by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
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| This sign greeted us at the front door of the house we stayed in for the Guideposts retreat at the Wainwright House property. |
As I mentioned briefly on Monday, last week I was given an incredible gift. I was one of
eleven women who won the 2014 TELL US YOUR STORY Guideposts contest. The prize?
Spending an entire week at the Wainwright House with Guideposts editors and
writers honing our craft.
Even though I got home late Friday night, it’s going to
take me a while to process this amazing experience. So expect some future blog
posts about what I’ve learned here.
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| The closest building is Fonrose House. The larger building in the distance is the main house of the Wainwright House property. |
I will tell you this. The place where we stayed, Wainwright House, is a gorgeous estate, with several homes on the property. It's right on the Long Island Sound and across from a protected bird sanctuary.
But in the meantime, I want to share one lesson.
Several of us were talking and the subject of social media
came up. Since I was in the group and they know I teach social media, there was immediate protestations of guilt
about not utilizing this time away to share the experience in real-time on
social media.
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| The property is in Rye, NY, on the Long Island Sound, across from a bird sanctuary. Truly an amazing place! |
I have to tell you what I told them. This week was NOT the
time to tweet and Facebook. This has been a time to retreat, relax and
rekindle—and that’s how I’ve treated it. There will be lots of time to share
what happened this week—from pictures to quips to anecdotes.
There truly is a time to share and be social. But equally
important, there are lots of times when we just need to be present in the
moment.
What are your thoughts? How do decide when to share an
experience versus just living in the moment?
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie, two years ago my husband and I took an Alaskan cruise with several friends. When we first began planning the trip, I couldn't imagine not taking my laptop. The thought of being without internet for several days was unimaginable. However, I left the laptop at home. During the times we were in international waters, I even had my smart phone off because we didn't want to pay those expensive charges. I came away from that trip relaxed and refreshed. And I didn't miss social media. Instead, we took that time to spend one on one time with friends. I think we should all take social media breaks now and then.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, I didn't write while I was on the trip, but came back with several ideas for stories and articles.
ReplyDeleteJoan, what an awesome trip! And I love the choice you made. I truly believe we get a jump-start on our creativity when we take some time off. Blessings, E
DeleteI find when I take those times, I noodle my current WIP, plan new stories, and com eback with fresh creative juices flowing. :)
ReplyDeleteAne, you're so right! It feels like we're getting behind, but we're really getting ahead. Thanks for stopping by, Blessings, E
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