The Big Disconnect

Who is your best friend?

Is it the one who you go to for advice? The one who makes you laugh? Your source of inspiration? Perhaps it’s the one who you would take with you wherever you went, just in case you get stuck or feel lonely?

Yep, I agree with you. The internet is my best friend too.

You need advice? YouTube has got your back. Want to laugh (or cry, or be excited)? Netflix has you covered. Oh, you’re lost? Google maps to the rescue!

As I sit here in Café Mar on the Sovereign cruise ship, waiting to disembark into Brazil, I know I am just moments away from returning to some sweet, sweet WiFi!

The disconnection of 13 days on a cruise ship sailing across the Atlantic Ocean with almost no internet at all has been quite a ride. The challenges are obvious. You can’t check the news (Is Brexit over yet?). You can’t fact check the drunk guy in the bar. And most of all, you can’t call home or be in contact with the ones you love. But, as human beings, we rise to the occasion and conquer the challenge that lays in front of us. Like Columbus into the unknown, we lived, disconnected from the internet for 13 days. And just like Columbus, we found something amazing (even if we weren’t the first to discover it).

1. Creativity:

300 digital nomads, business owners and entrepreneurs is surely a hotbed for creative ideas in any situation. But disconnect them from their customers, their news source and their online pastimes and you have a recipe for something magical. From inspiring speeches to discussions over breakfast, the ideas that were shared, challenged and reinforced was on a scale I’ve never experienced before. New businesses were born with exciting product ideas and much needed services. Entertaining videos and even online courses and podcasts were started (‘Be The Boss, the podcast for business success stories’ – coming soon!).

2. Community:

Place a group of likeminded people together on a ship, the size equivalent of a tiny village, with a handful of possible meeting spots, set meal times and an open bar and you spark connection and friendships which can last a lifetime. The incredible, respect, compassion, fun and love that existed was facilitated by complete presence and a lack of distraction. So let us take a moment to appreciate the power of the internet. Let us not take for granted it’s unlimited power to connect and inspire us. But let us also take some time to disconnect. Spend a weekend sharing ideas with bright minds in your network. Switch off from the news and be inspired by what those around you are creating. When you’re in good company, be present. And when you’re with the drunk guy at the bar be compassionate. Sharing your ideas and vision of the future with those around you may be more inspiring than a million Google searches or a lifetime of YouTube tutorials. Cultivate an open mind so that you might find an idea that could change your life, or a person who could fill it up.

Thank you to Nomad Cruise #nomadcruise9 for an experience of a lifetime.

Inspiration. Laughter. Deep connection. Experience. Learning. Friendships. Clients. Mentors. Peers. Memories. The greatest disconnect.

[Image from Nomad Cruise by Dora Arvai @doraarvaiphoto]