I spent a weekend at Crow Wing Crest Lodge in Akeley, MN relaxing a couple of weeks ago.  I don’t do this often and really need to do it more!  There isn’t much that I would allow to interfere with the two weekends I spend there each year.  It’s my time to get away, to relax, to do what I want to do when I want to do it.  I make few commitments for my time there and spend a fair amount of time alone.

As I have shared before, I come from a background of feeling like I can’t ever do enough.  I never do good enough.  Work needs to be hard.  Making a commitment to this weekend was a big step for me when I started it a few years ago.  I stay in a cabin that has enough cell coverage to send an occasional successful text, not enough coverage to make a phone call.  I stay in a cabin that never has internet connection.  People say, knowing me like they do, they can’t believe I wouldn’t look for a different cabin but I love this cabin and the lack of being plugged in is a big part of what I like.  I know it will be this way and I enjoy it.  If I want to spend a little time working or surfing, I can go to the lodge.

These weekends haves been one of the most solid pieces in my year for a few years now, allowing me to gain clarity over what I need in my life and I get a lot of message while I’m there.  I think it’s really important to unplug for a while periodically and spend some time introspectively.   I have gotten pretty good at communicating with people what I need during this time and, for the most part, people have respected it.

In addition to the time I spend away, I’m getting better at unplugging at a decent time almost every night.  Because I am enough.  I do enough. I have enough.  I have to in order to hear the voice inside of me…in order to stay somewhat sane (some would say this is questionable)…to live.

What do you do to make time for yourself?  How do you unplug?  How often do you unplug?

These beautiful pictures were taken by Val Medeiros.  She is one of my best friends and also took my Website In A Day Retreat and I’m pretty impressed with how hard she worked on her site and what she absorbed in our workshop!  Be sure to check out her site for more beautiful photography and wonderful messages.