It took me THREE DAYS to completely turn off.
In one of the most beautiful paradises I’ve ever been to, it took me three whole days to leave the computer locked in the tent and to pack the personal development books back in my suitcase.
Three whole days—lost to the illusion that one can be “on” while simultaneously turning “off.”
Tulum, with all of its beauty and magic, taught me how to relax again. And I’m not talking about the kind where you kid yourself by having one foot in and one foot out—I’m talking FULL ON RELAXATION.
The kind where you melt into one of the canvas beds propped in front of a turquoise ocean and you proceed to spend the entire day devoted to nothing other than nursing a Mango smoothie and flipping through the pages of a corny fiction novel.
Once I finally got the hang of it, I realized how long I’d been robbing myself of the peace I always felt before I was responsible for creating my own income.
Suffice it to say, coming home was not as easy this time around. I felt resistance well up within me like a lion’s roar. I DID NOT want to come back to how things had been. But was that even possible? What would life look like if I tried to maintain a sense of relaxation in the day-to-day as usual? Could I do it?
Well, it’s been a couple of weeks now and I can speak from my experimentation with high hopes that it is, in fact, possible.
But it’s definitely taken guts. And it’s requiring me to befriend those feelings of discomfort that accompany any new foray into the world of change.
What I’ve found to be really helpful:
Δ Turning off all notifications for apps that I have on my phone. The “all” is really important here.
Δ Removing Facebook from the four main apps at the bottom of my phone’s screen and placing it on the last page possible.
Δ NOT overscheduling myself. This may differ from person to person, but my sweet spot is scheduling no more than 3-4 business activities per day. That might look like three Coaching calls. Or it could look like creating a new piece of content, catching up on emails and private messages, and connecting with someone over coffee.
Δ Revisiting old hobbies that I “don’t seem to have the time for anymore” such as opting for a corny fiction novel over a business book or choosing to listen to music instead of a personal development audio.
Δ Creating only when I feel inspired {you may have noticed I haven’t been in your inbox for a few weeks}.
Δ Reverting to marketing that encompasses what I’m naturally good at and enjoy: PROVIDING VALUE THROUGH REAL HUMAN CONNECTION.
Δ Reminding myself that I’m in this for life, so where’s the fire?!
What I’m thinking of implementing, but still need to experiment with:
Δ Office hours for my Facebook Groups so that I don’t feel pressure to be “on” at all times of the day.
Δ Hiring someone to take over Client Care + Engagement during the week I have off every month so that I can truly recharge or CREATE.
Now, if you’re anything like me, reading some of these bullets might instigate heart flutters, sweaty palms, and a buzz of thoughts, like that little fly that keeps whizzing past your ear: “BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY BUSINESS?! WOULDN’T I LOSE MOMENTUM?! I SIMPLY CAN’T AFFORD TO INCORPORATE MORE RELAXATION.”
I totally get it. Many of those thoughts have been crossing my mind too. Regardless, I’m happy to report that even though my work days have felt slower and more spacious, my business is still moving forward in the most feel-good way nonetheless!
For instance, last week, I attended an awesome networking event hosted by the MetroWest Women’s Network, I spoke to a room full of bad ass boss ladies at Andrea Poisson Delucia’s high-end Elite Workshop, and in the next few weeks, I’ll be teaching a masterclass to Jess Mather’s FemPro audience.
Tulum gave me the most precious gift that I needed to receive—a gentle reminder that manifesting more success doesn’t always require a nose-to-the-grindstone approach. Turning off, slowing down, and pulling back is just as valuable as moving forward, full steam ahead.
After all, it’s in these quiet moments that we can connect back to ourselves and our SOUL desires. It’s in these quiet moments where the BIG ideas come and the space is made to quantum leap forward. It’s in these quiet moments where we simply get to BE and enjoy the life we’ve created.
So I’m curious: If you’re working super hard to manifest more success, what if you could manifest more success BY doing less?
With light, love, & relaxation,
-Kayla
Words & Wisdom
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