I’m off to the Italian hills for a yoga retreat with no laptop, a switched-off phone and absolutely nothing to do. A break from the regular rhythms and responsibilities of life and work. How lovely!
Naturally, I meet a lot of creative freelancers and entrepreneurs. Sadly, it's a common occurrence to find that behind the scenes lies a pattern of anxious workaholism masked under the banner of “it’s okay because I’m doing what I love”.
Well not around here, thank you very much! Those aren’t the kind of scenes I want to paint for myself or for my clients. We want more than doing what we love. We want to do what we love, we want to love the way we do it on the inside AND... we want a life outside of it too!
Don't get me wrong, there's a time and a place for healthy obsessions, especially when it comes to creative work. There will always be a period of intensity and immersion. But these periods need to be just that - a period, not an eternity.
Even with a career or business created with love, which allows you to do what you love and provides so much meaning in your life, it’s important that it doesn’t become your every or only thing in life.
For me, carving out time to disappear from it all every now and again is essential. Space away from something I love. To genuinely and truly switch off from our switched on world. To allow myself to deeply rest. To stop caring so much about everything, even just for a few beats. A moment to shake off any heaviness of responsibilities, expectations or pressures that have undoubtably crept in whilst I go about my business.
Of course my clients and I aren’t immune to the pressures of self employment or the responsibilities that come with carving out your own path. I often notice it in myself when I’m not really working but not really resting, not throwing myself into a piece of work but also not throwing myself into a piece of life. Teetering in a no man’s land. Suspended. Poised. Do you know this feeling too?
I like to think of this feeling as the hazard lights coming on on the dashboard, warning me that I’m going off course - that it’s time to get back in the driving seat. Time to course correct.
Imagine your dashboard hazard lights. What are they warning you about?
“REST SUPPLIES LOW!”
“ENGINE OVERHEATING!”
“FUN SERVICE OVERDUE”
“TIREDNESS KILLS. TAKE A BREAK”
This is all we’re doing really. Recognising when things don't feel right and taking responsibility to do something about it. Using our creative powers to create a better direction or experience moving forward. It's not about getting it all perfectly right, all of the time. At first, we're learning how to tune into the signs so we can respond to them as quickly as we can. Then, we can start being proactive as well as reactive. Until one day, maybe we’ll be so in tune, we'll just cruise along enjoying the view, sunroof down, hair blowing in the warm summer breeze. Sure, the odd hazard light will crop up from time to time but it's no big deal, we're the ones behind the wheel after all. How’s that for a life vision?
So take a break. Plan a trip. Have a 30 minute power nap in the middle of the day (a personal favourite of mine). Forgive yourself. Start a new hobby. Learn a language. Fall in love. Relax. Trust. Love yourself. Enjoy yourself. Ride your bike. Breathe in the fresh air. Watch the sun set. Spend time with people you love. And most importantly, don’t forget to switch the engine off every once in a while... so you can run off to the Italian hills, for instance.
You know you’ll come back... refreshed, enriched, with a sparkle in your eye and a fire in your belly… ready and raring to do more of what you love and love more of what you do. This is a much more sustainable and productive way of doing things, don't you think?
See you when I’m back from Italia!
Ciao!