Have you ever reached a point where you thought, “I can’t keep going like this”?
Maybe it was prompted by a disheartening job, a frustrating relationship, or a series of crises that wore you out. Or maybe it was all good stuff – activities you signed up for, exciting opportunities – but the pace became unsustainable.
Either way, you likely found yourself constantly spinning and wondering, “Is this just how it is now? How it will always be?”
I hear you.
Recently, I unexpectedly hit a wall that I couldn’t seem to climb over, walk around, or push through. I was endlessly busy but not yielding the results I desired; striving to be all things to all people but coming up short. It all began to feel complex, scattered, inconsistent. In a nutshell, I felt stuck.
The answer to getting unstuck will look different for each of us. For me, it meant calling it quits.
With the help of my coach, I realized I needed to step away from as much as possible – even what was going well – in order to gain clarity and perspective, recalibrate my way of being, and make sure my next chapter fully and intentionally honored my purpose.
So, in my typical all-or-nothing way, I let go of nearly everything I possibly could for a period of time, including:
- Weekly Clarity Kickstarts
- Blogging multiple times per week
- New programs and offerings
- Networking functions
- My morning practice
- Reading nonfiction
- Many of my systems and routines
- Email and social media, for days at a time
I enjoy almost all of these, so letting go was not easy. But sometimes we must let go of the great to make room for the exquisite, right?
And make room I did. Literally – I decluttered my entire office, computer, and house – as well as figuratively. With a clear mind and breathing room, everything transformed. I designed a new business model, new offerings and programs for you, new Bold Goals and a new annual theme, a new website (you’ll see it soon!), and more.
I even lost 10 pounds and cleaned up some health issues, so wins all around!
One of the most important parts of my retreat involved redefining my vision for the future. I realized that I am being called to some different, deeper actions, and that I need to let go of other things in order to create the necessary space.
How about you? Are you feeling overwhelmed – even by good stuff? Or maybe you’re feeling underwhelmed, like “Is this all there is?” What might you quit for a while in order to retreat and recalibrate? A few starting ideas:
1. Disconnect digitally. You don’t have to close your Facebook or Twitter account forever, but let them go for a period of time in order to get quiet, go within, journal, meditate, walk. Depending on your online habits, you might be surprised how much clarity this single act will bring.
2. Change your scenery. Spend an afternoon at the park, by the lake, in your local botanical gardens. Bring only a notebook and pen – or nothing at all. New surroundings spark new thoughts!3. Reassess. Revisit your vision, theme, goals. Do they still apply? Do they need tweaking? Dream for the future, then selectively make sure everything supports where you’re headed – not just where you’ve been.
4. Check your habits. Which are serving you, and which are not? Make sure you’re still the alpha dog when it comes to your routines.
5. Conduct an energy audit. List everything you spend time on, rate your energy and enthusiasm for each, then delete/delegate/act accordingly.
6. Declutter. Seriously – even just a shelf! The physical clarity does wonders for your mental breathing room.
7. Return to purpose. Your purpose will guide you and will not lead you astray. If you don’t know your purpose, be sure to grab one of those final seats at Spark , as you will leave with your written Purpose Statement.
So I’ve called it quits on a lot: old ways of doing things, outdated models, non-serving habits, things that – though perhaps wonderful – have served their purpose and run their course. I am approaching this next chapter with more lightness and depth (they can coexist!) than I’ve felt in a long time. Over the course of the next several weeks you’ll be invited into the results of this transformation, and my hope is that these changes serve you profoundly, helping you work with meaning and live with purpose.
I used to have a small sign that said, “Quitters never win, winners never quit.” I’ve now replaced it with this line from Deepak Chopra:
“In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.”
Dr. Christi Hegstad coaches you to work with meaning and live with purpose!
A certified and award-winning coach, author, and speaker, Christi is a recognized leadership and professional development expert. She has received such honors as NAWBO Iowa Business Owner of the Year, Forty Under 40, Forbes Coaches Council, and is current president of ICF Iowa. She is a frequently sought-after speaker and writer, contributing to Forbes, The Huffington Post, Des Moines Business Record, ICF, and more.
Connect with Christi on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or by email.