Weekly Musings #15 Reflections from the open road
Weekly Musings #15 Reflections from the open road
Every year I embark on a couple of solo or semi-solo trips.
Over Ascension Weekend (Kristi himmelfärdhelg in Swedish) we (me and some friends) go hiking and canoeing, and the last three summers I have got on my motorbike and headed off for a drive, alone.
When hiking or paddling, you can’t really do anything else than walk or paddle, and when on my bike it’s me, the bike and the open road.
And very little time on the phone. Sure, I take pictures and post updates during stops, but driving is just driving.
This year I went north, I spent six days covering 2500 km, first driving a route called Tidernas Väg (Roads of Time).
From Ånge I took a left and passed Östersund aiming for Gäddede and the Wilderness Route (Vildmarksvägen) over the mountains, a route that passes the highest road point in Sweden on the plateau of Stekenjokk.
This might be considered northern Sweden by us mid- to southerners, but for the real northerners it’s really only a bit past half way up 🙂.
You can see a number of posts from the journey on my Instagram, I post there for things from my life in general, and I will be writing a full write-up of the journey as well but this post isn’t about that trip per se, but about reflections.
So anyway, six days of riding, four or five hours a day, giving me a rare opportunity to spend hours on end alone with my thoughts, and it made me realize the invaluable importance of reflection, personal time, and disconnecting from the constant stimuli we have at hands reach all the time.
And it’s even more so when hiking, with no way to charge your battery, since you keep your phone turned off and only turn it on when stopping or when acutely needed. And off again at night of course to conserve battery.
During those hours, I can let my mind wander through memories, ponder life’s great mysteries and explore the depths of my own thoughts, or, simply not think at all, which in itself is liberating.
It struck me how few people on a daily basis can’t do without their phones for four hours, four minutes, or even four seconds without checking, scrolling or just mindlessly opening apps.
What are we trying to avoid? Why are we so afraid of being alone with our thoughts?
Is it it our fear of missing out, of being left out, that leads us to constantly turn to our screens?
Some can’t even hold a conversation with another person sitting right in front of them without habitually checking their phone every 10 seconds, like a tic or compulsory behavior.
From a creativity perspective it is downright destructive, I remember Teo Härén saying during our Innovation Fika (which was about the power of reflection) that with the release of the smartphones, yes we got access to more information and input, but it quickly turned into too much input, input overload. Suddenly we had something we could turn to at any hour, any minute, to distract us from what we were doing or thinking. And some things simply need deep reflection.
But back to the motorbike ride (or the three day hike as well).
Taking time for introspection allows you to gain insights into yourself and get in touch with your feelings and emotions. It provides an opportunity to process your challenges, triumphs and losses, and gives you time to contemplate the direction you wish your life to take.
Reflection is a gateway to self-awareness, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of your values and aspirations
A couple of times I found myself cursing myself for not stopping to document the breathtaking landscape and scenery I was traveling through, which is quite ironic, like “if you don’t take a picture and post about it, you were never there”, so yes, I am just like the rest of us, no better no worse.
But one thing I have learned, is to spend time with myself. I enjoy my own company.
I don’t need to see what’s going on all the time, I have turned off all notifications on my phone and only see emails, texts or messages when I actively check them.
Why don’t you give it a try?
Disconnecting, even for a few hours, can lead to a greater appreciation for life’s simple pleasures and once you get away from it all, you realize that maybe it wasn’t all that important after all.
Not to mention that it works wonders for your creativity and thought process.
Try to (re)discover the joy of simply being with yourself and enjoy the beauty of the world around you.
