Finding my rhythm

Finding my rhythm and flow

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It's now 6 months since I moved into a new phase of my career and life. I'm a natural reflector and so naturally I'm reflecting! It's less natural for me to share my reflections beyond those close to me. I don't expect that my experience is unique or special. But perhaps my insights might resonate for you at this 6 month point of the year?

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It really is worth reflecting! It's so easy to not notice that things are working out. Looking back on the goals I set for myself, I'm doing well. For me, my reflections often focus on what I'm finding difficult which is helpful to get unstuck. But it is also important to step back and look at the wider picture.

Apart from the tangibles I've achieved in the work I'm doing, a great deal of my insights are about rhythm and flow. I'm not particularly musical and couldn't read the music in the picture, if you asked me. However it feels like a good metaphor for my experience over the last few months:

1. Finding the rhythm of working part-time.

I work 3 days a week and I'm learning how to maximise my productivity. Making time at the end of the 3 days to prepare and plan for the following week means I am back up to speed on a Tuesday when I start.? It also means I find it easier to put that work aside on the other days for the other parts of my life

2. Finding my own rhythm for my self-employed days

When you're employed the rhythms are prescribed for you. Whilst these can be constraining, they also mean you don't have to make the 'rules' for yourself. Only recently I have given myself the routine of Mondays as my 'business' day and Fridays for whatever I want. Of course, I can flex this, but it has taken away what was an unnecessary stressor. I'm liking having chosen this regular rhythm.

3. Not everything that worked in my old life will be fit for purpose and useful in this new life either right now and longer term that might change again.

I've always got motivation from delivering against my goals and being able to tick them off as complete. That still works for me in some ways, but I'm also learning to choose a more relaxed outlook with developing some form of independent consultancy work. As well as the familiar drumbeat of being employed, I'm finding that allowing things just to flow is more useful to me. Trusting that things will evolve and I have the resources to respond to what may happen is a more relaxed rhythm.

4. Taking the time to enjoy life.

It's taken me a while to unravel some of my less helpful rhythms, like imposing lots of 'should be..' and 'must be..' on myself. I may not be earning as much as I was and I don't know what I will be doing this time next year, but I can choose to draft this post sitting in my garden watching a brave young Starling root for food only 10 feet away from me.

5. Taking the time to connect with people and not name it 'networking'.

I should be better at networking is a mantra I would like to put away for good. Over the past few months, I have connected and reconnected with new and old friends which has been a joy. I've gained warmth and wonderful advice. Thank you to those people and I hope I showed up in the same way with you.

Using my musical rhythm metaphor (probably badly), I'm finding new rhythms to add to the piece of music that is my life and enjoying how varies and evolves. Some of the evolution might interrupt the current rhythms but it will be ok. Here's to the next 6 months and beyond and what change that might bring.