Synchronicity and the value of disconnection

With one breath, with one flow
You will know
Synchronicity

- Synchronicity, The Police

This concept was on my mind this morning as I was reading so I decided to focus on it in today's post.  I'm also listening to this old favorite by the Police from 1982 as I write this.  I haven't listened to it in quite awhile and just thinking about the ability to write a song with the main verse structured around a five syllable word served to  remind me just how talented a band they were.  

But back to the concept of Synchronicity.  First off, despite the sadness of not being able to be with my family up north, I had a nice holiday.  Most importantly, I took almost a straight four days off of what I would call Deep Work.  For me, that includes focused coaching or consulting, writing and the other daily practices that are so important to me.  While I love what I do, the fact that I can enjoy stepping away from it doesn't demean my love for the work.  Quite the opposite.  In fact, what was incredible was that with a lighter mind, the full concept and design for my next program offering simply came to me.  

Some of you know that in October/November, I was excited to launch the Emerging Nonprofit Leaders (ENL) program.  I thoroughly enjoyed co-creating this program with six fantastic leaders in the nonprofit space.    We wrapped up a few weeks ago and I've been thinking about  what ENL 2.0, which will be launched in January, will look like.  After a wonderful bike ride Saturday morning, with nothing much on my mind, the whole concept of what it will be came to me.  I know that if I would have sat down to think deeply about it, I couldn't have come up with something better.  So, if you're interested in joining for January, keep an eye out on my website www.yournonprofitnow.com  as well as these posts to check it out (yes, shameless plug!)

Sure enough, the focus of the chapter in the book I was reading this morning, the Accidental Genius by Mark Levy, was the Value of Disconnecting.  My hunch is that we've all had that experience of trying to think of remember something and we just can't get it.  The minute we give up and figure that we'll eventually remember it, we remember. It's very similar with creativity.  Sometimes we have to stop being so creative and stop being so much in our thinking to really come up with ideas and designs we love.  Very much like what happened to me this morning.  

So, the  takeaways for this morning:
​

1. Step away from your desk or table (or wherever your working these days)
2. Do something that has nothing to do with what you're trying to do or create
3. ​See what happens! Probably something very cool and unexpected... 
4. Go listen to the entire album Synchronicity by the Police.  Even 38 years later, it's still a standout, particularly the two title tracks (Synchronicity 1 and 2) and finally, 
5. I hope you'll consider joining us for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders 2.0 in January!