Most of us don’t relish getting interrupted. And we usually apologize if we do it to others.
But what about choosing an interruption? Or at least welcoming one when it comes?
That’s my invitation to you today.
What pattern could you intentionally interrupt? And what benefits might that decision bring your way?
I can think of so many examples, I barely know where to start. Some are fun, such as walking a different route to your favourite coffee shop and seeing what you notice along the way. Some are challenging, such as designing a new process at work or trying a new way of communicating with a family member. Others might be fairly low stakes, such as attending a retreat, while others, like taking a sabbatical, are a fairly big deal.
Changing your rhythm moves things from unconscious to conscious. Taking things off autopilot can be uncomfortable and tiring. After all, that’s what our default settings are for — eliminating unnecessary decisions. But there are plenty of benefits. The change can heighten our powers of observation. Create a sense of spaciousness. Introduce fresh perspectives. Re-introduce us to what’s important to us, or to what new ideas are emerging in us.
There are so many reasons to hit pause if you can. Catch your breath. Shift the pattern.
Which is why I’m taking a pause from writing the blog for a few weeks. It’s the start of summer where I live, and I’m ready to create space for new ideas.
Here are some of the books I’ll be looking to for inspiration:
Curious about them? Join us in the fall for Wiser by Choice, where a few of these might show up. Last Friday, my two favourite titles were Seth Godin’s Song of Significance and Leading with Joy by Akaya Windwood & Rajasvini Bhansali.
In the meantime, I hope you have a few interesting titles on your reading pile too, plus several ideas of ways to invite good interruption of your routines that might be getting stale. I’d love to hear about them!