Greetings from my sabbatical, where I am feeling my way around having more time to write, read and nap. The first couple of weeks have been rocky, to be honest. A few too many phone calls and emails, for one thing. And a lot of restlessness as I try to sort out how to make a day with no schedule be satisfying. The writing has been moving along. Naps are iffy, because apparently, I’m not tired enough to snooze during the day and sleep soundly at night. And I have had a few moments of just staring into space, letting myself experience an empty mind.
All this time has led me to appreciate how far I’ve come since first quitting my full-time job in December 2020. Year 1 was filled with clutter – weighing jobs that people brought to my attention, filling in free time with lots of binge watching. Year 2 was a bit less cluttered, with clarity that I didn’t want to replace one big job with another and that I wanted to write fiction (woo hoo!). In Year 3 of my journey, I feel so much clearer about how I want to spend my time and how I make decisions. Here’s some of what’s changed:
I have clarity about needing spaciousness and flow between activities. I no longer clutter my day, week or month just because. Even if I really want to do something, I need to have the time to be present and experience it fully rather than moving from one thing to another.
In the midst of the clutter that comes with this noisy world, I find clarity by asking, “does this align with my values and priorities? Will this bring me joy?” I have found this to be a better alternative to “do I want/need to do this?”
It’s taken time to reduce the clutter of possibilities I considered when I first began my career evolution, but now I have clarity of purpose – bringing out the brave and bold among women of color and focusing on my writing.
During the first two weeks of my sabbatical, I’ve seen how much this clarity helps, and how clutter continues to find its way into my mind. It’s a long journey, this decluttering business. I’m definitely going two steps backward and one step forward. But I feel the sense of forward movement, toward a more fulfilled, well-rested me. I wish this for all of you.
Sayu
Very inspiring (and aspiring), Sayu. We can all Marie Kondo our lives. :-). Enjoy the rest of your sabbatical.