“When your wings have suddenly and unexpectedly been clipped, maybe, just maybe, there’s more to learn by staying where you are.”
Author unknown
Someone I care about recently shared this at a time when they didn’t want to be in that ‘hurry-up-and-wait’ place one little bit. Not exactly a mode I enjoy myself. Although I readily acknowledge those times when I’ve allowed myself to get tooooo busy are generally the times I catch a cold or otherwise immobilise myself for long enough to get more than my breath back – get my health and balance back.
I remember working with someone many years ago who had a dramatic experience along these lines, let’s call them Surinda. Our initial contact was via email. Surinda asked me to call while she was driving to or from work, 7:00-7:30am or 7:00-7:30pm. The strict time parameters immediately got my attention. Clearly a commitment to twelve-hour days at the office which doesn’t usually bode well for work-life balance (whatever that is, but you know what I mean). We talked and scheduled our first coaching session – you’ve guessed, 7:30pm was the only available time. I approached our first meeting cautiously, knowing it was all about my client’s agenda, not mine, but clearly I had some concerns from the start. She described a hectic, action-packed life at work and at home, not exactly conducive to the desire she had to start a family. While respectful and mindful of her agenda, I did express concerns about balance and health and was greeted with a shocked expression. “Oh well” I thought, “perhaps I’ll never see her again, but hopefully I’ve planted some seeds.”
Some months later, Surinda called me. She shamefacedly acknowledged she’d been working too hard, had “put her back out” and was now recuperating at home amidst multiple physiotherapy and chiropractic appointments. Now seemed like a good time to do some coaching around that “wretched work-life balance thing you mentioned.” An opening.
Long story short, we embarked on a series of coaching sessions and she was lucky enough to get pregnant without delay. I heard from her recently – her little one is now a toddler – and she gave heartfelt thanks for opening up the way to a new, wholehearted, satisfying life with her daughter, and a son on the way. She works part-time in a different industry now and has almost completely re-arranged her life to have the fulfilment she couldn’t have imagined when working twelve-hour days. Of course, not everyone has to go through such a dramatic transformation, although it does sometimes take a F.O.G. (Fabulous Opportunity for Growth) to create such significant shift.
If something has sparked your attention here and you’d like some assistance, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.