How Disconnecting Can Be The Best Connection You’ll Ever Have

Mary Davis (CEO of the Special Olympics) wisely said: “A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” I wholeheartedly agree, especially in this day and age of constant screen access. We all do it; We all get sucked in. How glorious it is then, when we take some time to disconnect. This month, I did just that. I went out on a limb (no pun intended) and took some time to reconnect with nature at Evins Mill in Tennessee. What I didn’t comprehend when signing up for Inspired, a creative entrepreneur retreat, was that nature wasn’t all I needed. I needed genuine, human connection. Someone not just to “like” my work with a thumbs up or heart, but to brainstorm with me about it; provide feedback; lay down some honest truth. Boy, did I get it (and a milelong to-do list to go along with it…), but I also gained friendships that will last a lifetime.

The question that has continuously returned to my mind post-retreat has been: How can deeply connected friendship happen in just 4 days?? One, I think women are just gifted in this area, but two, we are ALL longing for deep, personal connections right now. Aren’t you? I’d be thrilled to know how you connect with friends and family outside of social media. Do you go on weekly walks? Plan annual vacations together? Have a pen pal? Send me your insights at catherine@oldsoutherncharm.com.

I’d also love for you to hold me accountable for something. One of my goals with Old Southern Charm has been to sloooooow down. I intentionally don’t do expedited orders or instant downloads. I’ve certainly lost some customers from these policies, but I’m ok with that. I genuinely want to connect with people, hear about their party, know why they’re celebrating, collaborate on the final design. That just doesn’t happen when you don’t have time to talk. So I’ll leave us “Front Porch Friends” with a final word of encouragement this month, a confirmation that slow living is the best living, a reminder when our internal pace can’t keep up with the constant motion of the outer world. “Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”