Last night was one of those nights that I absolutely hate! And as I grow older, I have them more often than I used to.
I got to bed at a decent hour, about 10:30 pm or so. I like to retire after the news so I can get a good night's rest and wake up early to meet the new day. I guess one would say I'm a morning person. I don't do well if I stay up late and work into the early morning hours.
I'm not knocking that lifestyle if it's yours ... I just do better getting up early in the morning than trying to force myself to stay up and think at night when I'm tired.
Anyway, last night was a terrible weather night here in Utah. The thunder and lightning were fierce and didn't let up until about 3:00 am. I had a hard time sleeping early on as the lightning flashes and thunderous booms would startle me each time I started to doze off. After an hour of similar interruptions, I got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the patio door (it was cool but not cold) and watched the stormy displays.
If there was ever a time to say "it rained cats and dogs" this would be it. This summer storm was much needed as our lawn has been burning up with the heat of this July and August so far.
I was amazed at the total amount of noise and commotion the storm caused for nearly 5 hours straight. Typically, these summer "thunderbusters," as my dad called them, come in quickly from the west, do their thing for a half hour, then move to the east with calm following.
Not last night. The thunder and lightning just kept coming and coming. I suppose the storm stalled over Utah Valley and we enjoyed repeated episodes of rain, hail, wind, lightning flashes and loud thunder. If you've ever been high in the mountains during a thunder storm you know that the noise seems greatly magnified as it bounces and echoes off peaks and canyon walls.
Anyway, I came downstairs to do some work on the computer until the storm subsided, but I ended up sitting at the patio door for almost 3 hours. I was in a trance. I marveled at how the flashes of light turned all the surrounding homes and trees into easily recognized "mid day" sights. Listening to the rain fall all around was soothing and cleansing even though I didn't get wet. There were no kids playing, dogs barking, or daily noises of traffic and humans.
I was alone with the storm. I tried to think how long it had been since I just sat down and marveled at a weather. There is something very relaxing and soothing about listening to the wind and rain - at least it's relaxing if you're not getting drenched.
It occurred to me that this "time out" was just what I needed. I had worked all day on Wednesday, even putting in a bunch of hours between 5:00 and 10:00 pm. Now I was emptying my brain and recharging my batteries. This was different that getting the usual sleep at night. I was awake and my senses were keen to the surroundings. And yet, I was totally calm and unbothered with all the commotion around me.
What did I learn from my experience last night? I'm not sure, but I can tell you that I feel great today ... I'm rested and working hard and don't seem to miss the sleep I didn't get last night or early this morning.
If you are a solo business owner, I can tell you that you also need a break. Not just a long vacation, but preferably a little "time out" every day to clear your mind and energize your being.
This advice is far from unique or new. The difficulty that I have personally is being able to relax and clear my mind of odds and ends that stay with me - often cluttering my mind with things that have little relevance to my output or performance.
Even though I hate laying awake at night when I can't sleep, something was different about last night - I chose to take advantage of a storm to help me relax and take a break from life. I think it really did make a difference in how my day went today!
