As I write this, I’m flying somewhere over Illinois with my husband and two children. There is a lot of excitement for what this trip will entail and what we will discover. Although I have to admit I’m feeling a little anxious about it. This is an extended trip for us because we are combining a family trip to Maine, camp for the kids, and a solo trip to Nantucket for my husband and I, splashed in with a quick trip to New York for a little work.
As this trip was being planned and started to approach, I new that this would be a really good trip for me. Being near the water always brings in new creativity and inspiration. There is a sense of excitement for what new thoughts and inspirations will come and how that will impact my business and life.
At the same time, leaving for an extended amount of time has me a little nervous.
It’s a long time to be away from my business, the puppies (who are also like my kids), the kitties, and yes, all my beautiful flowers.
What will happen while I’m gone?
Do I really have time to be gone so long?
What will happen to my business?
Can I afford to be gone so long?
The list goes on.
This is the internal dialogue that comes up which shuts down play.
This internal dialogue keeps us from really living, playing, and building amazing businesses.
If you have ever had this dialogue run through your head, stop and ask, “Is this really true?” Maybe some of it is, but the reality is that everyone will survive without you for a couple days or weeks. In fact, people are so busy with their own lives that many will hardly notice you are gone.
Taking time to completely unplug helps you become more productive. You come back to your business and life more energized with a fresh perspective and ideas, you’re more productive and ready to serve your clients and customers.
You may be in a place where you are feeling like there is going to be a shift in your business but you’re not quite sure what that is or what it looks like and a little change of perspective is just what you need. This is exactly where I sat 8 years ago. I knew I was ready for the next chapter.
I had been in Direct Sales for 20 years and had always said I was a “lifer” but then I sensed something was going to change.
I went away to a week long retreat in Lake Tahoe, and during that week I was introduced to coaching. It combined everything I loved about direct sales in a new and exciting business. I just knew that coaching was my next chapter.
What is your next chapter?
Are you ready to move to the next level in your business, ready to expand and develop new areas in your business, or are you ready for a next chapter?
Sometimes in your business, you reach a point that you just need to take a little time and reflect and find the stillness for a bit so you can be shown what it wants to look like next.
“If you tell life what it has to be, you limit it, but if you let life show you what it wants to be, it will open doors you never knew existed.”
-Unknown
We can get into putting our head down and getting it done mode that barely gives us time to look up. There is a time and place for that, but then there are the times that you just have to give yourself and your business a little space to figure out what the next chapter looks like.
Play is one place you can find that stillness. The stillness that, if you listen, will speak to you. It’s your connection and many wonderful things come from this space of stillness.
It’s in the stillness that you will get clarity of what your next steps are.
It’s in the stillness you will find the answer to a problem, the right strategy that you’ve been looking for, etc.
In my experience, whenever I need clarity, answers to a problem or a new idea, stillness is where the answers are. Creating a little space for yourself to be still, can create a life and business you never even could of imagined.
So as you play, take time off and change your environment. Look for places to experience space and stillness for yourself.
To get you started here are a few ideas:
- Take time everyday to meditate. Even if it’s just 10 minutes a day, you will reap the benefits. One of my favorite apps to get you started is Headspace. The first 10 meditations are free.
- Go for a walk or hike. Find the stillness in play. When you’re walking or hiking, really listen to the sounds around you then listen to the quiet in between the sounds. Feel the space and connection to your environment. My second children’s book “My Friendly Giant – Along the Cliff Walk” was written in full on a cliff hike.
- Go for a bike ride. I love going on bike rides. When you ride listen to rhythm of the rotation of the tires. Feel the rhythm your body gets into as your riding. Find the space within the rhythm.
- Take a dog for a walk. Whether they are yours or you volunteer to walk dogs at a shelter, this can be a wonderful place to experience play. There isn’t a better role model of how to play then a dog. Just watch how present they are, how curious they are, and ready for fun they are.
- Experience something new. When you do something new, you get an extra charge of energy. You’re present with excitement and sometimes the thrill of fear. Feel into the moment and find that quiet space, that stillness that says, “There is something here for you”, and then just pay attention to what shows up. I do this a lot, and it can be fun just to see what shows up.
As I start this trip, I will be playing and finding the stillness and listening. I look forward to sharing with you what wonderful insights and moments come up☺