Thanks Matt, so interesting that you have noticed the same things, also that there are so many of us saying we need to do this differently. Thanks for being here!
I love the idea of going forward to work and I'm sure you'll be able to go forward with a renewed sense of both energy and calm. You should feel so proud of the fact that you've completed 46 posts to date – that's a huge achievement! I absolutely love your posts and read every one, and always appreciate your wonderful illustrations too. They are indeed a spark in the dark! :)
I didn't realise you were based in Canberra. We actually arrived here earlier this week after a couple of days of driving through most of NSW! I've just signed up to do the Winter Solstice Nude Swim at sunrise tomorrow in Lake Burley Griffin. I've done two similar Winter Solstice swims at Dark Mofo in Tassie in the past, but I think this one might be the chilliest swim I've ever done, as it's been well below zero at sunrise over the past few days (as I'm sure you know!) Anyway, it's always such a life-affirming thing to do, and I love the idea of washing away the darkness of the past and seeing the swim as a kind of springtime renewal. One bonus of this particular event is that you can also set up a donations page, with 100% of money raised going to Lifeline. The demand for their services has apparently skyrocketed over the past year or so, so it feels like a very worthy reason to get naked and dive into an ice-cold lake!
So, anyway, come down and join me if you're keen and spread the word to other Canberra folk - I think registration ends later today!
Oh Lord! No way. Winter ocean swim on a 10 degree morning - yes invigorating, Canberra lake at below freezing, no way!! I am wishing you every joy and a large hot chocolate afterwards :). Super that you are in Canberra, though - if you have time for a coffee, it would be lovely to meet up? Thanks also for the lovely feedback on my posts. I’m so glad you enjoy them and that they are a bit uplifting. DM me if you have time for a coffee tomorrow or on the weekend - I’m happy to meet you where ever you are. xo
The swim was awesome and thankfully it was not as bitterly cold this morning as it has been the last few mornings!! Apparently, 399 people turned up and $67k was raised for Lifeline - both of which are records for the swim organisers! Thank you so much for your generous donation too - I really appreciate it. :)
I would absolutely love to have met up, but we're actually leaving tomorrow for Sydney (hoping to squeeze in a quick visit to the Arboretum before we go, but planning to be on the road by late morning). I'm sure we'll be back at some stage though, so would love to catch up when we are! xx
Yay for the bare bums! No worries about coffee - enjoy your trip to the arboretum - you have a lovely morning for it. Get in touch next time you are passing through. xo
I've recently done a very similar thing. After running a (ridiculously) successful wholesale baking business completely on my own for six years, I very nearly burned out.
I took a break of two months, and slowly ruminated over where I was going to go with my fabulous recipes and love of baking. I wasn't ever going to go 'back' to work, as you so perfectly summated, because my body just can't take that workload anymore. So I now take my baking to markets. I cannot believe I didn't do this before! It's so beautiful to chat with people who love my cakes, to see their faces when they realise most of the deliciousness before them is gluten free and/or vegan, and to have repeat customers already. It's still early days, I'm not making anywhere near as much money as I used to, but I have time to do things I've always wanted to do, and to spend a few more precious moments with my sons before they fly the nest. So very grateful to have stepped away from the whirlwind and be able to enjoy the sunshine.
Maggie, it's lovely to hear some of your story. I think many of us are saying no the hustle. It is super to be in such good company! Do I remember correctly, are you in WA? The description of your baking is making my mouth water! xo
Omg my partner and I have been obsessed with Alone…spouting our wise counsel on survival from the comfort of our coach with tea and chocolate 😂 congrats on so many posts and the commitment to consistency!
I love the reframe of going forward to work, and really resonated with your insights after a break from work. What a valuable thing you have done taking that break! As I contemplate returning to work after parenting leave, this is such a wonderful piece to read.
