Reminder: First Friday is actually Second Friday for July. No good internet for me for this past Friday means no way to connect well with you. I look forward to being with those of you who can attend July 12th at the same bat time 7:45 am Pacific.
It’s a little strange and also wonderful to be without the internet.
I used to dislike it.
All those piled up emails waiting in my Inbox once I reconnected.
Ugh.
I believed I was falling behind.
Have you thought of yourself as “behind” when it comes to something in your life?
It doesn’t have to be about checking emails or doing creative work for business. People feel behind when they take classes, or read books for a book club. People feel behind with their life plans, development, goals. They feel behind with projects, dreams, organizing their closet.
When you run a business, you always have tasks you could be doing: bookkeeping, website updates, outline for upcoming classes, a gazillion things to manage.
In these past days of travel for me (being at my cousin’s wedding and celebrating for 4 days) the internet is very intermittent and very slow.
But sometimes….emails came through and downloaded like they did just today. The signal grew strong.
How did I always react when I believed it was critical to be connected virtually?
I’d get in my car and drive to places where the internet worked, even though I was on vacation. Seriously.
My belief for several years was I had to be working on my business, diligent, responsive, Grace Notes blog daily, updates, follow-ups.
Something happened (including carpel tunnel on my thumbs from daily writing)…
…and the intensity simply slowed down and no longer felt “critical” or “important”.
In fact the last time I was at Breitenbush where they have absolutely zero cell phone or internet, I didn’t bother to come out of the woods even once to “catch up”.
I couldn’t perceive it as “catching up” anymore.
With what? What was behind?
Who would I be without the story I need to work, be on top of my emails, check messages, do the next thing?
Relaxed.
Noticing what’s around me and enjoying it. Connecting with people.
Not having a concern about the future, or what I needed to be doing in it.
Turning the thought around: I do not need to do what I think I need to do, I do not need to connect to the internet, I am NOT behind….and I can if I want.
Today, apparently it’s the way of it to write this inquiry today, and let you know I’m thinking of you.
Without the belief something MUST happen, it happens or not, and both are OK
Much love,
Grace
Summer Camp For The Mind starts on Monday, July 8th.
- Monday 7/8 from 4:00-6:00 pm PT Click HERE to join.
- Tuesday 7/9 from 8:00-10:00 am PT. Click HERE to join.
- after you’re connected on either day, enter the password “summerpeace”
Autumn Retreat starts the evening of Thursday, October 17th and ends Sunday at noon. Near White Haven, Pennsylvania. Read about it or sign up here.