giving you one line descriptions of the 7 touchstones in the elements of life was a bit mysterious of me. like pulling the curtain back on a magician and revealing the secret to his illusion but only for half a second so while you might’ve seen something, you’re not sure what to do with what you just saw.
let me clarify things a bit for you.
when it comes to refresh, what i consider to be the most accessible of the 7 touchstones, i think it’s best to start with what it isn’t.
the word refresh has certain connotations, right? taking a moment to yourself perhaps. a day at the spa. maybe you’ve even conjured an image of binging netflix or youtube.
but refresh isn’t any of those things. well maybe taking a moment for yourself qualifies but only if it’s done the right way. i bet anything, that right now, that moment involves staring at your phone and mindlessly scrolling instagram (not that I should complain because that’s probably how you found me!). but that qualifies as zoning out, not refresh.
refresh is like refreshing a tab on an internet browser (after you close the other 36 of course.) it’s a simple and direct way to reset your mind.
it’s not a single deep breath in response to a crisis. it’s several consciously enjoyable breaths while you sit silently in the middle of your surroundings and your thought stream. maybe you’re about to close this screen because what i’m talking about sounds a lot like meditation and that’s a bit woowoo for your taste. and maybe it is a bit like meditation but it’s way more simple and can be done without closing your eyes or touching your middle finger to your thumb so don’t write this off just yet.
refresh is really just changing the way you take a break.
we work.
we go to school.
maybe we take care of children, or someone else’s children or our aging parents.
we run from one place to the next.
we scramble to meet deadlines.
we pay bills.
and for whatever reason when we decide it’s time for a break we don’t really take a break, instead we opt for distractions – our phones, the tv, binge watching all 18 seasons of grey’s anatomy on netflix, watching run bts and bon voyage for the 1000th time.
you should come off a break feeling rested, revitalized, restored – not wondering where the ‘f’ the last 45 minutes of your life went and if the leggings you saw on tiktok would really make your butt look that good.
by now you’re all ‘okay okay doctor shortcake, i’ve been resting all wrong, how do I rest the right way?’
my personal favorite – leave my phone on the kitchen counter while i grab a cup of coffee and head out onto my back porch at dawn, there i just sit and let my mind wander away from now and come back to now, the same i do rudy and elijah as they meander through their pasture.
don’t have a porch or a ranch or bulls? totally not a deal breaker. you can have a coffee at your favorite place and people watch. or a glass of wine while sitting at the window of the hotel you’re staying at while away on business. or bust out the old yoga mat and go full shavasana. you can refresh in the 5 minutes before you fall asleep.
just be conscious that you aren’t engaging in the practice of distraction – you just are.
i can’t wait to hear about the creative ways you all implement refresh!
can’t relate to any of the scenarios above and not sure how you’ll accomplish a refresh moment?
shoot me a dm on instagram
