Lead Yourself First: Inspiring Leadership Through Solitude

by Raymond M. Kethledge

Dena Braeger echoes Conant’s point about awareness of one’s first principles, or what she calls “priorities.” “People are so quick to bow to the idea of ‘staying connected,’” she says. “They aren’t conscious of the priorities they’re setting with regard to their time. Time is an unrenewable resource. You can’t get it back. All these things we’ve done to exchange information, to access information at our fingertips, have actually taken away our time for restoring the soul. You’re giving away your soul’s ability to be moved. If we’d spend more time in solitude, we’d value ourselves more.” Dena has ample courage to disregard the norm of constant connectivity. “Solitude is soul-restorative. In solitude, I realize again what’s most important to me. I can hear my own voice again. Afterward, when I face choices, I know who I am, what my choices will be. I won’t be afraid to make them.”