I’ve taken a month off from posting on the blog.
Most of my clients are either in the EU or the UK. For many of them, their custom is to take a month off for holidays, both in the summer and at Christmas/Year End.
In the US, we often think of vacation in terms of a week or two. I feel like my clients are more evolved than I am about taking breaks (and many other things, too!). Their choice is truly restorative, where my customary vacation interval feels like merely a pause.
I decided to try taking a longer break at Christmas/Year End this year. It wasn’t a “pure” time off, because I was still walking the Camino (virtually), writing about it, and doing some Year End review calls with my clients. But I did drop a lot of non-essential activities and commitments, and it really felt good to have more time and space.
I love what I do. I’m passionate about my clients and coaching. And, paradoxically, for me, that makes it more difficult for me to take significant time off. It truly doesn’t occur to me that I need time off, because I love what I do so much.
But, everyone needs time off, to step back and breathe, and create some space for other things, even (or maybe especially) if we don’t know what the time is for. To change the landscape and the rituals, patterns and routines. To have time that isn’t assigned an outcome or intention or purpose. It’s just open space.
My taking time off serves my clients, too (gasp!).
For whatever reasons, I was born a responsible kid. I do what I say I’m going to do, to the best of my ability. I show up when I commit to showing up. For me, time is a precious gift, and I always strive to make it count, to make it meaningful. So it is surprisingly tough for me to take time off, without an intended purpose or focus.
In the last few years, I have been taking time off without any specific focus or intention (Covid has almost made this easier, because I have been doing a lot less activities outside of my home).
I just take time to be, and I see what shows up. I discover what I’m inspired to do. (Warning: this can take some getting used to, if you’re a person like me. I found myself wanting to jump right in and fill the time.)
When I moved in a slower rhythm, I took more walks. And I was moved to do art, in a number of different forms.
I created a journal to hold the joy moments in my life. It’s filled with some background papers that I painted. And there is a lot of space to sketch, write, and play with lettering. And to record the things that give me joy this year.
This year I am going to notice joy.
Where is your joy?
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