Date night means different things to different couples, but it need not (always) mean the same old supper club, cinema, or barstool.  If you’ve got a partner—or a favorite friend—make the occasional rendezvous remarkable by firing up your imagination and destination.  This weeks’s BreakAway BreakThrough (BABT) is here to remind you that: Life is short.  Enjoy every sandwich.  And love the one you’re with. 

In the 139 days since I’ve been back from our latest BreakAway, I’ve noticed some shifts and differences in my mindframe and routine.  Here’s a quick list of 11:

Post-BreakAway I…

• Care less about my home (for better and worse).
• Care less about the kids’ activities—playdates, sports, school. 
• Feel more independent, in too many ways to mention. 
• Feel more attached to a larger (if often invisible) world. 
• Hear inner voices more clearly (but haven’t yet gone completely nuts).  :  ) 
• Made some not-profound discoveries:  Sleep more; play guitar; read daily. 
• Know for sure that few things can compete with sun, exercise, rest, and nature for offering inner peace and calm. 
• Confirmed that the fewer clothes I have to wear, the more free I feel. 
• Believe more passionately than ever in Unplugging; now if only my family…
• Love street culture; islanders hang out a lot, whereas Minnesotans only do in the summer. 
• Get hit hard by the “go-homes” after a BreakAway—but it’s not only worth it, it’s a big part of the personal growth equation. 

Do you like music?  Noise?  Convivial gatherings and raucous laughter?  Me too.  But on the other hand, I’m finding that silence and solitude make my playlist more and more as the years go by.  For this week’s BreakAway BreakThrough, I’m here to remind you to take time out to listen to that little voice within—the one that says things like, “Take it easy,” “Take a break,” and “BreakAway—someday.”  

BABT3: The Silence Treatment… 11 ways to tune in, turn on and peace out

• Find a place—and time of day—to meditate occasionally…after lunch?  Before bed? 
• Sit outside with your eyes closed; hear the birds and feel the breeze. 
• Thoughtstreams rarely stop, so give them short notice and then let them float away. 
• Contemplate one word or idea that you’re trying to increase in your life. 
• Eat in peace:  Savor every flavor, feel the freshness, and bask in gratitude. 
• Lie down and do a “body scan,” in which you slowly feel all body parts from toe to head. 
• If you fall asleep easily, keep your eyes open slightly and stare at something soothing.   
• If “Buster” (that jerk in your head) is barking, beat him back with with an upbeat stick. 
• Unplug before bed:  Turn off all media, digitalia, and people a half-hour before sleep. 
• Walk alone on a country road, a frozen lake, a secluded beach, or a green hill. 
• Expect one insight—whether profound or banal—and ponder it as you re-enter the noise.

 Do you have any favorite zen suggestions–or BreakThrough tips to share?  Leave a comment please!

As we continue this series about finding little ways to find free time—and inch yourself closer to a bona fide BreakAway—today we propose you do drop in to the occasional pub.  Or coffee shop.  Or joint of your choice.  The idea is to see something new, rustle up that wanderlust feeling, and maybe meet someone whose story inspires you to get up and go. 

Oh sure, there may be risks, calories, and drinking involved.  But whoever said that scheming a Sabbatical should be a lifeless chore? 

BABT2:  Pub Tour…with 11 ways to shake it up—and get you stirred

• Visit “the local,” the place nearest your home—especially if you’ve never been there. 
• If you meet your barstool neighbors, ask them about their favorite trips or travels.
• Have your spouse or friend blindfold you and take you someplace new; remove it when seated. 
• Get into Happy Hour; see who gathers then and savor the savvy discount. 
• Try a place with curious cultural ties—in a theater, movie house, or ethnic eatery. 
• Mosey on into a VFW or Legion; elbow up and listen to war stories (and say thanks). 
• Stop in an airport bar—or some tavern near the bus, train, or other travel hub. 
• Meet a friend who just returned from a trip; shut up and listen to the tales.
• Find an establishment that somehow symbolizes somewhere you’d like to go—Spanish tapas bar?  Curry restaurant?  Anyplace named The Nomad? 
• Order “the unusual,” or whatever gives you a taste of something altogether different.
• Take a short road trip to a small town; wander the streets and tap that faraway feeling.  

Do you have any watering hole wisdom–or BreakThrough tips to share?  Leave a comment please!