Photo by William Gibson on Unsplash
At the time you receive this email, I’ll be arriving in Scotland on a week-long pilgrimage to visit a couple sacred sites on Iona, a couple castles, and a distillery to round everything out. Pilgrimage is a thing that people do to get closer to Source/God/Presence, and starts with a posture of openness and wonder at what will be experienced and learned, usually through a trip to sacred or historically significant sites.
The Isle of Iona, in the Inner Hebrides, is a thin place to where many people pilgrimage. Thin places are locations where it feels like Presence is closer or more tangible. There’s a more peaceful, restful, or energetic feeling to these places and they provide rejuvenation, enlightenment, and/or renewal to those who pass through. These sacred sites provide space to breathe, which so many of us need right now.
I realized a few months ago that I’ve metaphorically been holding my breath since the ‘Rona started. I haven’t given myself permission to relax, to step aside, to not create something to be worried about for a long time. I am exhausted. This is a difficult thing to admit, because I often forget that I’m not Wonder Woman.
So from today through September 14, I’m giving myself space to breathe. My out of office response is on, on all of my emails. I haven’t brought my computer with me to Scotland. And I brought my Canon Eos camera to help me be present to what is, without thinking about what the photos will look like on Instagram or Facebook. I’m off on an adventure of wonder, giving myself space to breathe.
Questions for wondering:
In what areas of life or work do I have unrealistic expectations of what I can accomplish or hold together?
Are there places in my life where I need room to breathe? If so, what is one thing I can do today to create space?
Stay curious friends!
And make sure you’re listening to season one of the Dream Big Authentic Leadership podcast, found on Apple, Google, Spotify, and Stitcher.