I was caught in the storm of needing a time of silence to work on my business and my personal life. After experiencing a life changing event, it became harder to get back into my groove. My arms ached at the thought of writing and being in the same place with the same desk and the same mind because I knew that I was no longer the same person. My mind started to count weeks instead of months and the farther away I was getting from the experience, the further away my mind was getting away from my groove.
For more than a year, I had this urging nag to take a weekend trip, first it was by myself, then it was with a friend who overworks herself with volunteer work. I realized that friendships were really missing in my life especially since I really love what I do and that is a never ending stopping moment of wanting to serve others with my heart of helping. It is far from a job for me so there is no 8 to 5 mindset.
Fortunately, my wonderful husband understood my inner nag to get away and arranged my trip to a quaint 50 year old hotel that sits on the beach with my oceanside room that I absolutely had to have. In fact that is the only rooms they have at this hotel. My view is a magnificent ocean with sand that covers from the shores to the boardwalk and in front of me is a horseback riding corral on the beach. I cannot wait to be able to see if the corral open today, but the view is incredible even if I have the bars of the balcony in my view. If I look up, I can see beyond the bars and watch the boats, birds and people milling and soaking up the sun on this beautiful day in October.
I digress, let’s get back to the hotel. When I heard the name of it, my first thoughts were I wonder if this is the place that my son and I stayed in when he was 14 years old and our first family vacation outside of Pennsylvania that didn’t involve a traditional family trip. Indeed it is. It was just as quaint back in 1992, but we sought it out after a grilling week of solid rain while we were camping so anything looked good that was dry. In fact, it was a record week of rainfall for the beach and sleeping in a car or a flooded tent was no longer an option on our last night. I was spent! That was one crazy vacation, but a vacation filled with memories.
When I walked into the room, the first thing I saw was a familiar reminder of the room. Fresh clean smell, floor vacuumed, small and nothing was wrong with it. Paint color was ancient olive, lime green, yes, if there is a color like that and you can find it here near the doorway. But it isn’t repulsive. Everything was beyond what I expected for the old hotel. The reviews were good on TripAdvisor and I would give it a great review as well. Nothing fancy, including the price that was within my budget for an Oceanside room. Now don’t get me wrong, I am a hotel snob at times, but this will be my go to hotel when I need to get away to just write, think and refresh myself after a long respite of healing.
So how does this old hotel work into my business? My of my discoveries was when you are in need of some mental therapy to get refocused, think about getting away to a hotel room, a cabin or your favorite place to refresh and make it a working vacation to catch up and think about what drives you. Look at your goals and priorities and put set aside a budget for yourself to treat you to a healthy away from the grind to give you energy to regroup. As much as I love having my home office, I also find the distractions can be magnified without having an escape. I wish my backyard was a magnificent escape, but it’s really not because the family and the dogs can find me and inevitably need attention and they need fed. When you are enduring a freeze and need an escape, take a day or two and allow yourself to refresh in the old hotel.
By the way, the beautiful horses have arrived. I just may have to take a quick walk to the beach. I am in awe.
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