you like to engage in for a brain break date?
• What difference do you think taking time out would make to your attitude?

Tips for a mind break date:

• Make regular creative time for a brain break date for a minimum of two hours a week.
• Using free time to use your imagination is to your advantage not only for your problem solving problems, but also for your health and well-being.
• Keep a list of possible brain-break activities handy.

Remember: anything is possible!