Today is the day I unpause reDefined My Gap Year!
It is now 3 years since I started my gap year. I am amazed at how the time has flown –
My corporate day was scheduled in 30 minute increments from sun up past sundown most days. That isn’t to say that every hour of everyday was work. In order to enjoy my family/free time that was scheduled as well. It worked! I accomplished more than I ever thought possible.
Now I am accomplishing goals in a very different and very fluid way. I have seasonal goals, weekly plans and generally daily task lists. It is no longer an outlook calendar schedule that drives my days.
What I find interesting about the contrast of the two ways of driving towards and achieving goals is the rhythm and feel. Maybe it is the newness of a much more open calendar – I do find I accomplish what I need and want to accomplish. It feels liberating, squishy and a bit guilty to have that kind of freedom.
Liberating in that I am not driven by the minute hand on the clock. Squishy because it is so unstructured – and I love structure! And a bit guilty because I have been very blessed to be in a position to retire at such a young age in good health.
Here comes the big question what do I do with all that time – what do I want to accomplish. I am still trying to figure out what that looks like and am working on those things that make me happy and give me space to explore.
My main priority is my husband and enjoying the time we have together. Because of his health I have known long before Covid 19 that we are not guaranteed time. The last year of work and the year after reminded me of that with the loss of dear friends. Also being in the 3rd quarter, most months bring the loss of yet another friend.
So what do I mean by prioritizing my husband first. It means sleeping in until 11am if we fell like it. It means hanging out watching a movie in the middle of the day. It means letting the weeding in the garden go another day because we are enjoying the pond.
It means that I have accepted a part time role as Learning and Development Director for an Engineering firm.
It means every few months I threaten a dear friend to get ready I am gearing up my coaching offer!
It means I choose him. I haven’t started the new role because I don’t want to risk his health or have to isolate myself from him. I continue to scribble in my note books playing with my coaching program and the business model that goes with it – without committing to a firm start date.
And the message behind this stream of consciousness:
Its all ok! Be present in what you have chosen, live those moments to the fullest – love with all your heart the people in your life and the moments of beauty we are exposed to everyday in so many ways!