There’s a question I like to ask potential clients when we’re in our initial consultation:
On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being not noticeable and 10 being intolerable, where is stress for you right now?
And as you can imagine, I hear all sorts of responses.
Many people (not all) operate at a fairly high level of stress.
I ask if that numerical value they give me is the norm or abnormal.
That part depends.
Some people go through seasonal ebbs and flows of professional life where certain times of the year will always be more stressful and demanding than others.
Some people, due to the demands of family and work, just acclimate to a high level of stress almost year-round.
In conversation, some will say that they’re just waiting for things to slow down so they can put more focus on themselves, their health and their goals.
Others admit that, as much as they’d like things to ease up, they recognize that even if they get the chance to “breathe”, it likely won’t last long.
So, I want you to take a moment, as we’re getting closer to the end of 2024, and ask yourself: Is it realistic and reasonable that my life is going to slow down soon?
If so, take the time to focus on what you need to now, whether that be the holidays, travel, social events, etc. and set your sights on the portion of your calendar when you can start prioritizing yourself again.
However, if you live one of those lives where you just can’t catch a break as often as you’d like, that means you’re going to have to get a whole lot better at surfing the rocky waves.
For myself, life doesn’t really seem to slow down. Part of this is self-inflicted, as owning a business is frequently demanding and requires a lot of mental and physical energy. I’m a husband, a father, a son, and life is never, ever boring. Which means, if I need to prioritize myself, it has to happen in the midst of the storm. It’s never perfect and lots of things get in the way. But if I don’t take care of me, no one else can do that work.
If you are in that latter group, the kind who keeps asking: When I am going to catch a break?
Assume you don’t, assume you won’t and then plan accordingly.
The people I’ve found who get closer to their goals aren’t the ones with perfect plans that are executed in perfect measure. They’re the ones who dealt with messy, frustrating, curveball lives and said:
F*ck this, I still have to take care of myself.
(Photo courtesy of Jeremy Lapak)
