“The day’s work is not complete until the mind can rest as sound as the body.” ~ Patty Frisco

I spent two weeks at a spiritual retreat overlooking the ocean in Brazil several years ago.  I was the only American surrounded by others from every part of the world, including Australia, Europe, and the Middle East.

The idea of taking off two weeks was unimaginable to me, but to the others, it was simply normal.  In fact, many were heading off to spend another couple of weeks touring different parts of South America.

We were engrossed in deep conversations, looking at nature, walks on the beach, eating delicious organic meals, reading and attending evening lectures.

About a week into the retreat, one of the facilitators said to me, “Katana, I notice that you are always doing something.  You need to learn how to be present and just BE.”

Then she said something to me that I have never forgotten.  “For the mind to be totally healthy, we need eight hours of focus, eight hours of sleep and eight hours of allowing the mind to wander.” 

I think about this idea all the time and find it hard to do in our society.  Think about it for yourself and look at your day.  Ask yourself:

  • How do you allow your mind to wander?
  • What would that even look like to you?
  • How can you create the time every day for this to occur?

This is called mindfulness and comes during times of meditation, doing something you love like art, day dreaming, being in nature, bike riding, yoga.  This is when we become our most creative and where we can release tension and raise our vibrations. It is also an important aspect of self-care. I invite you to ponder this idea and then schedule time in your calendar to just BE PRESENT.

 

Katana Abbott, CFP®, is a Retirement Coach, founder of the Smart Women Companies, and the host Smart Women Talk Radio with over a million subscribers.  For over 30 years, Katana has shown women how to take charge of their life and finances and believes it’s never too early to plan for expected and unexpected events like retirement, encore careers, moving abroad, or preparing for long-term care.  She has written several books, created a financial literacy course, and is a popular speaker. Katana has been honored by NAWBO as one of Detroit’s Top 10 Business Women, receiving the Breakthrough Award. To download her new ebook, The Five Biggest Money Mistakes Women Make and How to Fix Them, visit www.katanaabbott.com