Oh Tessa! I’m so glad it was helpful, thank you for letting me know. I’m wishing you all the joy as you head forward to work. I did get to spend lots more time with my family, which was great but work also provides that separation and space for yourself that is hard to find when embedded in kids chaos all the time - I hope you can enjoy that! xo
Thank you for sharing these considered and inspiring reflections and insights. I'm currently on Long Service Leave--three months of leave after ten years of full-time work. Halfway through, I'm finding that, exactly as you say, my expectations of how much I would get done during this time were way off the mark (oh, expectations: such follies!), and that life *is* full just with the living of it.
In my usual working life, I have struggled so very much with boundaries. My work is, like most folks, of that kind that always asks more, never less. Where the rewards for doing well are more work, and higher expectations.
I'm not sure I have any tips for keeping your working life vital (rather than balanced). Other than that I've been thinking of my work/life as an ecological system: organic, messy, evolving, inconstant. Something that needs different things at different times in order to maintain its health and wellbeing. And, importantly, something that is seasonal. It's cold here, the days are short. The bees that live in one of the great old bunya pines are very quiet, barely buzzing. Just like me :) Come spring they'll be busy again, and noisy.
Today's glimmers:
>Wallabies in the paddock this morning. Three young ones crunching frosted grass.
>My son's birthday today: we'll go out for food and natter
>All that chopping up of old timber my wife and I invested in last winter and spring is paying off this winter: we have a good hoard of wood harvested from our property to feed the fire. There's something magically wonderful about burning wood from the land you live on, that you've cut and cured yourself.
I am amazed how many of us in my small number of subscribers are playing with time out of the workforce hustle in one way or another! Thank you for your reflection about seasonality, I do grip to the notion of constant even productivity and get grumpy when I can’t follow through! The seasons do upend what and when I can do things and I tend to resist that. Instead I should celebrate it - thanks for the reminder. Thank you also for sharing your glimmers, when someone shares glimmers they always become a glimmer in my day.
Happy birthday to your son! and well done on the firewood, while there is plenty of timber on our farm I’ve never managed to do the work in a timely fashion in order to use it! xo
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. I know we've mentioned it to each other but I very much made the same decision a few months ago and I'm currently venturing back into a work-force rhythm but trying to be more thoughtful and careful this time around. I loved the paragraph about life being full just with the living. Very much agree and learned the same. Thank you again for sharing and best of luck!
Love this! So glad you gave yourself the time and space to gain perspective on a different way of living. I'm actually in the middle of my own sabbatical/career break, that I also started in January, and experiencing a lot of the same things you did. Definitely going to write up my observations when it's time. It's interesting that so many people are doing this--I suppose not that surprising coming after the pandemic gave us all the break from the treadmill. Anyway, congrats and I like the distinction you're making about how you're not going "back" to the same old behaviors.
Thanks William :) So cool you are taking break too. I’ll look forward to reading your observations. It lifts my heart that more of us are unwilling to hustle like we have been told is mandatory. When we slow I think we can see more clearly and probably make more progress towards the things that really matter. Thanks for being here!
I found the exact same thing when I left social media! Initially there was a gaping hole and I felt it, but nearly 3 months post leaving and I wonder how I had the time to spend hours a day on there 🤔 Life is busy enough without it! It’s wild.
Hi Jessica, lovely to see you here! I have mostly left SM too, only half an hour or so a week on IG, but writing a substack and connecting here is fast replacing it! A slippery slope? Probably :)
"LIFE IS FULL JUST WITH THE LIVING" I love this!! And it's so true. In a hustle driven busy-centric culture, it's a good reminder we don't need to do all the things.
Glimmers right now:
*reconnecting with my love of yarn spinning
*feeling grateful for the ways our home is set up to centre around both connection in our family & creativity+personal projects
Congrats on Kid1 off to uni - a good big step, especially in a different city! Well done Mum! I know how much goes into getting them there :). Wishing you a glimmery - sparkly weekend too.
