Finding Clarity in Isolation

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” - Luke 5:16

This post is a bit of a departure from my usual content, but I felt compelled to share my experience from this past weekend. Writing, after all, is about capturing the moments that shape us and sharing them with others, right? Right.

I decided to escape the noise and stayed in the middle of the woods in a “glamping dome” because why not? It was an opportunity to immerse myself in an unfamiliar environment and embrace the profound quietness. As social beings, we thrive in the company of friends, family, and our community. Being alone in the woods felt strange at first, and I found myself questioning, “Why did you do this again, Nick?”

The place I booked was in Chillicothe, OH, about an hour south of Columbus. A kind lady named Marci created the glamping dome and a larger dome for “peaceful office hours,” and it was perfect. Very clean, unique, and exactly what I needed. She was out of the country, so I had the whole place to myself… for better or worse. Being alone in an unfamiliar environment was challenging. As mentioned above, I am usually surrounded by friends, talking with family, or on my computer or phone (aka doom scrolling). Turning all that off was difficult but necessary. Below are some pictures, some pulled online and a few I took, including a video:

My Dome

Larger Dome for Activities

Large Dome Again

Video of Large Dome

Within the hour, I settled in, unpacked, built a fire, and began to sit and listen to the birds. I read about new financial planning strategies and better ways to serve my clients. The ideas started to flow naturally. Would I have the same ideas sitting at home alone? Perhaps, but it’s much harder for me to avoid distractions. I learned a lot about myself in those short two days, both for ClearMind Capital and personally.

Taking a break and being alone to recalibrate is incredibly beneficial, yet so challenging for us. Consider the quote:

“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room” – Blaise Pascal

I really like this quote, but I would consider revising it to “All of humanity’s problems stem from man (or woman) lack of time to sit quietly in a room.”

Reflecting on this, I realized we are always in a rush, and I find that in myself daily. Especially when driving, I get annoyed at other drivers because I want to reach my destination as fast as possible, even when there’s no reason to hurry. I am not necessarily late; I don’t even know why I feel rushed all the time, but here we are. Why would we want to speed up time anyway? When time feels slow, we get bored and want to change that… why? Life is so short. This was a big takeaway from the weekend: slow down.

I think the best thinkers, the most creative and productive people had to have the time to imagine and create. They needed clarity. Going on walks, sitting in silence with your own thoughts, trying to slow down time a bit. However, this seems unproductive, doesn’t it? In the corporate world, it’s all about go, go, go. Be in the office at 8:30 and don’t leave till 5 pm. But perhaps the most productive and best ROI activities are the ones that feel like a waste of time.

Of course, I am going to compare this with financial planning, after all, that is what I love to do. We often prioritize the “busyness” of life over our financial well-being. And trust me, I get it! But what would happen if we decided to pull the car over and take the time to let the fog lift? Maybe it’s the best thing we can do for ourselves. It might be uncomfortable, it might be a bit messy, but guess what? That's okay. Nobody has it all figured out. The best part is, you don’t have to do it alone, but you do have to brake and pull over.

I don’t know if this will resonate with you or not, but in the off chance it does, I encourage you to take 15 minutes today to just sit, in silence, by yourself. Feel how it feels, and it will most likely be uncomfortable, but give it a go. Let me know your experience and if it was easier or harder for you.

A clear mind can bring so much joy, so let’s help each other out. This world isn’t getting any easier.

P.S - this place may be a destination for a future client event 😉

Have a great week this week!

It’s easy to feel stuck with money. It's harder to have clarity and a plan you trust. If that feels like something you've been missing - let's talk.

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Nick George CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®

Owner | CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Practitioner

ClearMind Capital

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