One of the best ways to revitalize your business and your life is to reconnect with what you love more than anything!
I know of what I speak because this past Friday I facilitated a 2016 Business Planning Retreat and it was a great success. (So much fun that I’m hosting another one–this time virtually–on January 8th! Learn more about The 2016 Virtual Business Planning Retreat.) There were lots of a-ha’s, lots of laughter, a few tears and of course plenty of chocolate! Everyone left the retreat revitalized by their plans for 2016.
And for me, the greatest gift was being reminded that while I love 1:1 coaching, speaking and writing, leading retreats is at the very top of my list when it comes to heeding the call of my heart’s work in the world. It is my absolutely favorite thing to do as a professional. I miss the amazing partnership I had with Geralyn Russell and our business Solitude Retreats and I am committed to facilitating more retreats in my business in the near future!
To retreat is to step out of ordinary time. No schedules, no phone calls, no Facebook (or Twitter or LinkedIn or Instagram or Pinterest…!), no responsibilities other than showing up and being fully present and engaged for yourself and for the other retreat participants. We don’t retreat often enough from our daily lives in our society but when we do, it’s powerful, magical and transformative.
The time spent on retreat is like an alternate reality that allows us to access divine wisdom that we might not be able to on our own in every day real time. Every woman who attended this recent retreat with me agreed that there was a spiritual and divine quality of our time together. We all felt the presence of God in our own ways and it was a very moving and emotional experience for many.
People left the day feeling inspired, focused and committed to growth and new opportunities in 2016! And that, for me, is what juices me and brings me joy more than anything else that I do professionally.
So I invite you to ask yourself:
Are you heeding the call of your heart’s work in the world?
What parts of your business and life do you need to reconnect to? Is it a particular task that you love doing, a hobby that you enjoy pursuing, or is it simply going for a walk with your dog in the evening so you can decompress at the end of the day and sleep well at night?
The key to this reconnection is realizing that there is nothing new to be explored. This is about connecting with a part of you that you have either forgotten or overlooked or put aside or has simply remained dormant for a while and it’s time to come out of hibernation.
The next step is then to recommit. Re-commit to putting this thing that matters back in to your schedule. If it’s not in your schedule it’s not in your life. Recommit for a period of time (They say 21 days is a good start for forming a new (or reintroducing an old) positive habit!) and mark the transformation of your attitude and mindset.
If you are not sure where you have lost your connection to your heart’s work, here are a few journaling prompts to help prime the pump:
- If you could spend your days doing only three things in your business what would they be? Are you spending the majority of time doing them? If not, why not? And how can you rearrange your days to include these critical elements? What do you need to let go of so you can say “yes” to something better?
- Is there something that used to be an important part of your life that has fallen by the way side? Perhaps due to a move, a job change, family changes or health concerns? Maybe you love to swim or paint or do volunteer work.
- What did you love to do as a kid? Did you play soccer? Make jewelry? Volunteer at the local animal shelter? Think about the things that brought you joy when you were younger and see how reintroducing play and creativity back into your life impacts you both professionally and personally.
If you are someone who likes to have a plan for the New Year, I’d love to help you work on yours. Join us on Friday January 8th for the next 2016 Business Planning Retreat – Virtual Edition! This way I can connect with you and other clients and colleagues around the country who need focused time to intentionally create their new year. Your new year. If this sounds good I hope you will join us.
And for local Houston women professionals, I’ll be hosting a Vision Board Retreat on Friday, January 15th (look for details to be posted soon!) for those who like to access their creative right brains in planning for the New Year!
Here’s to reconnecting with your heart’s desire!
Elizabeth