The Sabbatical Bit at Last!

This is my third blog and you’re probably thinking ‘at last’ she’s finally going to talk about the sabbatical itself! It’s ok, I do believe there is a lot to learn from the journey and not just the destination!

Finally, it was here!

I was both ecstatic and nervous – this was the first time I had ever taken a sabbatical and I had no real idea what the day to day of this time would look like. I had some ideas of what I wanted to do during this time, and it seemed a lot before I had even started!

• Sleep

• Sit around doing nothing (and not feel lazy or guilty!)

• Slow down my pace

• Not read any work emails

• Hide myself from all social media

• Laugh – at myself and with others

• Read

• Pray

• Reflect and revisit my recent major life changes

• Re-vision

• Spend time with my family and friends (socially distanced of course!)

• Not travel (overseas)

• Paint

• Do yoga

• Walk more

• Finally get my neurology appointment

• Enjoy my new(ish) home

• Have regular therapy sessions

• Go on a solitary retreat

• Spend time in my garden

So, I have to start by telling you about the first morning of my sabbatical! I got up later than usual, let the dog out and made a cup of tea (yes, a massive shift in cutting down my coffee intake!) and decided to head back to bed to contemplate my day. On my way back to my bedroom I picked up some of the books I had planned to read, my journal, pens, paints, paper and my post it notes!I laid them all out on my bed and sat there with my cuppa working out where to start, starting to plan out my day by the hour!Suddenly I burst out laughing at myself (checked one off my list early!) – I quickly realised that I really had no idea how to do nothing – no idea how to just sit and chill out over a cuppa and not plan!

For the next 3 weeks, I explored this new phenomenon of relaxing at home, sleeping late, reading, praying, journaling, walking, gardening, spending time with family and friends, cooking and even seeing the neurologist (ok maybe that wasn’t quite so relaxing!). By the end of the second week I realised that some days I hadn’t even thought about Chab Dai! (don’t tell my board that!). I was actually enjoying this!

The next week I had booked to go away on a solitary (well me and the dog!) retreat in a cute converted stable in Devon, in the middle of nowhere. Solitary I was prepared for – however a complete WIFI and 3G dead zone, I was not! Uncomfortable would be an understatement of having no connectivity!

Anyway, I got myself all organised to hunker down and spend some time journeying into my soul - reflecting on some of my losses and life events of the past few years (moving country, leaving behind my daughter, my closest friends and a broken marriage to name just a few), grounding myself in the present and reimagining the future. I spent hours and hours reading, journaling, praying, crying, reflecting and walking (in the pouring rain – it is England of course!). There were some dark nights but it was also a time of releasing. As I left (with another full journal!) I felt exhausted but carried a new sense of freedom in my soul.

I came back to my home and sanctuary (and WIFI!) a changed person. More peaceful about what had past, less afraid of the present and more curious about the future.

I think one of the greatest ‘luxuries’ of my sabbatical was the time to read. Some of the books I had chosen specifically for this time and some of them found me! Although they were diverse, I started to see similar messages and themes emerge which challenged some new thinking and habits:

• Selah – to stop, pause, take moments of stillness and breathe

• Find new mentors

• Revision – enlarge the dream

• Be uncomfortable – change habits, explore new ways

• Be centred and grounded in God

• Ask for help

• Say ‘no’ and ‘I don’t know’ more often

• Relinquish control more often

• Cultivate self-care

• Rethink busyness and productivity

I had had time to rest my body, to receive restoration for my soul and a renewing of my mind and vision.

I will not be the same again. This experience has changed my perspective, my priorities and my pace.

What an extraordinary six weeks!

The next journey and challenge was how to take all this back to work with me…

More to come!