The other day I realized I was in need of a much-deserved break after what had been two weeks of non-stop client work. My eyes needed a rest from the computer screen, my body needed to be removed from my office chair, and my mind was screaming “Stop!” An appointment fell through at the last minute and it suddenly seemed as if I could (and need to) use that time revitalizing my brain… somehow.
So I went out on my deck and stretched out in the sunshine. I just wanted to close my eyes and stretch my body. I wanted my brain to stop bouncing between the multitude of details, tasks, projects, schedules… you get the idea.
As I lie there, I began to notice sounds and sensations around me. It didn’t happen right away, but the more I relaxed and let go, the more I became aware. I began listening to the sounds of the wind gusts building up and passing over me. I noticed the different tones created by the breeze through the bare tree tops and the fluttering of the dead leaves that still clung to the oaks from last fall. I began feeling the cool breeze on my skin when it would swirl around and envelope my body, and then how the sun warmed me when it was still. I became aware of the abundance of different bird song, wind chimes, and other sounds either made by the wind or wildlife in the trees.
I realized my business is very much like a gusty, windy day.
There are periods of calm, when the birds are happily chirping, wind chimes are melodious, and squirrels are running along the tops of fences. The world is under control, manageable and in balance. Everything is where — and as — it should be. During these times, my client work comes in quietly and smoothly, with no changes or emergencies. Nothing is out of the ordinary.
Then there are phases when the wind is howling through the tree tops with an energy determined to push the bare trees over, to break them (and indeed, branches do tumble and crash to the ground). The past two weeks had been a furious gust of wind for my business. It seemed the majority of my clients had a wave of productivity and ideas, or plain old emergencies, which were thrust upon me from all directions in a never-ending stream. But like the mighty tree, I sway with the flow and am unyielding. I am stronger than the wind knowing it will be calm once again…soon.
I admit, the crashing branch is the equivalent of my needing a break to sit in the sun and rest my self. Something had to give, a branch always falls. But ultimately it signified the removal of dead weight, the stress that had been building.
Do you ever have days like these?
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts,
Kimberly
