Sometimes you have to stop or even take a step back from what you are doing to move forward. It might seem counter-intuitive especially in this world of conveniences and immediate gratification. But every time I’ve taken a break (or have been forced to take one by some circumstance) I have learned and grown. The ironic part is when I’ve stopped resisting during the time of transition, when I’ve stopped second guessing the appropriateness of the situation, that is when I’ve received a really important lesson.
The lessons I learned from having been laid off, four times, didn’t come quickly. They came years later after I was far removed from them. But these lessons were big ones some of which I’ve included in Growing Bold.
More recently I left my job, voluntarily, without having another one at the ready. I was clear and confident about leaving. I felt compelled to move to France and start a new life there; that former job had not place in that new life I would create.
My move to France itself was the culmination of my desire and of years of planning and preparing – learning French, saving money, selling my things, networking with French people during my vacations in France. Pulling off my move was a success in itself and was very satisfying. But soon after I felt a need to know what my next move should be professionally and how I would support myself here. How would I help people grow and get bold? I had no idea and this was disconcerting.
I became aware of this feeling of conflict and asked myself if this was how I wanted to feel while living in this heavenly place, free to write, improve my French, and travel. The answer was “absolutely not”. So I let go of my need to know by turning to affirmations and short guided meditations throughout the day to center and calm myself. That’s when I decided to pursue creating the Discovering Courage podcast. Now that it’s a reality I’m really happy with the results. I was made for podcasting.
Now five months in to my life in France I’m seeing the beauty in stopping, in leaving my job and life in the United States and in learning the lessons this hiatus is teaching me. I’ve realized I’m a spitfire, an entrepreneur, and a creative and inspiring writer. I accept these things to be true, now; in fully accepting and embracing these facts I move forward with a different energy, an energy that creates flow and lightness in my journey. In the process I gained the desire to consciously be these things in service of people and in support of myself and my continued freedom to live a life I love.
Without having stopped I don’t know if I would have self-identified as a spitfire (even though at age 12 I stood up for someone who was being bullied when no one else dared) or as an entrepreneur (even though I started my first business at age 23) or even as a writer (although I’ve written and published a book and continue to write and publish articles regularly).
We can find it difficult to accept our true selves because often it causes us to be different, to stand out from the crowd, and that doesn’t make us feel safe. But when you do accept and embrace who you are, you become free to be unapologetically you and follow the path that is exactly right for you. You can enjoy the journey, allow intuition to guide you, and live in flow. You can create an incredible experience and make a bigger difference the world.
Patricia Brooks is a speaker, life purpose coach, and the author of Growing Bold: How to Overcome Fear, Build Confidence, and Love the Life you Live. She is the host of the Discovering Courage Podcast where each week she explores how ordinary people have managed to live extraordinary lives. Patricia is currently living in France, pursuing her dreams.
Photo Credit: Luigi Frunzio