Today we leave for our week-long annual family trip to the beach in Maine. This is one of the full weeks during the year when I prioritize completely unplugging. No work. No emails. No clients. Minimal-to-no screens. Just time with my family and the ocean.
The amount of planning and intention that it takes to clear my calendar, and make sure all things are in line in order to go away is a lot. Whether a long weekend or a week, it takes quite a bit of coordination in order to get my business to a place where I feel comfortable putting things down and getting my family/house together with all the things necessary for a trip away.
(Other moms out there running your own business? You know what I’m talking about!!)
In years past it was extremely hard for me to block off the whole week with no work. I would schedule a client here or there. Take a meeting. Reply to some emails “real quick”. I have been healing my addiction to productivity over the last 10 years.
However, over the last 2 summers I have been able to really prioritize creating the space and shutting my work down during this week. I have systems in place for things to run in the background while I am away. Boundaries set up that create the container for me to let down and relax.
This year I have held strong in my commitment to blocking off my calendar. I drew a line completely through the week in my calendar (I still use paper!). I rescheduled all of my clients to other weeks. For a moment I almost left one client in on Tuesday night (“Oh it’s no big deal”) and then caught myself. Oh, yes it’s a big deal. No work. That is the commitment. I am proud to say I moved that client to another week.
Prioritizing and taking space is hard. I don’t want to pretend that it is an easy thing to do (although it does get easier with time). Whether the space is for ourselves alone or with our families, especially when we run our own businesses, it can feel almost impossible at times.
The moment I start to prioritize taking space for myself, everything shifts. Whether it is a week long vacation, a weekend away, an afternoon alone, or a few moments of a pause during the day. Sometimes I forget this lesson, or I am in a season of my life where it is not possible (like if my free day is unexpectedly filled with going to the ER with my son).
When life is fuller or we forget space is necessary, we have to double down on our commitment to creating space and actually follow through with taking it.
Writing about my trip and naming and claiming that it is going to be work free with you all, is a way that I can hold myself more accountable to this commitment to myself.
This is important to me.
What ways are you creating space in your life?
If you are looking for supported spaces for nourishment, somatic healing and integration, I would be honored to hold space for you. I have some upcoming offerings that may be a good fit for your needs at this time.
If you’re local to the pioneer valley, join me Sunday June 30th for Sacred Restoration: A Collective Healing Experience from 4-6:30pm at Embodied Chiropractic in Hadley MA. 3 spaces remain. Check out the details with the event link below.
Or, try a hands-on Somatic Integration Session on Sundays/Mondays at Embodied Chiropractic. Now booking the last week in June and July and August. Click the link in the comments for more details.
Or, if you’re looking to go deep, explore a SPACIOUS: 1-1 Somatic Healing Weekend Retreat with me. Now booking in July and beyond. Find the details in the comments.
Or, I have one open space to step into a Somatic Coaching container for 3 or 6 months. Details also linked below.
XO Sara
