I do PD breaks myself, especially when I'm feeling overloaded with so much input and so many ideas. Last weekend Erin and I took a trip to Phoenix, and I told her, "Let's just have fun and not try to do anything growth-oriented this whole vacation."
Of course we still have growth experiences, but this PD vacation attitude opens the door to the unexpected. For example, we ate at vegan teahouse one night and were the only customers -- it was a Sunday night, and the teahouse was in a commercial district where everything else was closed. We hung out for an extra half hour just talking with the manager, telling him how much we loved the food and offering lots of ideas to grow the business and draw more customers. We also gave him ideas for taking the business online, since the premium, organic teas they carried were outstanding. Even when we don't try, we still end up in situations where we effortlessly find ways to help people grow.
Sometimes just allowing life to unfold for a while works wonders. It's like flowing down a river. Sometimes you need to paddle, and other times you can relax and let the current carry you.
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