Driving home during a sunny rainstorm after a weekend away, I was deep in thought about the week ahead when I noticed quite a few cars pulling over in the breakdown lane and people getting out and looking at the sky. I didn’t see anything special ahead and continued driving a few miles before I happened to look in my rear view mirror and noticed a magnificent rainbow. Oh, that’s what all the excitement was about, I realized, as I pulled over and got out to gaze at the beautiful sight and take a picture. I was grateful I hadn’t missed it entirely.
How many times are we rushing so quickly to the next thing that we don’t pay attention to what is happening right around us? Often, in our everyday life, we commute to work and then are surprised that we don’t remember what happened along the way or how we got there. In this busy world we live in, we often let the routine rule the day or the urgent take hold of us. Many of my coaching clients rush from meeting to meeting with barely a minute to think, and yet how much better it would be if only they could stop, clear their heads and reflect. If we can hit the pause button, it is during the quiet moments that the best results and most innovative ideas have room to blossom.
Carve out some moments of your day (start with 15 minutes) to sit by yourself to reflect or get a journal and write down your thoughts – you might be surprised as what you generate!