In the midst of sprinting on the mouse wheel that spins endlessly, life can be a blur, making it easy to miss the obvious and allowing the race to make distant the very things we need to keep going. It’s easy to forget this… until we stop. So here’s a reminder:

Every now and then step off the wheel. 

I know it can be hard. I know it can make you feel a bit guilty, self indulgent. Me, too. But there are important reasons we can't let that prevent us from stopping, breathing, recharging and regaining a fresh perspective on life. I just did this for the first time in a long time and, no surprise, I’m glad I did. 

My sweet friends invited to me join them for a weekend of watching chick flicks, having long lunches and introducing me to Mahjong at the beach. (Don’t we look SO chilled out?) I was thrilled when they asked me, but then I started thinking about the book I’m writing and am passionate about…. and leaving my guys only to return when my hubby is heading out on a business trip… and my office is a wreck…… and….. and... and.... then I said yes, even though I still wondered if I really should. 

Just do it. Go. Push aside the reasons you think you shouldn’t give yourself the gift of time and step off the wheel, whether it’s for a weekend, a day, or an hour away. 

When we stop running, we see life more objectively and we come back to the rat race recharged. Stopping makes us better at going. Better at being. Better at taking care of our responsibilities and others because we have also taken care of ourselves.