Sometimes You Just Need Space

Good morning!

I hope this finds you well.

Welcome to another edition of The Matt Viera Newsletter.

The newsletter with the goal to inspire you to invest in life experiences.

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This past weekend, I attended a retreat.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm glad I went.

The retreat was held at an Airbnb in upstate New York. 

It was quiet, rural, and peaceful.

The kind of place that makes you pause and breathe a little deeper. 

The kind of place that gives you space to think.

And that's precisely why I was there.

The retreat, hosted by my friend Greg, was designed to help us clarify our goals, direction, and next steps in life. 

For me, it came at the perfect time. 

Lately, I've had a lot of things swirling in my mind.

Some big. Some small. But all are competing for my time and energy.

When one has too many things (ideas, options, ambitions), it is easy to slip into decision paralysis.

Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed by what I want to do (or what I think I want to do) that I default to the path of least resistance. 

That usually means watching TV or telling myself, "I'll figure it out tomorrow."

That's why the retreat was so powerful.

It gave me the time and space to finally take a step back and focus, clear my head, and process thoughts and emotions I don't usually make time for.

Sure, I spend time off-grid and travel often. 

But this retreat was different. 

For example, when I take a mini-retirement or road trip I let the days unfold organically. I relax. I explore.

And if I reflect on my life goals while experiencing either, great.

But that's not the primary reason I go.

This retreat was all about processing thoughts and emotions I don't usually make time for.

It was all about being intentional.

And here's what I came away with:

1. Look back at what you've accomplished.

One of my first epiphanies was to take inventory of everything I've achieved so far. 

And it was motivating.

For example, moving forward with some of my present goals is challenging.

But when I decided to go to law school, I just decided to go and I went. 

I didn't overthink it for weeks or months. I didn't find moving forward and taking action toward that goal challenging. I just did what needed to be done. 

That reminder helped me realize how simple taking action really is on any of my current goals.

2. Acknowledge your setbacks.

I've had plenty of setbacks. 

Plenty.

Some minor. Some major. And some that completely changed the trajectory of my life.

But through all of them, one thing remained true: the world didn't stop spinning. 

If I tried something that didn't work out, I learned from it and moved on. 

My setbacks shaped me just as much as my accomplishments did.

The important thing is that I at least tried despite any fear of setbacks.

3. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.

That one speaks for itself. 

We waste so much time overthinking and overanalyzing. 

But most of the time, the next right step is pretty simple. 

We just have to be brave enough to take it.

What's the point of all this?

The point is that you don't need more time (or whatever your excuse is) to achieve your goals.

You need more clarity.

And clarity doesn't come from doing more. 

It comes from stepping away long enough to actually hear yourself think.

In a world full of noise, distraction, and pressure to always be "on," we rarely give ourselves permission to pause.

Because if you're constantly overwhelmed, spinning your wheels, or putting off the decisions you know you need to make, it's probably because you're overloaded.

You need stillness. You need space. You need a reset.

Taking a few days to think might save you months (or years) of confusion.

Final Thought

You don't have to go to a mountaintop, drive cross-country, or attend a retreat to find clarity.

But you do have to step away.

• Block a weekend 

• Turn the noise off

• Put the phone down

• Sit with your thoughts

• Ask the hard questions

And remember: the answers you're looking for are probably already inside you.

You just need enough silence to hear them.

Quote that caught my attention:

“Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.”

—Wayne Dyer

My friend Greg also publishes one of my favorite, must read, newsletters.

Check out his newsletter (and subscribe) by clicking here.

You can find the collection of financial tools & resources that helped me grow from a 6-figure debt to a 6-figure net worth by clicking here.

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