Reset

The summer is always my busiest time of year for work, especially since I do consulting, coaching, and professional development for school districts all over the world. Summer is the best time for administrators to get professional development, and August and September are the back-to-school months for teachers to get professional development.

So, I was ready to go....I've had quite a few work trips planned, particularly for July and August. Then, just like that, I needed surgery....not so much major surgery but one that required rest and a few limitations. I may or may not have crossed over a couple of limitations and found myself in my doctor's office, where she told me at 9:00 in the morning to not drink any more of my diet coke because she was going to find a place to perform an emergency surgery due to a pretty severe infection. The infection was a staph infection from an unknown source, and I ended up in the hospital (while they tried to find the right IV antibiotic) for 5 days. I still have much healing and a bit more surgery to do, but for now, I am out of the woods. My husband, Dave, who is adding jewels to his crown for Heaven, has been an amazing caregiver----helping me when I need it, making me laugh when I need it, reminding me to not project into the future when I need it, and getting me to walk and take my medications when I need it. 

I talked with God. I talked with Dave. I talked with my spiritual advisor. I talked with my dearest friends. All of them told me this: "You need to stop moving". In other words, I was told (it truly has felt a bit like an intervention) that I needed to quit focusing so much on work and other responsibilities in order to commence a "reset" on my physical and mental well-being. Just to be clear, I four organizations with whom I am employed (mutual clients and responsibilities in all of them), and I contact three of them over the next two days and said, "I'm unable to fulfill any work for the next several months, as I have to fulfill some work on me."  Uggghhhhh.....anyone out there a workaholic?  You must share my "Uggghhhh", then, as it was the most horrific thing I've had to do in a long time.  Work is what I do. It defines me.....until it couldn't. My spiritual advisor reminded me that I am worthy without needing to collect a paycheck for a while. 

So, a reset, for me anyway, is a work in progress, and it is, indeed, progress, not perfection.  You notice I said I contacted three of the four. I am still doing online teaching for one major university. It's great because even when Dave and I travel, I can do the online teaching and it only takes up part of my time. I am grateful to be teaching, as it "keeps me in the game", as so much of my work does.

What am I going to do during this time?  Rest, read, and "reset" are my three top priorities, in addition to do some work on my spiritual self. 
I know I haven't posted much, lately, but I will certainly be trying to keep in touch with my website and blog as often as I can.

Just for today, consider how important our physical health is to any other type of health we have. If we are not physically healthy, all other "systems" tend to shut down. 
I'm blessed to have so many people who love and adore me and whom I love and adore right back!
Take care, and God bless you!

Shelly