Enjoy the slow times (Part 1)

One of the greatest secrets of my success lies in the in between time.  When I first moved out to California, I spent four months before I got my first CA based client.  During this time, I was working a few hours a week on my DC clients.  That suited me just fine.  I had just moved to my dream location and was enjoying doing all the things I said I would do if I moved to California.  I started taking yoga during the day, found new hiking trails to explore, meditated every afternoon at the ocean.  I was living my dream life; the one that I had moved 3,500 miles to live.  At one point during that time, I was talking to my mom on the phone, and I asked her, "Mom, have I gotten lazy?  I am barely doing anything and loving life, but this is such a change from how I have been, always on the run, working, volunteering, and doing at least two other projects on the side."  She suggested I relax and just enjoy this time knowing that all of that would come again, if I wanted it to. 

My fifth month in California, I got my first California client and stated working 50 to 60 hour weeks.  The afternoon meditation, followed by a nap, had now become a 6 am, alarm clock-scheduled meditation, followed by rushing out the door to get to the client site.  Hiking became a weekend activity on trails I knew since I did not have time to explore something new, and yoga slowly fell off the radar.  The next nine months were dedicated to a project that was doomed for failure.  Despite that, there were a number of us that worked around the clock to find ways to make it be successful.  I learned an important lesson in this.  Enjoy the slow times, the in-between times, and the waiting-time.  I can guarantee you that the busy time, the get-it-done time, and the go-go-go times are just around the corner, but the slow times are the gift.  When you get this gift, know that it is part of the cycle.  It is the time for rest before the next big wave of activity comes. 

When following your dream, the slow time seems like forever.  But, I look at what I accomplish in a year and it amazes me.  If you think about that time, 1 year, 12 months, it is not that long.  But think back to your life a year ago.  Take a moment to do this right now - where were you one year ago (the beginning of summer)?  What were you worried about?  What happened with that situation?  Think of all the things that have changed; the people that have come and gone; the good times and not good times; it all happens really fast.  It may take a year, or two, or even three for your dream to come true, but if you think about how long that is really, it is not that long.  During that period, there will be work times where you have to move fast and be focused, you may have to push yourself, and you may have to take on challenges you did not imagine.  But, there will also be slow times. Times where you may wonder if you are doing enough, if, like me, you have gotten lazy?   When they come, remember to enjoy them.  Remember, they are there for you to regroup and re-energize so that you can be ready for the next big push to your dream!