Last week I had the opportunity to take a new adventure to a tiny island. I had no idea what to expect other than that it would be quiet and free of all the trappings of day-to-day life (technology for instance). I’ve been a fan of islands, having visited a few in my time. Monhegan Island in Maine being closest to my heart.
What I received was a chance to disconnect and so much more.
To give you some context, Tylerton, MD is part of Smith Island and is located 13 miles off the Eastern Shore of Maryland between the Tangier Sound and the Chesapeake Bay. It consists of less than ½ square mile of land and there are no vehicles on Tylerton. A non-vehicular ferry (basically a 45 foot boat) services the island daily. (Occasional choppy, exhilarating passages come at no extra fee too!)
We stayed at the Inn of Silent Music, which is an idyllic gem in this town anchored by a Methodist church and fueled by the life of the watermen. This space and the incredible hospitality of hosts Rob and Linda Kellogg (who inspire me greatly I might add) makes this one of our top 5 inn experiences ever.
So, what made this trip and place so special?
The opportunity to not just disconnect, but step out of time. As you know I am a huge fan of disconnecting regularly. It is the only way to avoid burnout as an entrepreneur and frankly if you’re not disconnecting, you can’t hear the whispers of your intuition. Without your intuition (an integral part of Intuitive Intelligence®, right?) you’re not navigating your life and business with a fully working compass.
The 3 days we spent on Tylerton felt like stepping out of time as time stood still as perspective and possibility expanded in front of my eyes and inside my heart. This type of expansion and perspective is not the type of thing you can DIY or get at home.
Let me explain…
First there is the physical space. Standing on the dock at any hour of the day (particularly magnificent at sunset and late at night when you can see the stars and Milky Way) you get an almost 360 degree view. With the exception of a few small houses on the even smaller Rhodes Island in the distance you see nothing. We literally spent two days paddling and with the exception of stopping on the island of Ewell (another part of Smith Island) we did not see another human being. Plenty of birds and marine life, but nothing but vast vistas of open water and grassy marshes. It was a paddling paradise. Our outer experience is a mirror of our inner world and vice versa. Getting perspective in this way – seeing it, feeling it, touching it – is crucial to having a rich inner life that can then be translated into practical execution in your life and business.
Then there is the quiet; deafeningly loud quiet. This kind of quiet coupled with “nothing to do” scares the crap out of a lot of people. A few friends of ours said, “Oh I could never do that!” as if we were suggesting bungee jumping from outer space. Silence is an opening to sacred wisdom. Initially your thoughts may launch into monkey mind madness if you’re not used to it, but that will pass. As I’ve shared in the I2 principles before, you cannot hear the whispers if you’re not listening and if you’re tuned into the whispers the rest of the noise can and will fall away. This quality of contemplation and reflection is necessary to create an authentic and rich existence. It’s a chance to tune in and ask, “Am I living my life in a way that is fulfilling and makes me happy?” This directly correlates to how you show up in your business and the experiences you create for yourself and those you serve.
Last but not least there are the people. We had the perfect mix of solitude and time to talk with other guests and the innkeepers. Miracles unfold when connecting with other people who “get it”. Whatever “it” is for you. I felt very blessed to be able to share this time in deep conversation, sharing, and laughter. It felt like being united with “old friends” out of the blue. It reminded me how nourishing it is to be with your tribe whether or not you ever see the same people again.
For me personally the experience anchored some big transformations that have been unfolding and kicking up turbulence over the past year. It also re-opened some questions very fundamental to the way in which I want to spend my time on this earth. A deeper and more refined clarity about how I wish to design this next phase of my business and serve my clients. Absolute affirmation about specific desires I have for my personal life and a renewed sense of urgency about taking the steps necessary to bring them to fruition.
You might read that and think – THAT was a vacation? It sounds like you were working. The answer is yes it was a vacation and no I didn’t spend one second working. The reason is because I wasn’t “trying” to do anything while I was there. I didn’t “work” at anything or have to force a thing. I simply showed up fully present and relished the moment-to-moment presence of a place like that. My only “agenda” was to do some paddling and with the exception of reading a map, following a few navigational markers, and keeping an eye to the sky for storms (we had one magnificent one the first night), I was just BE-ing present.
My Coach’s Request to You:
Even if you can’t get away to a beautiful or remote space in nature right now, take a few minutes to bask in your own inner landscape:
1) Scroll back through this article and really look deeply at the photos. What emotions and ideas bubble up for you?
2) Take 3 slow, deep breaths as you close your eyes. Turn your focus inward and validate to your inner wisdom “I am willing to listen. I am here. I am present. I trust you to guide me.”
3) Commit to: Trust More. Think Less™ in your life and business. There is no prize or reward for overthinking it.
Are you ready to experience more joy, peace, and authenticity in your business as a means to creating more stellar results? Contact me for a complimentary Intuitive Intelligence Activation Session today for a powerful conversation that will expand your perspective and possibilities.