We’re concluding our summer holiday in Amsterdam after a wonderful two weeks exploring the Rhine River. One of my observations about my own resilience is that it usually takes me about 4-5 days to really unwind and get into full relaxation mode which means I am not thinking about my regular life. This aspect of resilience, which is tied to how we let go, recharge, and bounce forward can require a meaningful amount of time away from everyday existence such as through holiday breaks but finding little pockets of daily and weekly sabbaticals can prove refreshing and renewing. I’m kicking around some new ideas for daily recovery strategies and here are some I’m going to try out:
- Forget about a daily “to do” list and instead think about a daily “results” list. Checking off accomplishments may be more energizing than just saying I did something.
- Acknowledge something new that I learn every day. Research shows that if you improve by 1% everyday in some new habit you want to improve, you’ll be twice as good in 70 days as you are now.
- Become a local tourist. We’re here in Amsterdam and our first sightseeing visit was to the Anne Frank House which is a mere 300 yards from where we are staying on the Prinsengracht Canal. When I asked our host about the House, he told me he had never been there!. Parks, museums and great views exist in every city and town and you’ll find them refreshing and stimulating.
