A year ago I shared with you my desire to take the time and dedicate the energy to delve into goals that were not driven by work. To that end, this past year I did just that. The outcome was not as envisioned, it was better. My sabbatical year allowed me to decompressed and refocus on the people and "work" that I cared about and helped me clarify how I want to live the Fourth Quarter of my life. My time has been well spent. If you're thinking of taking a sabbatical year, here are a couple of things to help you with your planning.
First, make a plan for the year but be open to unplanned opportunities. Everything I read before committing to taking a sabbatical year stated that having a plan would help make the most of my time. I found that my willingness to follow the path where ever it would lead me to be the most rewarding and enlightening part of the journey. Don't let adherence to "the plan" take over your sabbatical.
Next, be prepared for friends and family to be confused by the term sabbatical. Sabbaticals are traditionally the purview of college professors and eccentric designers, not small business owners. The idea that you may deliberately take time to do something other than work is foreign to others and in my case always ended with the other person saying, "Oh, you are retired". No, I am on sabbatical.
And finally, there may be no ta-da or grand fanfare at the end of the year. In my case, I will make a few changes in my life based some of my experiences from the past year but I am not running off to join the French Foreign Legion or start skydiving. An example of a change I am making is spending more time out of doors everyday. I will no longer be tied to a computer for hours on end without a "go outside and play" break.
Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing with you some of the other changes I am making. So let's chat and catch up!
Hugs,
C