Such triumphs Gillian, all from being brave enough to make the changes you did with work , to start your Substack and share your glimmers. It terms of personal evolution, it looks like you get top marks and a healthy readiness to go forward into the next chapter . Hurrah 🥳 congratulations especially for your being , as well as your doing .
Thank you Susan! That is it - a lovely symphony between being and doing. I guess that is why I am determined to do if differently this time as it is so easy to get sucked into the doing with a busy work schedule. It is so lovely to be in touch with you - thank you for your support on this journey!
Congratulations on all your posts! Like others, I also love your reframe of going forward to work. I'll keep that in mind as I too go forward to teaching in the classroom again. I resonate with you on being mindful about boundaries. I know for myself that this time it will be different and I think you know it too for yourself. Because we made conscious learnings from our burnout and collected gems and glimmers along the way. You have your creative outlet and a community which you will continue to cultivate and stay connected to. I do too. We won't go back, we'll dance forwards. xo
Moving forward to more flexibility and spaciousness, yes, this resonates with me too. Learning to live with mess, unfinished projects and giving my body a voice. Also listening more to birds !
Ha! Yes learning to live with mess and chaos, that about sums it up! Thanks for the birds suggestion, I think that will translate into making sure I have lunch outside every day - thank you!
Thanks Matt, so interesting that you have noticed the same things, also that there are so many of us saying we need to do this differently. Thanks for being here!
I love the idea of going forward to work and I'm sure you'll be able to go forward with a renewed sense of both energy and calm. You should feel so proud of the fact that you've completed 46 posts to date – that's a huge achievement! I absolutely love your posts and read every one, and always appreciate your wonderful illustrations too. They are indeed a spark in the dark! :)
I didn't realise you were based in Canberra. We actually arrived here earlier this week after a couple of days of driving through most of NSW! I've just signed up to do the Winter Solstice Nude Swim at sunrise tomorrow in Lake Burley Griffin. I've done two similar Winter Solstice swims at Dark Mofo in Tassie in the past, but I think this one might be the chilliest swim I've ever done, as it's been well below zero at sunrise over the past few days (as I'm sure you know!) Anyway, it's always such a life-affirming thing to do, and I love the idea of washing away the darkness of the past and seeing the swim as a kind of springtime renewal. One bonus of this particular event is that you can also set up a donations page, with 100% of money raised going to Lifeline. The demand for their services has apparently skyrocketed over the past year or so, so it feels like a very worthy reason to get naked and dive into an ice-cold lake!
So, anyway, come down and join me if you're keen and spread the word to other Canberra folk - I think registration ends later today!
https://wintersolsticeswim.com/event-info
And if anyone feels like throwing in a few dollars for Lifeline, this is my fundraising page:
https://wintersolsticenudeswim.gofundraise.com.au/page/SiobhnCostigan
Oh Lord! No way. Winter ocean swim on a 10 degree morning - yes invigorating, Canberra lake at below freezing, no way!! I am wishing you every joy and a large hot chocolate afterwards :). Super that you are in Canberra, though - if you have time for a coffee, it would be lovely to meet up? Thanks also for the lovely feedback on my posts. I’m so glad you enjoy them and that they are a bit uplifting. DM me if you have time for a coffee tomorrow or on the weekend - I’m happy to meet you where ever you are. xo
The swim was awesome and thankfully it was not as bitterly cold this morning as it has been the last few mornings!! Apparently, 399 people turned up and $67k was raised for Lifeline - both of which are records for the swim organisers! Thank you so much for your generous donation too - I really appreciate it. :)
I would absolutely love to have met up, but we're actually leaving tomorrow for Sydney (hoping to squeeze in a quick visit to the Arboretum before we go, but planning to be on the road by late morning). I'm sure we'll be back at some stage though, so would love to catch up when we are! xx
Yay for the bare bums! No worries about coffee - enjoy your trip to the arboretum - you have a lovely morning for it. Get in touch next time you are passing through. xo
I will, for sure! :) xx
Siobhan, I wish I could join you in the swim! It sounds amazing! I love swimming in winter. x
Me too – it's become one of my favourite things! :) And I just saw that you'd donated to the Lifeline fundraiser – thank you so much!!! xxx
My pleasure! xxx
I've recently done a very similar thing. After running a (ridiculously) successful wholesale baking business completely on my own for six years, I very nearly burned out.
