Morning magician with the tools of her trade in the space she creates: I have been playing with words. Reversing their order to see an other side-- shining some light and allowing for just a little more breathing room. Some of the word shifts have subtle changes, others are seismic. The one I've been dancing with is: work life and life's work.
I have been given a unique opportunity to undo a lot. It's a harrowing and heart opening process. It happens when you let grief take you into it's depths. But it's a deep and dark sea.
I've made the trip a few times, both voluntarily and involuntarily. This time is the most painful, the most scary, and it holds the most treasured rewards. Grief and I are dredging. To get to those depths-- to reveal the deepest and darkest see-- you have to trust the process. You need to remind yourself that you will come up for air. The light will get brighter. You will resurface.
In that underwater space you begin to find that every relationship, every behavior, every habit, every interaction is up for review. Things that are precious, things that are close to your heart-- the untouchables-- are now exposed. In death, nothing is off the table. You find yourself an open book. What is meant to survive will and what needs to be put to bed will go to sleep.
I have defined myself by the work I put into the world. No matter the scope: picking a pint of currants on the farm as a young teenager carries the same weight as filling this week's massive wholesale orders. Work is a point of pride. A source of integrity. A purpose. So, during this insane review, I knew my work life would be on the chopping block. I delayed as long as I could. Ignored the stirrings that bubbled up to the point the pot overflowed. I was terrified to let go of Happy Belly. But I knew that if it didn't fit in this new life, I didn't want it. Letting go is not easy.
That's when I heard the reorder of words: "work life is life's work".
My mind has been blown.
How many of us are happy with our work? What holds us back from stepping into our essential and natural power? How can we help you see yourself clearer? What will it take for us to change? We are enough.