5d • Sunday Reflections
Sunday Reflections: December 7th
I have a hard time taking vacations.
I'm always moving. Always pushing. Always looking for what's next. Slowing down doesn't come naturally to me.
This past weekend, I packed up the whole family, including the dog. We drove from Wisconsin to St. Louis to pick up Eli and Logan, then headed down to The Smoky Mountains. For a few days, I slowed down.
Vacations bring their own type of chaos. Long car rides. Kids in the backseat. Constant movement. Stops for gas, food, bathroom breaks, every couple hours. It's not what most people call relaxing.
Tennessee gives me something different. A chance to slow down. Physically and mentally. To take things in. To reflect. To enjoy the time with family and just be present. Driving through the mountains, I had to be present. Every turn, every steep angle. You have to hug the curves. Slow down, pay attention,
and while I'm focused on the road, the Smoky Mountains are right there. Stretching out in front of me. Layers of blue and gray fading into the distance. You can't rush through mountains. You have to respect the terrain. Move with it. Stay present. And when you do, you get the view.
I'm ready to get back to the academy. Training. Coaching. Teaching. Impacting.
This trip gave me something I needed. The views. The mountains. A little bit of Tennessee "shine" and memories of southern living. I'm from Gainesville, Florida. Being down south brings me back.
It's a different kind of recharge. I spend most of my time pushing. Building. Growing. Improving. That's who I am. That's what I do.
But if I don't take time to slow down, I lose perspective. I lose sight of what I'm building for. My family. These moments. This life. Vacations aren't escapes. They're reminders.
Why you work so hard. What matters. Being present with the people who matter most. I'm not good at slowing down. But I'm learning it's not weakness. It's necessary. You can't show up powerfully if you never stop to refuel.
So here's my challenge.
When's the last time you slowed down? Not because you were forced to. Because you chose to.
When's the last time you gave yourself permission to step away, breathe, and just be present?
Most of us don't. We keep pushing. We keep grinding. We tell ourselves we'll do it later.
Later never comes. The work matters. So do the people you're doing it for.
Take the vacation. Take the break. Take the moment.
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Sunday Reflections: December 7th