I took a break of two months, and slowly ruminated over where I was going to go with my fabulous recipes and love of baking. I wasn't ever going to go 'back' to work, as you so perfectly summated, because my body just can't take that workload anymore. So I now take my baking to markets. I cannot believe I didn't do this before! It's so beautiful to chat with people who love my cakes, to see their faces when they realise most of the deliciousness before them is gluten free and/or vegan, and to have repeat customers already. It's still early days, I'm not making anywhere near as much money as I used to, but I have time to do things I've always wanted to do, and to spend a few more precious moments with my sons before they fly the nest. So very grateful to have stepped away from the whirlwind and be able to enjoy the sunshine.
Maggie, it's lovely to hear some of your story. I think many of us are saying no the hustle. It is super to be in such good company! Do I remember correctly, are you in WA? The description of your baking is making my mouth water! xo
Yes, I'm in WA :-)
Guess I won’t be seeing you at a market soon :(
Your decisions are sound, good job!!!
Thank you!
Omg my partner and I have been obsessed with Alone…spouting our wise counsel on survival from the comfort of our coach with tea and chocolate 😂 congrats on so many posts and the commitment to consistency!
Thank you! Our family is full of survival experts from the coach as well!
😂
I love the reframe of going forward to work, and really resonated with your insights after a break from work. What a valuable thing you have done taking that break! As I contemplate returning to work after parenting leave, this is such a wonderful piece to read.
Oh Tessa! I’m so glad it was helpful, thank you for letting me know. I’m wishing you all the joy as you head forward to work. I did get to spend lots more time with my family, which was great but work also provides that separation and space for yourself that is hard to find when embedded in kids chaos all the time - I hope you can enjoy that! xo
Thank you for sharing these considered and inspiring reflections and insights. I'm currently on Long Service Leave--three months of leave after ten years of full-time work. Halfway through, I'm finding that, exactly as you say, my expectations of how much I would get done during this time were way off the mark (oh, expectations: such follies!), and that life *is* full just with the living of it.
In my usual working life, I have struggled so very much with boundaries. My work is, like most folks, of that kind that always asks more, never less. Where the rewards for doing well are more work, and higher expectations.
I'm not sure I have any tips for keeping your working life vital (rather than balanced). Other than that I've been thinking of my work/life as an ecological system: organic, messy, evolving, inconstant. Something that needs different things at different times in order to maintain its health and wellbeing. And, importantly, something that is seasonal. It's cold here, the days are short. The bees that live in one of the great old bunya pines are very quiet, barely buzzing. Just like me :) Come spring they'll be busy again, and noisy.
Today's glimmers:
>Wallabies in the paddock this morning. Three young ones crunching frosted grass.
>My son's birthday today: we'll go out for food and natter
>All that chopping up of old timber my wife and I invested in last winter and spring is paying off this winter: we have a good hoard of wood harvested from our property to feed the fire. There's something magically wonderful about burning wood from the land you live on, that you've cut and cured yourself.
I am amazed how many of us in my small number of subscribers are playing with time out of the workforce hustle in one way or another! Thank you for your reflection about seasonality, I do grip to the notion of constant even productivity and get grumpy when I can’t follow through! The seasons do upend what and when I can do things and I tend to resist that. Instead I should celebrate it - thanks for the reminder. Thank you also for sharing your glimmers, when someone shares glimmers they always become a glimmer in my day.
