March 7th, 2019

The Importance of Treating Yourself to Intentional Solitude –

Nothing But the Sound of Hoof Beats

I recently went horseback riding alone, intentionally, in the National Forest. But, Hang on… before you judge that I may have chosen to possibly put myself in harm’s way, it was a very conscious and calculated choice. I knew the area very well and I knew I had cell service there. I chose an absolute, trusted team member and mount – Bernard, to partner with. My family members knew exactly where I was headed in the unlikely event of a water landing -…and I wore my helmet and took provisions – All bases covered!

Why? Why did I choose to ride alone? What could I possibly realize from the experience – how much fun could it be to ride by yourself, why not go with friends? The answer… I needed quiet! I needed to be left to my own thoughts. I needed to smell the air in its purest form. I needed to see everything around me in a mindful way; the mass and height of the tree trunks, the curves in the branches of the trees, the shape & twinkle the pine needles took through the sunlight, the conversations between different birds, the shadows of the trees on the snow, the reflection of each particle of snow in the sunlight – Ahhhhh, so much to take in – the awareness of and the gratitude I felt for the beauty surrounding us! And finally, the simple, and yet complex sound of the snow under my horse’s hooves – the squeak, his pace, his rhythm and then, the hush of quiet as we came to a standstill and breathed it all in. I wanted away from my phone and any other distractions so I could size up my thoughts. I was actively seeking to replenish my “cup” by grounding in nature, it’s my thing – it’s what I value on the deepest level (aside from my loved ones), it feeds my soul, my spirit.

As I was brushing Bernard at the horse trailer after our ride together, I thought about how refreshed I was feeling in body and mind. I felt a great sense of peace, even relief. I was now equipped, thus empowered, with a plan for my upcoming week, and a solid vision of what I wanted my month, my quarter and even my year to form. In 2 hours of alone time, I had been able to think about and analyze the many swirling subjects in my brain that desperately needed to be prioritized, organized or simply thrown out. Additionally, my body felt good – I had challenged myself on this ride both mentally and physically, pushing myself out of my comfort zone by riding in deeper snow, up and down hills, navigating icy spots and all the while making sure I was listening to and communicating with my trusted mount. I was far less stressed and tense than when I had set out that morning – I was replenished. I was now ready to go home and get to work on my strategic plan for business. Most importantly, now that my “cup” was full, I no longer felt depleted and was able to be fully present for my family and ACTIVELY engage with them on a more meaningful level.

How can we continue to stay on track in seeking intentional solitude in order to refresh ourselves? You must schedule time for it, or it won’t happen! I have started a new habit with this in mind (which by the way, I came up with on my horseback ride). I now get up an hour earlier Monday – Friday in order to have time to myself to read and think before the family is up. This extra hour also gets me to my workout by 7am, back home by 8 to take my teenage daughter to school and I’m at my desk by 9am with a full and fresh day ahead. It is working like a charm…

Here is a nice read that I recently found on Forbes by Amy Morin –

7 Science Backed Reasons You Should Spend More Time Alone: https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2017/08/05/7-science-backed-reasons-you-should-spend-more-time-alone/#41ef85ce1b7e

As I stated above, “I was actively seeking to replenish my “cup” by grounding in nature, it’s my thing – it’s what I value on the deepest level (aside from my loved ones), it feeds my soul, my spirit.” We would love to hear from you as to what “Fills Your Cup”? How do you find time for Solitude in your busy schedule?

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