Last night I needed some fresh air. So I laced up my shoes and headed out for cool evening run.  As I was circling back through my neighborhood, I thought I was safe. And then it happened. The thing that always happens when I run.  Lost deep in my own thoughts, hearing only my own footsteps and the rhythm of my panting (ahem, breathing) as I pounded the pavement, I was accosted by the most vigilant flying little devil.  Super Bee.  He zipped back and forth through my ponytail, occasionally smacking into my face.  For almost 2 miles, he flew his holding pattern around me.  (I can't be certain, but my sweat must smell like honey.  This is the only plausible explanation for why this happens. Every. Time.)

Every five seconds (or so it seemed) Buzzy the Bee was in my ear (and face), making me more annoyed with each spastic step I took trying to avoid him.  How frustrating! The "me" time that I set aside had been disrupted.  And as a result, I looked like a goober running and flailing my arms about, karate chopping thin air.  The good news?  My ninja skills got my heart rate way up. I burned mad calories, ya'll.  The bad news?  The time I had dedicated to decompress got shot to heck. I lost my "groove" and my attitude shifted from being happy and free to shouting obscenities and wanting to slaughter this quiet-time-ruining-beast.  I was stressed and annoyed to say the least.

Why am I sharing this story with you? Because Buzzy the Bee represents the "noise" we all have in our lives today.  Try to avoid it, but you probably can't.  We start our days and before we can even focus.  The cell phones, email, tvs, signs, billboards, news, media, and clutter are constantly buzzing in our ears and smacking into our faces (figuratively, of course, unless you're playing Pokemon Go...in which case you might actually be smacking into things).  Like Buzzy, they interrupt our thoughts and derail our visions, our focus and our priorities.  So what, you ask? Why does that matter?  Because the buzz in your life is drowning out, well...your best YOU.  

We all need quiet, as uncomfortable as it sometimes is.  We need time with our own thoughts.  These days we feel guilty if we aren't multi-tasking. How often do you allow yourself to sit quietly or even to get bored?  Getting a little down-time is a game changer.  There's a lot of value in looking inward and letting your mind wander.  When our minds wander, we are free to dream about the future, reflect on our thoughts and actions, make fresh and creative ideas, and solve problems.   This is the time where magic happens, folks. If you let it.

For me, it happens when I run.  I get in a rhythm and my thoughts become clear. I don't listen to music. I just listen to myself.  And voila! It's like best ideas appear out of thin air.  But last night, that bratty buzzing bee changed all that. I lost my peace.  My groove.  After the little bugger finally left me alone, I could finally focus again.  I took a deep breath and got back into my rhythm. Into my zone. I felt free.

You, too, can get "in the zone."  All you need is a little quiet time.  If quiet time is new to you, commit your first effort to a quick 5 minutes.  No need to go crazy here.  Sit down in a quiet space. One that inspires you. Maybe it's on a boulder by a trickling stream or on a blanket on the soft green grass.  Or perhaps you'd prefer to go for a walk (personally, I do my best thinking when I'm walking or running).  Put away your gadgets and unplug.  No buzzing here.  Don't force yourself to think about any one thing.  Just allow your thoughts to wander. And feel the freedom.