Happy birthday to your son! and well done on the firewood, while there is plenty of timber on our farm I’ve never managed to do the work in a timely fashion in order to use it! xo
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. I know we've mentioned it to each other but I very much made the same decision a few months ago and I'm currently venturing back into a work-force rhythm but trying to be more thoughtful and careful this time around. I loved the paragraph about life being full just with the living. Very much agree and learned the same. Thank you again for sharing and best of luck!
Love this! So glad you gave yourself the time and space to gain perspective on a different way of living. I'm actually in the middle of my own sabbatical/career break, that I also started in January, and experiencing a lot of the same things you did. Definitely going to write up my observations when it's time. It's interesting that so many people are doing this--I suppose not that surprising coming after the pandemic gave us all the break from the treadmill. Anyway, congrats and I like the distinction you're making about how you're not going "back" to the same old behaviors.
Thanks William :) So cool you are taking break too. I’ll look forward to reading your observations. It lifts my heart that more of us are unwilling to hustle like we have been told is mandatory. When we slow I think we can see more clearly and probably make more progress towards the things that really matter. Thanks for being here!
I found the exact same thing when I left social media! Initially there was a gaping hole and I felt it, but nearly 3 months post leaving and I wonder how I had the time to spend hours a day on there 🤔 Life is busy enough without it! It’s wild.
Hi Jessica, lovely to see you here! I have mostly left SM too, only half an hour or so a week on IG, but writing a substack and connecting here is fast replacing it! A slippery slope? Probably :)
"LIFE IS FULL JUST WITH THE LIVING" I love this!! And it's so true. In a hustle driven busy-centric culture, it's a good reminder we don't need to do all the things.
Glimmers right now:
*reconnecting with my love of yarn spinning
*feeling grateful for the ways our home is set up to centre around both connection in our family & creativity+personal projects
*the pride+heartache of a uni offer for Kid1
I hope you have a glimmerful weekend!!
Congrats on Kid1 off to uni - a good big step, especially in a different city! Well done Mum! I know how much goes into getting them there :). Wishing you a glimmery - sparkly weekend too.
Such triumphs Gillian, all from being brave enough to make the changes you did with work , to start your Substack and share your glimmers. It terms of personal evolution, it looks like you get top marks and a healthy readiness to go forward into the next chapter . Hurrah 🥳 congratulations especially for your being , as well as your doing .
Thank you Susan! That is it - a lovely symphony between being and doing. I guess that is why I am determined to do if differently this time as it is so easy to get sucked into the doing with a busy work schedule. It is so lovely to be in touch with you - thank you for your support on this journey!
I love your insights Gillian. What a great plan for going forward to work.
I think just stopping and reflecting on what's not working for you is a brilliant step. It's too easy to get caught up in the busy-ness!
I also like the acceptance of less money and less 'stuff' which leads to a more fulfilling life with your family 💓
Alaina, thank you for being here and concurring with me that I am on the right track! Yes to less busy-ness!
I hope going forward to work is enjoyable and reinvigorating! 😊
Thanks Phillip. Thank you for always being here!
Congratulations on all your posts! Like others, I also love your reframe of going forward to work. I'll keep that in mind as I too go forward to teaching in the classroom again. I resonate with you on being mindful about boundaries. I know for myself that this time it will be different and I think you know it too for yourself. Because we made conscious learnings from our burnout and collected gems and glimmers along the way. You have your creative outlet and a community which you will continue to cultivate and stay connected to. I do too. We won't go back, we'll dance forwards. xo
Exactly, thank you - what a beautiful addition - I will dance forwards to work! xo
Moving forward to more flexibility and spaciousness, yes, this resonates with me too. Learning to live with mess, unfinished projects and giving my body a voice. Also listening more to birds !
Ha! Yes learning to live with mess and chaos, that about sums it up! Thanks for the birds suggestion, I think that will translate into making sure I have lunch outside every day - thank you!