There was a time in my life when checking email on vacation felt normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Working weekends felt normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bringing my laptop to the hospital after having a baby felt normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being available all the time felt normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And perhaps that’s the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes unhealthy things become so familiar that we stop questioning them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For years, I believed being responsible meant being available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believed productivity was a virtue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I believed rest had to be earned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And if I’m being honest, I think part of my identity was tied to performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People knew I would answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People knew I would deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People knew they could reach me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And because I never established boundaries, people crossed them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because they were bad people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But because that’s what people do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We teach people how to treat us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can remember taking my laptop on vacation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Checking in while I was sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even bringing my laptop to the hospital after having a baby because there was a project in flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking back now, I realize that none of those things made me more valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They simply reinforced the belief that I had to always be available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I had to always be useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I had to always be doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eventually, life changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, I managed projects, programs, and portfolios. I built a career I was proud of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And somewhere along the way, I found myself in a position that I never really imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Semi-retired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Working fewer hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Financially secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Debt free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Having options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And strangely enough, something unexpected happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everybody I knew was at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The kids were busy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Life was moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And there I was with an entire day ahead of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I discovered was that freedom isn’t always comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because when you’ve spent decades being productive, your nervous system doesn’t suddenly know how to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It still whispers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check your email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You should be doing more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that’s when I realized something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Peace isn’t something we suddenly enter into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s something we practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rest is something we practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Delegation is something we practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trust is something we practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And sometimes that practice is deeply uncomfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe that’s why retirement isn’t always as peaceful as people imagine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe that’s why winning the lottery doesn’t automatically make people happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because circumstances change much faster than our minds do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And our nervous systems need time to catch up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think many of us spend our entire lives believing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When I get there, I’ll finally rest.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When I have enough money, I’ll finally relax.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“When I retire, I’ll finally have peace.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But perhaps peace isn’t waiting for us somewhere in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps it has to be practiced now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take the PTO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Really take it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stop checking the email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Delegate the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allow your children to do things for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allow your team to carry some of the weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Allow yourself to put something down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because you are incapable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not because you no longer care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But because no one was ever meant to carry everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And perhaps that’s the lesson I’m still learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That my worth isn’t measured by how much I accomplish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or how much I sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or how available I am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe I don’t have to earn rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe I don’t have to justify slowing down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe I don’t have to prove anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe I already am…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until next time,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stay anchored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2693<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There was a time in my life when checking email on vacation felt normal. Working weekends felt normal. Bringing my laptop to the hospital after having a baby felt normal. Being available all the time felt normal. And perhaps that’s the problem. Sometimes unhealthy things become so familiar that we stop questioning them. For years, … <\/p>\n