My Huge A-ha Moments on The Rock Boat
I just returned from my 8th time on The Rock Boat Cruise, hosted by Sister Hazel, and let me tell you — this boat was the most transformative experience I’ve ever had. I love my work so much that it’s easy to get completely obsessed with it.
But, as much as I adore what I do, I had to face the fact that my phone had become a barrier. Not just to time management, but to my emotional health, boundaries, and overall well-being.
So here’s what happened:
The Decision to Disconnect
I made a firm decision before the trip to turn off all phone communication and direct all business matters to my Chief of Operations, Mazzy, who I’d check in with a couple of times per day. Sounds easy, right? It wasn’t.
The first day was incredibly uncomfortable. I had the overwhelming urge to turn on my phone, and to be honest, I even tried. But a miracle happened. Despite being fully charged, it wouldn’t turn on. That was the gift and message from the universe I didn’t know I needed.
A Grounding Start
With my phone out of commission, I picked up my planner and started writing. I wrote for hours that first day. And when I finished, I felt truly grounded for the first time in a long time.
I grabbed my second coffee, woke up my husband, and we worked out together. I hugged my kids and connected with them. Already, I could see how this decreased phone use was creating space for meaningful connections.
The Emotional Wave
Day 2 arrived, and though the urge to check my phone was still there, it wasn’t as strong. I happily grabbed my coffee and journaled for a couple of hours. I was having fun with my thoughts. The real breakthrough? I realized how much easier it was to separate my own energy and emotions from others. I wasn’t taking on anyone else’s stuff.
But by the evening, things shifted. Strong emotions came flooding in — all of them. I thought I had been managing my emotions just fine. I wasn’t. My phone had been a buffer, and without it, the floodgates opened. This emotional release continued through the next morning. I reminded myself that progress doesn’t happen overnight.
Building Confidence & Clarity, I Kept Going.
I journaled on the deck, and the insights and clarity kept coming. I started feeling more confident in my ability to create boundaries with myself. I even emailed a few friends to share my plan and received big support from them and from Mazzy, who reassured me that I didn’t need to have my finger on the pulse every second.
The Plan Moving Forward
This experience was the catalyst for new changes:
I’m now working on block scheduling with my coach.
My next 15 weeks of workout recordings are already scheduled.
Mark will be driving the girls to school each morning from Feb. 1st through Feb. 18th, so I can get a solid head start on the content I need to create.
I’ll sign onto my email later in the day and only at specific times.
I’ll have dedicated times for checking text messages, engaging on social media, and being present in my coaching group.
I feel lighter, hopeful, and for the first time, I believe that creating space and free time is truly possible. This excites me because it means I can pour more energy into creating new things, like the launch of my Nutrition Training enrollment, which is happening very, very soon!
I wanted to share this with you because the commitment I made to myself on vacation is one I believe will allow me to serve myself and others in the best possible way.
Thank you for being on this journey with me.
With love and gratitude,
Ali
P.S. As I mentioned,my 48-CME Nutrition Training Program is enrolling soon!!! You are going to want to get on the waitlist because this program is a must for anyone in healthcare who wants to understand optimal nutrition strategy for metabolic health, fat loss with muscle maintenance, muscle gain, and everything in between.
This program will allow you to make nutrition management part of your practice where you can become a leader in prevention no matter what your specialty is. You can learn more HERE.