Turn off. Unplug. And plug in.

In this world of constant-ness, I sometimes feel that we just need to turn off, unplug and plug in. And I mean “unplug” in the literal sense of the word.

Turn off our laptops.

Turn off our televisions.

Turn off our i-pods, play stations and radios.

Turn off the lights.

And just be.

It is quite incredible the peace and centred-ness that can be found simply by turning off all the external “stuff” that we are constantly bombarded with each and every day.

To simply be is an amazing feeling.

The sounds of nature that you can tune into – even when living in an inner city suburb is quite overwhelming and beautiful. The connection is profound and totally different to that of connecting to a television programme or radio show.

They say silence is golden, and this is so very true if you just turn everything off.

To sit and reflect in this way can be a truly magical start to your day.

A time when your energy just settles into a beautiful rhythm.

A time when you can set your intentions and expectations for the day.

A time for reflecting upon what is important and of value to you for the day.

A time to create the feeling that you want to stay with you for the rest of the day.

I sometimes wonder at the value if sitting in front of the television before setting off for our day. In fact I rarely do these days as I have chosen to unplug at the beginning and end of each day instead.

But I do think that perhaps it is not surprising that people are so wound up and anxious on their way to work, University or school when they have had the day’s events, which tend to always be portrayed as rather negative, blasted at them for half an hour or so prior to leaving home.

Where and when can the connection and magic in your day take hold, if your morning has been spent being blasted by news and the negativities of the day?

A usual morning dose sees murders, road accidents, politics, diet products, cleaning products and stories about every other crisis or dilemma facing the world. Day in and day out it always seems to be the same. Nothing seems to change in the news cycle. I sometimes doubt we would miss much if we skipped it.

So why not do just that?

Is this morning and evening dose of negativity really informing us in any beneficial way? Is the news cycle telling us things we need to know or things that we can actively change? Is it really giving us news at all or is it really just social commentary designed to make us buy stuff to make us feel worthy, beautiful or safe as we go about our day?

Am I suggesting that you cut yourself off from the world.

No I am not. Not at all. In fact some of you may need to be abreast of world events for your work.

All I am suggesting is that a few times a week, for just a few moments you choose to

TURN OFF. UNPLUG. AND PLUG IN.

Just try it out and see how you feel.

Even as a family, you could sit for 15 minutes at the start of one day a week and just think about the day you would like to have that day. Simply sit in silence with your eyes shut. Feel your energy expanding around you. Listen to the birds and whatever other sounds pass by and think about the day you plan to have. How you plan to feel for the day.

Take a few deep breaths.

Open your eyes.

Onto breakfast.

Have breakfast around the table and discuss the day you plan to have. Feel great about the day you have planned.

And without listening to any of the reported doom and gloom of the hour simply go out into the wonderful, fun filled, productive day you have envisaged.

At the end of the day, the same thing can be really amazing.

Once you have had your dinner and the day’s activities are over.

Turn everything off.

Laptops. Computers. TV. Radio. Mobile phones. Computer games. I-phones.

You can even turn the lights out and just leave one small light on.

The sounds of the crickets and cicadas seem to reach in and grab you and you may be surprised at how early you are able to go to bed once all the artificial stimuli is gone.

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

Perhaps there is some truth to be found in this well -worn proverb?

If you are a regular visitor to this Blog and A Bridge To You, you will notice a flagrant use of the words maybe and perhaps in much of what I write.

This is because it is not my desire to tell people what to think.

Or what to do.

Or how to act.

But merely to present people with options and allow them to take the road of their choice.

We all have our own journeys and paths to take and no doubt you will find your own unique pathway too. But I can suggest, from my own experiences, that a few days a week of turning off all the technology and allowing yourself to re-connect to you and your own energy, can be a really rewarding thing to do.

In fact, I now turn off at about 6:00pm most nights and then do not turn back on till  about 9:30am the next day. It is not a rigid plan and sometimes I am up late working. Sometimes I watch a bit of TV in the evenings.

But most times my phone is off from 6:00pm till about 9:30am every day.

Does my world still turn?

Yes it does.

Most family, colleagues, business acquaintances and friends know that they need to make plans with me outside these times. Just like the good old days really, when you would not have dreamed of calling someone at their home after 6:00pm or before 9:00am any day of the week.

And as for emails – they are always sitting there waiting for me whenever I am good and ready!

I know that some people find this sort of suggestion quite shocking.

For some it is inconceivable.

But if you see some merit in the suggestion.  Give it a go.

You may just like it!

- Christine -