Is Your Motor Running on Idle?

I have just played hooky from my regular routine and didn’t understand my unwillingness to do most of the things I could/should be doing.  Then I realized I was running my motor on idle and that was actually a good thing. 

 

 Now that I’ve had my mental and physical break from working my business I see that backing off from your routine gives you a new perspective.  Taking time to focus on another aspect of your life like entertainment or physical activity or friendship brings the value of those pursuits back into focus and gives you the space to make some more conscious choices. Idling is about preparing for change.  It’s not about making decisions; it’s about backing off so you can look ahead with a new perspective.

 

If you’re like me there are a zillion things you should do to make your business bigger, better, and more lucrative. There are so many choices that even the contemplation of those choices can make you weary.  As I come out of my idle time I can take a better look at what I think I should be doing in the first place.  Do I really need or want to write that many blog posts – is that becoming a chore rather than a joy?  How many coaching clients do I really want?   Do I want my days swamped in service or do I need some balance? Look carefully at what you decided someplace along the line that you should do and see if that still holds true.  Make some new choices.  Release what no longer brings you pleasure and makes room for more nourishing activities.

 

Here’s where a lot of us really get into trouble, we see a lot of exciting possibilities and want to try for most of them.  Coming out of idle I realize I would like to live with less pressure. Since I’m the one making up the deadlines I choose for myself I’m also the one that can change them.  There is a course I want to teach but if I decide on a specific deadline some of the joy of creation will be taken away as I have to push myself to get it ready by a certain time.  My coming out of idle decision is that I want more time to focus on fitness and play so my choice is that that course will be written whenever it gets written and offered whenever it gets offered.  The whole point of doing our business is to have a great time doing it.  How will the could’s you are considering affect your daily life experience? 

 

What are your priorities at this particular point in your life?  How in balance or out of balance is your current schedule?  I used to work my business pretty much all the time.  I love to create so I was always working a new project with a deadline as well as maintaining my coaching clients.  There was no time for much else. Now I want to take time to watch a sunset, or walk in the sunshine, or read a good novel.  I choose more simplicity in my life and more serenity.  I want to write more philosophical posts.  I want time to take myself gently into this next phase of my life.  I want time for me. 

 

My five days on idle revolved around doing jigsaw puzzles.  Your mind is active but you know the outcome.  I didn’t have to plan or meet a deadline or work on my next book.  I just sorted our little pieces of cardboard – for days.  It obviously met a need or I wouldn’t have been so reluctant to return to work.  I played hooky.  I changed my rhythm.  I stopped the pressure.  I zoned out.  I backed off.  I put my motor on idle while I allowed my subconscious to rearrange my priorities and help me realize the new choices I want to make.  There will now be regular yoga, consistent and ever-lengthening walks.  There will be much gazing out the window at the sunsets.  There will be writing my “How to Craft series” but at whatever speed those books unfold that gives me pleasure in doing them.  I want my life to be active but I want to eliminate as many self inflicted deadlines as possible.  I want to take pleasure in what I do; I want to savor the joy of crafting an article or completing another ebook or helping a client take a giant step.  I want to savor my life.  That’s what I learned when my motor went on idle.

 

 

© 2011 Cara Lumen