Why I Had To Run Away

Never Waste Time On The Wrong Man Again
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I usually send out an email every Saturday, but last week nobody heard from me.  

Want to know why?

Instead of writing, I was sitting at the bar at Francis Ford Coppola’s picturesque winery in Sonoma County, California, tasting the most fabulous Cabernet after a 22-mile bike ride with my adorable hubby. For the first time in years, we left our son in DC with my parents and snuck away for a full week of food, wine, nature, exercise and just “us”.

wine2

I have a confession to make.  

Before we left for our trip, I was feeling really burned out. As an entrepreneur and business owner, I typically run from meeting to meeting to meeting. I somehow manage a workout (I change clothes in my car and then run to another meeting). I spend time with my family in the evenings and when my son goes to sleep, I work on my computer until 1 – 2 am. Why do I work so hard? Because I freaking love my job! Helping people find love is my passion. As someone who’s been through the relationship ringer a few times myself and has finally met her soul mate and best friend, I understand how much finding that special person means.

It means being loved unconditionally. And it means knowing that someone has your back and always will, no matter what.  

It’s an amazing feeling. And I want you to experience it. I want to help YOU find your love!

But… even when you adore what you do, if you do too much of it, you can get burned out.

I’ve been feeling pretty crappy these past couple of months. In fact, I was getting headaches and having trouble with my memory from all the stress and lack of sleep. I was overwhelmed and exhausted, so I booked a trip and off we went.

I really can’t express to you how different I feel after just one week away.

I feel different from the inside out – more patient with our son, more in love with my husband, more appreciative of my clients, more energized and grateful and so centered. It’s truly amazing how one week of change and relaxation did that for me.

So today I want to remind you that you need a break too.

Maybe you’re exhausted from multitasking and rushing around all the time.  

Maybe you feel like you’re always plugged in, checking your phone, Facebook, your Twitter feed and your emails.

Maybe you’re run-down from the daily grind – you’re giving your time and energy to work, errands or family… and there’s very little time left for you.

Or perhaps you find yourself going through the motions when you’re dating. You’re not fully present, enjoying yourself or genuinely connecting. I hear this from a lot of singles: “I feel numb from all this dating, and I’m not enjoying it at all.”

Stop.  

Ask yourself: “What lights me up? What do I love to do? Where do I love to be? What does my soul need right now?” And then make it happen!  

Maybe you can’t get away for a full week right now. But you can inject downtime and restorative experiences into your everyday routine.  

Take a hike.  

Turn off your devices.

Spend uninterrupted time with friends and family.

Get some paint and a canvas and just have fun with it!

Lie in a hammock and ignore your to-do list.

But if you can manage it, leave town and go somewhere beautiful. Give yourself some downtime to reflect on how amazing life is. How amazing YOU are!

And then come back and remember your WHY.

Why do you work so hard? Is it to build a beautiful life for yourself and your family?  Is it to help others?

Why do you go on dates even when you’re tired of dating? Is it because you want to share your life with someone amazing who will adore you?  (Hell yes, it sure is!)

My week away reconnected me with my “why”. And when I got back to DC I got some great news!

One of my coaching clients became exclusive with the man she’s been dating! He adores her!  Get this – he lives in Virginia and comes into the city to run with her at 7 AM just to spend time with her! I smile every time I think about it.  🙂

And this morning, I got the following email:

It all started to get better when someone insightful who knew more about dating (hint hint) coached me and tweaked me so that I “got it”… Within two months of dating again, I got lucky and met Jim. If it hadn’t been for your gems of advice, I wouldn’t have been as ready to meet Jim as I was. We are doing really well, and in the same place, good solid people-so we deserve to be this lucky. Who knew 52 could be this much fun?! Some days I pinch myself to see if it’s real. Thank you!

Relaxed and renewed, I can really take this in. I feel back on track and ready to rock and roll!

To stay connected with your “why”, you must take good care of yourself.

Hang a “closed” sign on your office door so you can recharge your batteries.

Take a break.  

Do what you love.  

Just BE for a while.

Remember what you’re working for, what you’re hoping for and celebrate the life you’ve built.  

Enjoy life’s blessings and be grateful for all you have. And take good care of YOU. When you do, you’ll have the energy, the positive attitude and the inner calm you need to succeed in everything you do.

With so much love,
Michelle