What’s making you uncomfortable this fall?

For me, the fall season is usually an exciting time of onboarding new clients, launching a new project, taking a class, and reconnecting with friends and family over the High Holidays and Thanksgiving.  This year, I’ve found myself resisting the usual rush of activity. I don’t think I’m alone in wanting life to just slow down.

While there is a palpable buzz in the air as people get back to some of the “normal” rituals of meeting in person, dining with friends, attending live concerts, returning to the gym and other community spaces, I have also noticed a subtle sense of unease at some gatherings.

Interactions that used to come easily may feel more strained than in the past. It’s almost as if we have grown accustomed to being disconnected.

I am curious about what’s making people uncomfortable in their work and personal lives as they re-engage with one another. What I have noticed is that many of my clients are being more deliberate about what really matters to them.

What have you noticed? What’s changed in your relationships at work and at home? Where is the discomfort in your life lately?

I’m encouraged by the thoughtful, honest conversations I am having with leaders, professionals, and business owners about how to lead a more meaningful life. People are tired of the old ways of doing things and ready to live in a way that speaks their truth.

I was inspired in part by a book that a client gifted to me over the summer:  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman.

Spoiler alert: 4000 weeks is the average person’s life span. Sounds short doesn’t it?!

This book is a wake-up call to stop wasting time trying to get it all done. Instead of seeking more efficient ways to check things off the to do list, Burkeman encourages us to let go and focus on creating the best most fulfilling life we can. His accessible writing style and depth of knowledge  offers a fresh perspective on our relationship with time and some thought provoking questions to live by. Here are three of my favourites:

1. “What if you stopped trying to do everything, so you could finally get around to what counts?”
2. “Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what’s called for is a little discomfort?”
3. “In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?”

Many of my clients and friends are asking similar questions about what matters most in their lives and taking risks to embrace the discomfort of change. One client decided to leave the city and is planning to work remotely from a smaller, rural community as long as his employer will accommodate it. Another made a decision to leave her role as partner at a law firm to work for a university. Several clients are re-visiting their retirement plans and considering ways to shift gears sooner than anticipated.

If you are ready to explore the discomfort of making a change, contact us to find out how one of our coaches can help you through the process.

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.
Shana Tova and Happy Thanksgiving!
Lianne