Welcome back everyone. Whether you’ve been out of town, away from work, or just getting back into the groove of things and new routines, right now feels like the 2nd start of a new year. We’re generally prepared to make New Year’s resolutions in January but when school starts again, it feels like another opportunity to dream and work towards goals for the academic year. It can also give us an opportunity to look at those New Year’s resolutions and evaluate our progress and the need to continue working towards them. Are they still what we want to do, achieve, or be? Is the progress made so far serving it’s intended purpose?
I intentionally didn’t send a newsletter in August. My husband and I made it a priority to take vacation time to renew our spirit. This meant I had to practice letting go of a few things in the spirit of that priority! Have you ever dreamed of taking weeks or months off from work? It could be harder to imagine when you’re working for a company, but it IS NOT impossible. So many people I talk to say, “I don’t have enough vacation or PTO.” My assertion when I hear this is that vacation isn’t terribly important to the person saying it. When you accrue vacation, it is for you to use, to refresh, and to renew your spirit and sense of purpose. When we don’t take adequate time away, we dig ourselves deeper into the day-to-day logistics and can lose sight of what we truly want our lives to look like.
One of my favorite questions that has been asked of me by my coach is, “what IS possible?” In a time where many things feel impossible, like international travel or attending Broadway shows this question opens up pandora’s box. Is it possible to attend an outdoor Shakespeare play? I assure you, yes. Is it possible to travel to Canada or other countries? Again, probably yes, depending on your level of comfort. Is it possible to enjoy working remotely? Of course! Is it possible to take “vacation time” without having any “paid vacation time” left? Absolutely. Does that mean you may have to save some extra money to cover your expenses for the month or vacation time? Perhaps, and yet, it IS possible.
This is my first week of full-time (working all day, every day) since the last week of July. I recall what it was like to take two months off between my last job and my pivot to becoming a financial coach. I told my coach, “Those months were the best two months of my life.” So why wouldn’t I repeat that in some fashion? Let me tell you, I’m operating from a place of essence. I’m being my best self and eager to make new strides and achieve new goals this academic year.
What’s getting in your way of taking a break? What story are you telling yourself about whether or not you have earned or deserve it? What are you willing to do to make this a priority? Let's get to the bottom of this together.