About 8 months ago I decided to give myself a gift and take Mondays and Fridays to do the “backroom” things involved in having a business. I also thought that on occasion, I could grab lunch with a friend as well. Mostly, those days were when I could put on leggings and a sweatshirt and write content, plan videos, create or enhance programs, etc. Tuesday thru Thursday would be the days when I saw the few patients I see and work with my clients (although they have access whenever, but the basic form would be in place for intros etc.) It was all so perfectly logical and planned with precession. Then over the course of the months, reality hit.
I was now in the office seeing people 3 days a week pretty much from 8:00am – 8:00 pm with 30 minutes to one hour for lunch – or emails, returned calls, or texts. Not what I had envisioned. This morning I woke up thinking, “I don’t like my life.” WOO that is so not me. The perpetual optimist, the one filled with laughter and joy at the drop of a hat… As I sat there on the edge of the bed, it took a minute to say, “OK time for a change.”
As I did the standard morning routine, ideas started flowing. One client canceled for the day and I immediately decided to leave it in the books so no one else could see an opening in my online calendar. Laughter, joy, and being “naughty” felt powerful and funny. Joy was flowing before I reached the downstairs. A client waiting list was coming back because there would be no additions for a while. Yup, I’m back.
What do you do when you have the greatest plans and yet….? The greatest agenda, whether for a meeting, a vacation, a project, or your year? Do you move into fluidity? Rigidity? Self-condemnation? Self-ridicule? Or do you just breathe and welcome yourself into humanity?
Plans change, we change, life changes and we either get enraged, disappointed or depressed, feel victimized, or go with the flow. The choice is fully ours.
It was a great plan in theory. The pragmatic application became the issue.
Because it didn’t work doesn’t mean it was a failure. It worked for a while until all the supportive structures that weren’t there started to become obvious. No boundaries in place on hours, client load, board memberships, and so on. These all had an impact.
Can you laughingly welcome yourself to humanity while finding an alternative? Can you have permission to keep the concept but change the application? Throw it all out the window and start fresh? All while being happy and proud of your ingenuity, your creativity, and your openness to change?
If not, do yourself a favor. I speak so very frequently about transition. Well, transition is a way of life when you are a creative. It calls you to do self-care and do it lovingly, joyfully.
The real fortune in life is your ability to adapt, to change according to your needs, desires, and wants. The real fortune is in the joy and the increased sense of self, owning the “I AM.” This is not simply to make others happy but to enjoy life because of who you are and who you want to be.
I want to be happy, at peace, and loving what I do. I want the same for each of you. Join me!!!!
