At the end of May I felt a lot like a slug. It was a familiar feeling, like slowly sinking over the edge into burn-out. Tasks loomed large and no amount of pushing seemed to get them done. I surveyed the situation and one major energy drain stood out. I had been putting time, energy and money into a second business venture that wasn’t panning out.
As I looked over the edge; the choices appeared to be burn-out or letting go. The choice of letting go was complicated by the fact that I really like and respect the team I worked with. However, once I had all of the parting conversations, there was a significant sense of relief and liberation. I let go of the heavy stress I had been carrying. Congratulations were in order.
My next commitment was to rest, to step away and give myself a much needed vacation. Stepping away is a bit scary when YOU are the business. (Will I really ever want to come back???) Well, I am delighted to tell you that I did step away for ten days and spent a good part of that time with family in the sunshine! Now, that I am refreshed, I am choosing daily to embrace lightness, contentment and levity.
When I stepped back into the flow of my life and my business, I had a conversation with a colleague who is a fellow coach, Anita Schamber. She does a lot of work with faith-based communities and suggested that what she found works is “Let God. Let go. Let’s Go.” Ho! I could just feel the relief as I thought of how that could indeed be a new mantra for me. Interestingly since returning from my vacation I have felt a real draw to let go of lots of clutter, physical and mental. This new three-part mantra seems to fit perfectly.
Now, I sense I am on a different edge, one that feels much more like a launch pad, and a poem that portrays this beautifully is by Cindy McMeekin from her book “Awakening the Soul.”*
Stand with me on the edge
Where we can express our passions fully
Speak our truths loudly
Live our dreams boldly
Laugh from the bottom of our belly
And dance with the freedom of a child.
*Get a copy of “Awakening the Soul”
Soul Awakening Publishing
P.O. Box 217
Southworth, WA 98386
