It’s September and life is busy and still a little uncertain.

·      What are your goals?  Are they reachable in this time of uncertainty?

·      Are you taking on more than you normally would, with a fear that everything “can shut down” again?

·      Where is your place of rest and restoration in this time of unsafe spaces?

·      What can you do during the day to calm down and refocus when everything starts to be overwhelming?

What are your goals and are they healthy and attainable?  Healthy:  remember everyone is more stressed than normal, and that is okay.  So, keep healthy boundaries and don’t take on too much because you either want to “catch up” on what you lost during the lockdown, or you are afraid you might lose even more in the near future.  I spoke with a friend who said he “should have closed shop and enjoyed the lockdown”.  Instead he tried and tried to get clients.  To no avail, as the “system” wasn’t moving.  But now it’s back t normal for him and he is really relaxed now about finances.  I personally didn’t look for new clients during lockdown, as I don’t appreciate not seeing new clients and feel that coaching and supervision is best done in-person, at least at the beginning.  Now I, too. Am full up till wintertime or so.  Are your goals attainable, but not healthy?  Be careful to watch your energy pie levels.

Where can you go and find rest and restoration?  You need to keep taking care of yourself after you gear up and start going at your “normal” pace, again.  I have two places to retreat and will be going to one (or both) sooner than later, but my real start is after my first full week of classes.  Then I plan on a few days away. Maybe it’s a long weekend of real rest, maybe it’s another vacation, as the summer was a bit “strange”, but whatever it is, do it and take care of yourself.  

Also, speaking of gearing up, are you really wanting to go at the speed you did before lockdown?  What have you learned?  How can you incorporate some of those wonderfully healthy rhythms into your life and still move at a faster pace?

Finally, during your daily work life, how can you calm down and refocus when you get overwhelmed?  What are your go-to activities, and what can you add to change things up once in a while?  Maybe a short walk or a 10-minute snooze are your preferred activities.  Then, try adding a breathing exercise (like the four-square), or a quiz relaxing body scan, or listen to one (or two) encouraging short pieces of music.  I just read a new activity from the book, The How of Happiness by S. Lyubomirsky called a Savor Photo Album.  Take a few photos from your library (for example of your pets or your kids or holidays) and put them in that album and look at the album for a five-minute break and enjoy your wonderful memories.  

I hope that these short ideas and questions can help you on your path to revving up your fall and moving onward and upward in a healthy and positive manner.

Have a great week and a very successful month!

Patricia Jehle               patricia@jehle-coaching.com