I Need a Break From…

I Need a Break From…

What’s expected, what’s normal, what’s decided.

This can look like routine. That’s what came up for me while I read these words out loud.

I am normally inspired on my morning walk or while I talk to myself, motoring around the kitchen. But Labor Day threw me off, and it was Tuesday Thread day, and I had nothing.

My frame of mind was a bit skewed by the schedule change. So, sitting at my desk, I looked at a note I had scribbled on a Post-it:

“I need a break from…”

Now, it’s Thursday, and my article is happening as I type. Overdue, and a very candid conversation with you.

Some days my open threads get a lot of interaction and others barely a bleep of energy. I don’t post them for engagement as much as I hope someone carries one long enough to shift a pattern of thought.

That’s where magic happens.

Not magic like, see, nothing up my sleeve and then voilà—a coin from behind the ear.

Magic like it opened a window in my mind long enough to offer a different perspective, consider an unusual solution to a problem, or maybe it just gave you pause enough for a long, deep breath.

My work with women concerned about their drinking habits over the last fifteen years taught me that when we take a break from the problem and explore other areas that matter to us, we can find solutions we never considered.

We play along the edges instead of jumping on the problem and trying to beat it to death.

Women would come to me thinking I would tell them they can’t drink and if they do, it would be a failure.

Ahhh, but I told them, I don’t care if you drink.

What’s important is if you do, don’t beat the shit out of yourself. Instead, get curious about what you were thinking before. Try to recall when the thought first occurred to you. But finish your assessment, and we’ll see what comes up.

Many women found that alcohol wasn’t the problem. They needed a break from the fixation on the perceived problem to gain clarity.

Some women told me, “This isn’t working for me,” and I understood that too. Some have become friends who have remained connected for years.

I love them all.

Sometimes we just need that break so we can see clearly and maybe make more lasting changes than just a break.

There’s a quote that says something like, You’re not a tree, you can change.

But I offer a different view. Of course, I do…

You’re like a tree.

You continue to grow year after year, and change is part of that growth.

So, root down into what you know for sure, and continue to reach for things that surprise you, challenge you, and make you smile.

That’s it for me.

I love you, girl.

Take a break. It can make a world of difference or not.