Yikes, I’ve had enough of this!!
I’ve had an interesting couple of weeks that has reconfirmed for me that ‘traditional retirement’ isn’t for me …at least not for some time into the future.
Business has been kind of slow. I’ve just finished working with a number of coaching clients and have several new ones deciding whether to proceed or not. I don’t have any workshops scheduled in the very near future so the usual round of phone calls and e-mails is pretty light at the present time. I had a big spurt of dedication a couple of weeks back and a good bit of the administration of my business that I usually let pile up to critical proportions has been taken care of. Mind you there are still a bunch of things I could be doing, but hey, a girl can only be so good before her halo gets so annoyingly bright that she starts to blind herself, eh?
So I’ve had a couple of weeks with a lot of time on my hands. Now usually this would be the kind of time that I’d get busy playing with my friends. Meeting folks for coffees and lunch, going shopping mid-day, just generally hanging out and chatting the problems of the world away. But my rise in free time has coincided with most of my buddies being right smack in the midst of really busy times. Not one to go quietly into the night I’ve used this time to get some housework done, I’ve engaged several of my hobbies, I’ve done a lot of computer research, I’ve played Spider until my eyes are wonky, I’ve cooked some great meals and baked a few great desserts …and I’ve come face to face with just how boring it all is when the zest that comes from engaging with clients is missing for me.
Truly the work that I have chosen provides me with a deep sense of making a difference in the world and is an on-going invitation to share many moments of deep caring, intimacy and sacredness with other human beings who, like me, are on a journey to becoming more in life. As much as I know that I have the intellect and the will to fill my life with activities that are enjoyable, these past couple of weeks have shown me that the larger context of making a difference is what infuses these activities with meaning for me. Interestingly, today things began to shift. The phone started ringing, e-mails started arriving from folks deciding to move forward. As if on cue, once I had confirmed for myself that the traditional retired lifestyle isn’t for me the people and associated activities began to flood back in.
Today’s picture is one I took only a couple of hours ago. We’re having a warm spell while there is still lots of snow on the ground so everything is shrouded in mist. To celebrate the renewed sense of joie-de-vivre I felt coursing through my veins, I went out and shot a number of photos of which this is one. It reminds me of the possibility for beauty and fun that is possible even when things can seem bleak.
As I move into the future I know that I’ll carry an even deeper awareness of just how satisfying my work is. And I bet I’ll be a little more thankful on those really hectic days that my life isn’t just a round of shopping, cleaning, researching and hobbying. Do you know what that ‘extra something’ is that makes your life sing?
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