The elusive quest toward worklife balance is a journey – thus the quest – it is not an overnight process. And the first part of that foray into such a commitment is apparently sleep - for some. Last night I met with a delightful group of women who are all shedding their skin of workaholic, defined by freedictionary.com as, "one who has a compulsive and unrelenting need to work."
One former corner-office corporate-type said the first symptom of shedding the workaholic skin was being able to sleep through the night. What an enormous step. That lead to an identity crisis in which she had to dig deep to figure out that perhaps she was meant for greater things in life.
Suddenly, this woman who was at the top of her game in the world of corporate event marketing, turned to rescuing animals. She went willingly into the quietude of her own being after being slammed with the corporate sledge hammer which demands success 24/7. Without notice, a new meaningful revelation unfolded. She had a knack for saving animals, and in recent weeks her heart opened in a whole new way. Poor little creatures in need of care started showing on her doorstep and now she had the time to explore this unheeded innate heartfelt passion.
Does this mean a new career? Will she become a vegan overnight? Will she turn into a dog-lady who locks herself up with her animals only to shun the humans who have occupied her time in the work world? I think not. Her path has yet to be defined.
It may not mean anything for her career, but it has a lot to do with balancing the working and living experience. This woman found meaning and a deeper purpose in her own life. She is happy. And no matter which line of work she ventures into – she has a new dimension to her being. It emerged from taking a step back to observe her life, sleeping a little, and getting quiet so her true passion could emerge.
We don't stop enough. Whether it's in the middle of our workday – or taking a risk toward a more meaningful career that will make our insides explode with passion, it just might be worth the risk of bucking the establishment. The baby step of just getting quiet enough to hear the inner voice can lead to more balance, and in the case of my new friend – a more purpose driven life.
