Sometimes Building Capacity Means Putting Something Down

I just returned from a week in Alaska, where I spent much of my time surrounded by mountains, glaciers, ocean, wildlife, and people I love.

And for most of that week, my phone was in airplane mode.

No constant notifications. No endless stream of emails and texts. No social media pulling for my attention. No feeling that I needed to respond to everything the moment it appeared.

At first, it was simply practical. I was on a cruise ship.

But somewhere along the way, it became something much more valuable: a reset.

An iPhone in Airplane Mode.

I Didn't Realize How Much Noise I Was Carrying

There is something powerful about standing in front of a glacier or looking out across an enormous stretch of ocean and realizing that whatever is happening on your phone can probably wait.

I found myself more present.

I noticed more.

I laughed more.

I spent time with my family without constantly dividing my attention between the people in front of me and the device in my hand.

And I was reminded of something I talk about often in my work:

Resilience is not simply our ability to keep carrying more.

Sometimes building capacity means intentionally putting something down.

A few of my favorite Alaska images including icebergs, mountains, a glacier, a silly tree, and whales dancing with seagulls.

Resilience Requires Renewal

As a resilience and capacity coach, I help people recognize the difference between what depletes them and what renews them.

We often think becoming more resilient means learning how to tolerate more stress, handle more responsibilities, work longer, or become more efficient.

There is certainly value in learning how to navigate difficult seasons.

But we are not designed to operate at full capacity indefinitely.

There has to be renewal.

Sometimes that means sleep.

Sometimes it means movement.

Sometimes it means prayer, stillness, laughter, recreation, time outside, or an afternoon with people who fill your cup.

And sometimes it means putting your phone in airplane mode.

When your battery is depleted, you need a recharge.

Constant Connection Isn't Always Connection

Our phones give us incredible access to one another, but they also make it very easy to live in a constant state of response.

Someone needs something.

An email comes in.

A notification appears.

A text needs an answer.

Something happens in the business.

Before we realize it, we can spend the entire day reacting to what is asking for our attention instead of intentionally choosing where our attention belongs.

Being disconnected for a week reminded me that availability and presence are not the same thing.

I may have been less available digitally, but I was far more present in the life happening around me.

That distinction matters.

Barbara Zinda in front of the Norwegian Encore.

Creating Space Helps Us Bring Our Best

This trip wasn't about escaping my life or my business.

Quite the opposite.

I love the work I get to do.

But if I want to bring my best to my clients, my family, my business, my faith, and the people around me, I have to take responsibility for restoring my own capacity.

We cannot continually pour from a place of depletion and expect our best work, best leadership, best relationships, or best decisions to come from it.

Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is create enough space to hear ourselves think again.

For me, Alaska provided that space.

Mountains instead of meetings.

Ocean instead of notifications.

Family conversations instead of a constantly refreshing inbox.

And somewhere in all that quiet, I came home clearer, energized, grateful, and ready to show up again.

Ready for a week of coaching groups and individuals around resilience and capacity!

What Could You Put Down?

You probably don't need to book an Alaskan cruise or disappear for a week to experience some of the same benefits.

Maybe your reset looks like:

• Leaving your phone inside while you take a walk.

• Turning off notifications for an evening.

• Protecting the first 30 minutes of your morning.

• Spending time outside without documenting it.

• Creating a few hours when other people's priorities don't automatically become yours.

• Giving yourself permission to rest without earning it first.

  
  

The question isn't necessarily, “How can I become strong enough to carry more?”

Maybe the better question is:

“What could I put down so I have more capacity for what matters most?”

I came home from Alaska deeply grateful for the beauty I experienced, the memories we made, and the people I shared them with.

But I also came home with a renewed appreciation for something remarkably simple:

Disconnecting can be a beautiful way to reconnect.

And sometimes, putting the phone in airplane mode gives us exactly the space we need to put our lives back into focus.

Certified HeartMath Resilience and Capacity Coach. Schedule your 15-minute reset today!