Beach, Books, Blessings and...Balance!

Last week was beach week for me and our family. What a week!

Some call the kind of week we planned a trip, and others a vacation. If you yourself would like to read a funny and endearing post about the difference between a trip and a vacation, especially if you have kids, this one from Huffpost is fantastic and puts it all in perspective.

And, I'm so very thankful that Tinsley English, CRM, CIC, CDP jumped in and wrote last week's blog about #grit for this 2024 blog series. If you missed it, just click here.

So, we're back from a week at the beach and I have a lot on my mind, a lot on my to do list, a lot on my calendar, and in general, jumped right back into daily life. But zero complaints here. I find work joyous, especially the work I do helping sales professionals and business leaders thrive, so I even found myself wanting to think about work, talk about work, and text about work while on the beach.

Beach

We live in Michigan. And the family talk leading up to planning our vacation destination actually included a lot of discussion about Michigan's beaches. They are amazing. Don't get me wrong. If you've never been to a Michigan beach, put it on your bucket list, and thoroughly take in the unsalted experience of the Great Lakes beach life. But I wanted ocean and saltwater this year.

After a bit of research, we picked a destination that met a lot of our criteria, especially with our teenagers inviting friends along. And our rental included beach chairs and beach umbrellas too - score!

I think one of the reasons I enjoy going to the beach so much is that you can't help but take it all in, relax, and have a good time. When the wind is strong, the waves are loud, and the sand is everywhere, I notice that no one is on a laptop or taking work calls from the beach. They are just allowing themselves to be.

Books

A quick Google search shows that according to Pew Research, the typical American reads about four books a year. I read four last week alone!

More research shows that financially successful business leaders (millionaires and billionaires) read more than 50 books a year. Maybe a lot of us are somewhere in between - more than four a year, but less than 50?

I've always been an avid reader, both fiction and nonfiction, and have blogged several times about the proven fact that readers are leaders. Books bring new ideas, discussion, deep thought, and sparks of creativity and magic.

I've noticed that I've been actively consuming really good books two or three times faster than I had been before I became an entrepreneur last year.

I read what's recommended, I read what looks good, I read what's next to the book I was already looking up on the library shelf. (that habit has led to some amazing and unexpected finds!)

And I read four books last week alone. That's crazy! One hardback (business). One paperback (fiction). One eBook through the Libby app (nonfiction, autobiography). And one audiobook (nonfiction).

Blessings

I am a woman of deep faith.

I do not often write about this specifically, as a lot of people seem to take the topics of faith, spirituality, and religion and mix them all up, make assumptions and judgements, and never approach people like me directly to discuss the subject.

A beach vacation. With my husband and teenagers and their friends. Time away to rest and reset. Really good seafood. Great weather. Time to read. Time to talk. Time to just be.

We are so wonderfully blessed.

Balance

Maybe trite and overused, and very often used incorrectly...the phrase "work / life balance" still gets tons of airtime. Seemingly in many different circles.

I will probably write about balance more in the future, as I'm feeling compelled to pick apart a lot of layers - especially as "work / life balance" all too often quickly gets tangled up in discussions that seem superficial instead of ones of depth and substance.

Here's what I know. Regardless of how much you work, how hard you work, or how well you do the job you've agreed to do...

• If you don't get enough time outside in nature, you might be out of balance
• If you don't get enough good quality sleep, you might be out of balance
• If you don't have a trusted spouse, partner or best friend you can truly, truly count on, you might be out of balance
• If you don't trust those you report to or those who report to you, you might be out of balance
• If you are struggling to meet basic job performance metrics, you might be out of balance
• If you don't exercise with some regularity (and break a sweat), you might be out of balance
• And if you don't ever go on a beach vacation, you might be out of balance!

I'm sure you could add to this list!

We're already talking about the next trip we might take. Because there are also studies that show even the anticipation of something enjoyable on the horizon enhances the enjoyment of the experiences themselves and the memories you make.

Until next week...

Jen E Miller & Associates is a full-service sales consulting firm, offering more than 25 powerful and impactful offerings.

#52words52weeks #salesblog #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #workhardplayhard #worklifebalance #workinglife #beachvacation

(For all 2024 blog posts, you can find the hyperlinks for those posted here.)