Adapting the Time Out

Posted on November 5, 2019 by dragonspitapothecary

Adults and children have a challenge with time outs. It’s a challenge for us to stop, think about our actions and make sure we are doing what is right. The premise of a time out being we are either going down a path that is not good for us or we have no idea where we are going and need to get a plan. It is a time for reassessment of our actions, approaches and aligning to what is best for us. Doing this is not the hard part but rather forcing ourselves intentionally to do it when it’s necessary is the challenge.

We used time out with our son when he was younger. For children this is seen as a way for them to reflect on behaviors and actions that are not desirable and give them a chance to think about that and what they should have done instead. I think the same premise works for adults. Sometimes taking that much needed time out to assess what we’re doing, where we’re going and how we’re getting there needs to be revisited to make sure it is healthy and good for us.

Very often though adult time out looks like a spa day, girls trip or other activity that doesn’t leave much in the way of actually reflecting, reassessing and realigning our path. Instead it is a distraction to release stress and have fun, which are also good for us but can leave us without a strategy for how to proceed on our journey afterwards. Giving ourselves a break to let off some steam can renew our energy but what if we renewed ourselves AND had a strong plan of action to execute?

The Original Girls Trip

Long before there were girl trips and movies about girl trip adventures gone awry, there were villages where families lived closely together. Women in these villages worked shoulder to shoulder completing tasks needed to support their families and the larger village’s needs. They raised their children together and found camaraderie and friendship in these daily rituals. They relied on one another for support when things were challenging personally and in work. They encouraged one another through major life events like courtships, marriages, deaths and births. They were there for each other mentoring and guiding younger women to pass down their wisdom.