Wisdom in a Sabbatical: Aligning Core Values with Actions

What does aligning your core values with your actions look like? Well for me, it looks like taking a sabbatical in order to intentionally seek out the wisdom taking a break would bring.

I just took my first sabbatical after working more than 25 years (not proud that it took me so long); and, I can tell you there is MUCH wisdom in it. For me, the wisdom in this sabbatical allowed me to (re)align my core values with my actions, first and foremost. Let me explain…

This post marks the end of my sabbatical, and words can’t express how much better I feel.

It (sabbatical) has sparked creativity, curiosity, more gratitude, a deeper connection with my family, and a renewed vision for me – which is leading me toward big changes (which I’ll be announcing soon). All things which I set an intention for, before I ever left.

Time off is something Americans notoriously do not take or get enough of. And if you are like me, self-employed, a woman and a mother, it’s worse. I don’t get paid time off, and I have more responsibilities to juggle with double standards that make it harder to thrive as a small business owner. Read more about Americans poor record with time off

HOWEVER, in spite of being self-employed with no paid time off,

I still love the support and encouragement this article brings to TAKE TIME OFF. Give it a read or read it on Apple news here – The Secret to Getting Ahead at Work Is How Much Vacation You Use — The Wall Street Journal

So in short, THANK YOU for supporting me during this sabbatical. Part of that support has included not flooding my inbox with thousands of emails to answer on my return. Lol.

But seriously, I felt your support during this time, physically, emotionally, and spiritually – and that is invaluable to me. Being a part of such a supportive professional community means everything. We expect our friends and family to support us during time off – heck they often have to shout at us to do so. But, getting professional support (instead of glorifying busy) during a sabbatical is more rare, especially in healthcare.

Your support showed me how many of you value doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, even when it hurts fiscally or professionally. And that’s what my sabbatical was – hard to decide to take, harder to plan, and hardest to stomach financially.

But I did it, and it has made all the difference.  

What did this sabbatical teach me? What wisdom did it challenge me with?

• Grit – I had to orchestrate living outside for nearly a month, with my partner, 3 kids and my rescue Lab, Scout Finch. I also had to be creative about living while bringing in no income, for a month.
• Grace – I was happy to remind myself that no one really misses you, professionally, when you decide to take a break (or retire). I am replaceable, and if I do my job well mentoring colleagues, which I have done for over 20 years now, I should be replaceable.
• Gratitude – I felt enormous gratitude for being able to take my first cross country camping trip, seeing multiple national parks and driving over 6500 miles with my family. I also felt a lot of gratitude for being able to make it home after being stranded in a tiny town in the desert for 4 days, and for barely making it home when the SUV we were driving completely broke down within an hour of our last leg of driving, which was 34 hours with only a 3 hour break.
• Growth – Learning how to live in a tiny camper with 5 people and a 75 pound dog and actually ENJOY it. I loved every second of it (but I love a good challenge), and as soon as we pulled in the driveway (after a good sleep), I told my family, I would absolutely get right back in the camper again for another trip. I meant it.
• Urgency – I felt an immediate need to make the last 50 years of my life more adventurous and beautiful than the first 50. To carpe diem. Like, right now. My last child flies the nest in 6 short years. Y’all, for the 17 I have put into mothering so far, that is NOT LONG.
• Freedom – I felt free and whole living outside for 4 weeks. Everything we did was outside. I used a laundromat to wash what little clothes we brought, and everything we needed for 5 people and my rescue Labrador, Scout Finch, fit in a 21 foot trailer. My life was richer than it has ever been, living in nothing more than a tiny trailer.  I did not miss one thing that I had left behind – not my home or what was in it.
• Getting More Nature Nurture – I have spent nearly 6 weeks living outdoors this year. That’s a first. And it has been a total gift. No house, just living literally outside off the grid or in a camper. I realize that no matter what it takes, I’m going to take the time to live outside, every year, for at least 3 weeks. I feel healthier, stronger, more grounded, more grateful, and more at peace when I’m outdoors.
• Clarity – This sabbatical has led me to a crossroads of clarity. One I prayed for and meditated over. And one that came to me with each natural wonder – each rock, each desert range, each mountain vista, each stunning valley, and every single wildlife that I saw on my time off. I can’t wait to make some big announcements, which will come soon!

In the meantime, here is a brief recap of just how much FREEDOM I feel from having taken this sabbatical, and how much CLARITY it brought to my heart and mind.

Wisdom in a Sabbatical (Recap): Aligning Core Values with Actions

My Sabbatical Challenge To You

Sabbatical Wisdom: Aligning Core Values with Actions

My challenge to you is to determine what your core values are – here’s a game to get you started, and then:

1. Decide on your TOP FIVE CORE VALUES.
2. Write down your TOP FIVE CORE VALUES – on a card, a whiteboard, a vision board, or whatever floats your boat.
3. Put it somewhere where you can see it every single day.
4. Next, make sure your life decisions align with those values. That part should be easy, but it often isn’t when we get caught up in paying bills, taxes, and raising kids!
5. When they don’t align, don’t fret. You can course correct. How do you know if they align? Well, if your values align with your actions, you will not necessarily have that “peaceful easy feeling” all the time, like the Eagles sang about. BUT, you will feel grounded, and a sense of intention.

Just like living on the road without a home wasn’t necessarily easy all the time, living according to your values won’t be either. You’ll have to make some sacrifices, you’ll have to stand your ground, you may even have to say goodbye to your job or people in your life. And when you get frustrated on the journey – STOP – and do something that aligns with your core values. Even if it is mundane or boring. Let me give you an example…

Aligning Your Core Values with Your Actions

Tapping into Sabbatical Wisdom: Core Values & Actions

• Growth – I am dedicated to always learning something new. My current hobbies? Learning how to play the Scottish and Old Time Fiddle and English horseback riding in jumping and dressage. Professionally, I am working on some exciting new things in ultrasound imaging and the three diaphragms (see video below). So when I am frustrated or things aren’t going well – I pick up my music and play or sing or I read about imaging techniques that will improve my patients’ lives.
• Learning – I believe pushing myself to always seek a better way to do things, is a key part of living life to its fullest length AND depth. If things aren’t going my way, I simply learn something new, no matter how small – even if it’s a new recipe. I took a new cookbook on the camping trip – and I had a blast learning how to cook over open fire with an old Lodge dutch oven!
• Beauty & Nature – This one is easy. I’ve always loved being outdoors. So when I am struggling, outside I go. I walk my dog, find a lake or something beautiful to look at. I deliberately planned my sabbatical so that I was surrounded by beauty and nature. See the photos below…
• Fitness – One of the other values I hold up as most important to me is fitness. It’s not about body size or aesthetic, it’s about feeling good from the inside out, and feeling well and healthy. Of course, I chose my profession of athletic training and physical therapy for that, and later on, realized that I couldn’t practice without also specializing in Functional, Integrative (I do that through MTYoga), and Lifestyle Medicine, which I call FILM. So when I’m rattled or life upsets my apple cart, I do something that makes me feel fit and well – drink a glass of water, take a nap, do some MTYoga, walk the dog (again ;), get a good night’s rest, focus on my close relationships, and eat well. Try MTYoga on YouTube

https://youtube.com/watch?v=F3Owje4beNc%3Ffeature%3Doembed

I can’t wait to share the big news of my next steps!