At the beginning of the year, I set a personal goal—actually, I set quite a few goals—one of which was to write a blog post each month. I had a whole list of topics ready to go, content to fill up the year. But if you’ve been following along, you might have noticed that March and April were rather dry months. I just couldn’t summon the energy to put pen to paper and organize my thoughts into something worth reading.

I took a step back to figure out why I was experiencing this lack of clarity. I mean, I was well-rested each morning, got some exercise, and was a pro at ticking off my to-do list. Plus, I was fully committed—I mean, really committed—to my studies. Some weeks, I spent nearly 40 hours glued to my laptop, determined to master a particular design software.

But upon further reflection, I realized my energy levels, both physical and mental, were starting to resemble my old Corporate America self. By the end of the day, I felt drained. My thoughts were all over the place, and I was constantly on edge. It dawned on me that my brain drain was directly linked to the countless hours I spent in front of a computer—the same behavior I’d exhibited five days a week for 25 years.

I decided to wrap up my semester and give myself nearly two weeks to recharge, with the intention of coming back supercharged. And you know what? It worked! Here I am, back at the keyboard, crafting this masterpiece. Well, maybe not a masterpiece, but I hope you’ll find some value in the tactics that have helped me to hit the reset button and feel fantastic, both physically and mentally.

I focused on retraining myself to find a different way to feel productive. For a quarter of a century, I was programmed to believe that hands on a keyboard, phone to my ear, and eyes on something to read were the best way to be productive. But now, I’m discovering that when I put the devices away and engage in tasks that put different parts of me to work, the ideas and energy I produce are boundless.

I decided to step outside and tackle a huge gardening project. I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, clearing close to 400 square feet of dirt and debris to make way for new life and nourishment. As I dug, pulled, and raked, I let my mind drift. And you know what? The ideas I conjured up were nothing short of inspiring.

What really got me excited was the notion of growing a family pumpkin patch. Just imagine: this fall, The Mayor, Boom Boom, and some of their friends will come over to pick pumpkins, decorate them, and we’ll have ourselves a good old fashioned Fall Fest right in our backyard. Now, tell me, how’s that for creating memories to last a lifetime?

As my mind continued to wander in my gardening adventure, I felt a surge of inspiration to reconnect with friends I had meant to reach out to for months, or even years. During my breaks from the greenery, I carved out moments to meet up. In our walks, conversations flowed freely, and over the past two weeks, I learned about the incredible things my friends have been up to. One even convinced me to embark on a five-day fast, while another inspired me to plan a rejuvenating spa getaway for the fall—a much-needed recharge for when I know I’ll need it most. Simply put, I felt more connected to the amazing people around me than ever before.

Through this journey, I came to a profound realization: our bodies, all our bodies, crave variation. We thrive on shaking things up, breaking away from the monotony of our everyday routines. And when we do, the results are electrifying.

Sure, it wasn’t easy. There have been moments of struggle and disappointment. But here I am, just two days post-fast, sore from digging in the dirt, and my mind is buzzing with energy. I sprang out of bed at 5:45 a.m. this morning, effortlessly tackled a homework assignment, and even formulated a blog post idea while drying my hair. And as if that weren’t enough, I’m ready to dive into a book—another goal I set at the beginning of the year but had since fallen by the wayside in January.

Now that I’ve pressed on to the other side, I can see how, as leaders, we’re great at setting ambitious goals for our teams and pushing them to reach their full potential, but we often put ourselves on the back burner.

I realize that we all often get stuck on the proverbial “hamster wheel.” Sticking to our same routine because it is easy. The thought of change seems hard and it may take too much energy from our already low tank.

It’s like we have this internal resistance to taking time for ourselves and to changing and doing something new. Whether it’s starting a new hobby, indulging in some self-care, or pursuing a creative project, we often neglect the things that can have the greatest impact on re-igniting what makes each of us simply amazing!

But, when we push past that resistance and immerse ourselves in something new, something magical happens. We tap into a wellspring of creativity and innovation that not only lights up our personal lives, but spills over into our work too.

And here’s the science behind it: embracing new challenges actually rewires your brain. Neuroscientists have discovered that when we learn something new, our brains physically change. When we stimulate our brain by picking up a new skill or hobby, it adapts by creating new neural pathways. These pathways boost brain plasticity, making it easier to adapt to changes and overcome challenges. Ultimately, this is what we need to switch between tasks and pursue new ideas.

I won’t bore you with the list of things I did to change my normal or the endless stream of ideas I’m ready to pursue. Instead, I want this to serve as a gentle nudge to all of the wonderful people in my life: take care of yourselves. Give yourself a rest. Break out of your habits and try new things. I am proof that when you do it, amazing things happen. With a commitment to recharge, you can unlock joy, hope, and excitement in your everyday life. You can be supercharged!

1. What have you done this week to break away from your normal routine? How can you re-arrange your schedule to fit in something new/different?
2. Do you need a personal day? When will you block your calendar and make it a priority to focus on you?
3. What works for you to recharge? Share your ideas with our community!