The gift of island time and mountain time

Thelma Grimes WINNING

it’s perfect. As the man’s impatience grew, the bartender picked up on the vibe, and without speeding up, he quickly and brilliantly defused the situation, asking the man one question, “I’ll bet it’s nice for you to be on vacation, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and to be up here taking in the snow, the sun and this incredible view.”

The man’s demeanor immediately changed. He knew what the bartender had just done, and smiling he said, “Thank you for that, and it’s wonderful to be up here and on mountain time.” I watched as the man took the two drinks back to his table and wife, and as he sat down, taking in a deep breath and gazing out at the magnificence and majesty of his surroundings.

If you have ever spent any time in the islands or in the mountains, you can immediately connect with

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

BELEN WARD Community Editor bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com the headline and message of this column. When we can spend time on a beautiful tropical island or in the majesty of the mountains, sometimes things just move a little slower. And that’s a good thing.

It amazes me that some people miss the opportunity to slow down, to ease the pace of the race when they are on vacation. We work so hard to save our money so that we can take a break, get away from the rush and crush of life, and bring ourselves and our family to a tropical paradise or winter wonderland, only to lose our patience, getting upset because the shuttle was five minutes behind, or the line at the coffee shop wasn’t moving as quickly as we would like. And instead of letting go of the stress we left behind, we bring it with us and get worked up over the silliest and slightest delays.

This is not about making the excuse for poor or extremely slow service, as that is never acceptable. This is just a gentle nudge and reminder to stop and see the mountains or the vastness of a blue ocean. Not just look at them,

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com but really see them. And maybe as we stop long enough we might just realize that we are actually seeing them for the very first time.

Getting on island time or mountain time, or wherever else we go to relax and take a break, helps us to unwind and let the stressors of life go. If we are lucky enough to live in such an area full time, we understand what island time and mountain time means, and recognize it’s one of the reasons we chose to live there.

Is it time to leave the anxiety, stress, and impatience behind? Can we get ourselves comfortable with a slightly slower pace? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can embrace island time and mountain time for the gift that they truly are, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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