If you read last week’s blog, you know that I wrote about David Whyte’s suggestion of having a critical conversation with yourself that your Future Self would come back and thank you for. Well, my important conversation with myself was about the need for rest…
Over the course of my 26+ year career, I have taken five significant segments of time off from my work in the world. And it’s time to take my sixth. It starts tomorrow! ☺
Because of my own positive experience of taking time away from the demands of work, I have coached many clients to take sabbaticals over the years. There are a lot of good reasons for taking time off including:
- Career transition (and uncertainty about what’s next)
- Studying and learning a new skill
- Taking time to travel and explore the world
- Working on a major project like writing a book or renovating your home
- Regaining your health after a sickness or stint as a caregiver
- Focusing on your family
- Giving your self space to process deep grief or any significant life transition
As I look at my own pattern of taking time off, the recurring theme has been taking time away from work after a major life transition… I took 3-6 months off after my dad died, after I got divorced, after two major moves, after becoming a parent…
And now, it’s time to do it again. My reasons this time are three fold:
- To give myself space to more fully grieve since the death of my Mom eight months ago.
- To regain my health. I’m dealing with some significant autoimmune issues that have shown up over the past year and I’m committed to my self care and well-being.
- To commit more deeply to my writing. I’m taking a spiritual writing course in July and I’m so excited!
At first, I was hesitant to commit to the time off. Even though I’ve done this before and it’s never harmed my business…in fact, it’s only ever helped it!!!… I still have natural worries like “What will other people say?” I also feel some guilt, knowing that other people I know could benefit from sabbatical as much as me but are unable to make that commitment right now. (I will admit it’s easier to take time away when you live in a two income household. Although I did it twice as a single person, it definitely is a bit less nerve wracking this way…I feel confident the mortgage will still get paid!)
The beautiful thing about being an entrepreneur is that you get to write the rules and call the shots. So it’s time for me to step out for a bit. In the next few months, I will continue to facilitate my Sienna and Sugar Land Women in Business networking meetings locally here in the Houston area but I’m grateful to my awesome virtual assistant Danielle who handles the lion’s share of the administrative details! I have put a hold on all coaching clients and speaking engagements and this weekly newsletter that I’ve written for the past two years. So I want to take a minute here to THANK YOU for being a faithful reader. I will miss your love notes each week as you respond to my articles and share your thoughts and inspiration with me. If we’re not already connected on Facebook, please come find me there!
I’m honestly not sure how long my sabbatical is going to be. I’m going to wait and see how my rest and renewal and recovery goes. A few friends are encouraging me to take a full year off but my husband knows me well and keeps saying “You’ll be bored after 3-6 months and be chomping at the bit to return to work!”
With any luck, I’ll be feeling great by the fall and I will have made some significant headway on my book. But no matter what happens, I know that I will feel grateful that I gave myself the permission to really rest.
And you? Are you feeling the call to rest? If you’re resonating with what I’m writing here, think about taking some time away for yourself. It could be taking a week off, a month off or even more. (And if you’re not sure what to do, when I return to working 1:1 with clients, I’d be happy to coach you through the process! ☺)
I’ll let you know when I’m back from my sabbatical…
In the meantime, please take good care of your precious self,
Elizabeth