I just got back from over a week of travel to San Jose and San Diego for two back-to-back entrepreneurial conferences – Brendon Bruchard’s Experts Academy and ClickFunnel’s 2CCX Mastermind.
I had been looking forward to it for weeks – luxury travel, gorgeous venues, fascinating people, transformational information, and 8 DAYS AND NIGHTS TO MYSELF.
Ahem.
I was thinking through the past couple of years, the post-baby-#1 years, and I don’t believe I have been completely alone for that long in two and a half years.
I was looking forward to peace, quiet, things still being where I set them down earlier that day, and the liberty to do whatever I wanted without having to consider what anyone else needed from me.
And what I got?
Was a huge dose of missing my husband and my baby!
True, I was traveling with baby #2 in utero, which is a lot like having a traveling buddy, and makes it a lot more fun!
Plus, it is SO much easier to travel with a little one in the belly rather than on the loose, right mommas? 🙂
People often don’t believe me anymore, but the truth is I am a massive introvert.
So I expected this much time alone to be what I crave most: time to reset, to think and converse (not out loud lol) with myself, and check in with my life and soul and emotions and satisfaction and trajectory.
To me, time to do this is not just bliss, it is ESSENTIAL to keep me from being continually irritated and legitimately losing my mind, haha!
And, I did indeed get a deep sense of what I want in life, what I value and prioritize, and how I want to design my future:
To be with my husband and my daughter. As I travel, help people, maintain total flexibility, and build in plenty of time alone. 😉
Honestly, I was pretty surprised.
I had expected to savor the solitude so much I almost didn’t want to go home.
And don’t get me wrong, with happy and inspiring entrepreneurs abounding, there were plenty of people to grab breakfast/lunch/coffee/dinner/dessert with at any and all times, and I enjoyed it!
But I realized more deeply that what I had already imagined as my possible ideal, was in fact confirmed as my longing:
To live this adventure with my family, children in tow, rather than constantly jetting off alone.
One of the coolest things about some of the entrepreneurial circles I hang out in – ClickFunnels and Beachbody to name two – is that many parents bring their children with them – from infants to teens – with the idea that this is a family, and showing your kids what’s possible now is one of the best educations you can give them, in tandem with other learning of course.
Plus these groups tend to be so family-friendly and centric, people love having others’ children around; somehow it keeps the big dreams and goals we’re all after human, and centered on the reason that so many of us work to create beautiful lives and work with others to create their own.
So now, happily back at home, this has adjusted – or really, confirmed and underlined – how I will be directing things going forward. And though it will be a learning curve and those are never perfectly smooth, I’m so excited to know that THIS is DEFINITELY what I want.
When was the last time you got away long enough to check in with your true desires and preferences?
What did you discover?
With love and the courage to pursue your dreams and ideals,
xoxo,
