The Gift of the Unplug...

While this week Howard and I escaped to the Cape for some sun, thank you Mother Nature, and much desired downtime, I made a commitment to myself that this summer would be enjoyed. I would remember it. I would get some color and I would put my feet, and hopefully the rest of me, in the ocean more than once this year.  The last twenty or so have been a bit busy! This year is too but that isn't an excuse for not living life anymore. After seeing all the people croak this last year, I am not willing to sit around and have work, as much as I love it, be my memory.

So we came to the Cape with no plan. No agenda, no schedule, no have to be somewhere. This is a new thing for me, so I am taking it moment by moment. One thing I did plan ahead of time, because I can't go cold turkey, is to bring my bike.  Full confession here, I LOVED riding as a kid, wasn't impressed as an adult when I tried it the last two years. This year, I decided to give it another go. I LOVE it again! Try, try again seems to really work. So I decided I was going to do the rail trail here on Cape Cod.  I head out like I normally do with the ear bud in one ear (please people who run, bike, walk, drive, roller blade, bunny hop, etc. please keep one ear unplugged for safety and the occasional communication!) and get excited about what I am going to see on a coastal rail trail. Hint....not too much of the coast it turns out.  

I was seven miles into it before I realized I never turned my music on. So then I wondered why I was blocking the music of nature with the one ear bud. Budectomy complete, I motored a bit more.  I found this spot on the way back. Pure joy for my Cancarian zodiac self. While I was sitting I realized the universe was conspiring to get me to really unplug. Our gorgeous hotel room has the worst cell service, none at all at the beach. Their wifi is not working and they declined my offer to troubleshoot. :)  On top of that, I forgot my laptop charger as I was going to get some writing done in this beautiful environment.

Eventually, I heard the message to really unhook and be without technology for a few hours, even a whole day. I've done it before, why not in this gorgeous environment?  It's amazing how much brighter everything is.  How much louder my thoughts are, sure, but they are good thoughts so why not hear them. I wonder when the last time you unplugged was? When did you become so present you could hear your own thoughts? When did you do a workout, a stroll, or a ride without music accompaniment? When have you taken a ride with your kids and the tv wasn't going or a tablet wasn't in their hands?

I am going to ask you to do this for as long as you can in the next few days.  See if it can become a habit. A night with no gadgets maybe. A meal with no distractions but conversation.  Find out what really matters to you by unplugging the sensory overloading technology (after you finish reading this on your device. Oh heck, don't wait. Go now. You can come back, or not, sometime in the future.) and plugging into self. 

This is me being an example. I'm out of here blogger world! There are beaches to explore and the other half of the trail to ride tomorrow, so I must rest my thumbs (writing a blog on your phone is nuts!) and brain for surely I will have some amazing revolutions as I ride in nature with no distractions.

Being present is the only plugging in I want to do, so off I go!

Vicki