Do You Give Yourself Permission to Coast?

It is almost three months since my last blog. My goal when I began writing in 2013 was to publish at least once a month. I chose to take a break in order to complete my dissertation. Finishing up that behemoth work and writing a regular blog felt like too much. It would now be easy for me to let the blog lapse for another few days, weeks or months. I do not think any of my readers are losing sleep wondering where my posts have gone. I put electronic pen to paper because I love to write. However, there are a lot of things I love to do that I do not always sustain or complete. My yoga mat is embarrassingly dusty, just yesterday I moved a stack of things off my dining room table that has been there for months, and I have had a sticky note on my desk for half a year reminding me to schedule lunch with a former colleague.

A body in motion likes to stay in motion. A body at rest – well, it likes to rest!

Once you delay something for so long, it becomes increasingly hard to resume – if you do at all. And yet, we cannot always do everything at once. We cannot always be a great parent, great work-out buddy, great reader, great housekeeper, great boss, great writer, great job-seeker, and great _______. You fill in the blank. Sometimes we have to survey our lives and determine what is required in the next season of ‘busy’ and make choices about what we will start, stop, continue or let coast for a precise period of time. To coast means to move easily along without the use of power.

When we give ourselves permission to coast intentionally, we can hold ourselves better accountable to resuming the tasks, projects or relationships that matter. Unfortunately, like myself at times, I see plenty of clients that do not use intention. Things just fall to the side and stay there. They then get frustrated with their lack of progress and the amount of distractions that keep them from their accomplishments. I do not think it is always possible to meet 100% of our commitments. It is possible though to 100% manage those commitments. We have to constantly re-negotiate with others and ourselves when it comes to our time and our energy.

Take a look at what is burgeoning in your life right now. For one, the holidays are right around the corner, and despite how much we love them, they bring extra tasks and responsibilities. What do you need to put off with intention? Then decide for how long you will intentionally put it off. There is no judgment in giving yourself a break! Everyone needs one now and then. My blogging break is now over, and I’m happy to declare I have resumed. Although, I cannot promise I will not need another break in the future!