Time to read: 60 seconds. 3 minutes if you read the obituary
This is my father, Alan Boyd.
Remember when I wrote about hard left turns? In the same week, my father became gravely ill and a friend was diagnosed with a terrible cancer. Then my father died a few days later. It's been an intense 10 days, to say the least. Hence, the silence.
I use the tools I talk about with you. Every day. I've learned a lot during this time:
- Stop. Just stop. I hit a wall and had to stop. I had to stop doing. I even had to stop thinking. I cleared my calendar so I could float around in my garden, walk my dogs, and rest. It's ok to admit when you have no capacity and stop.
- You are loved. My FB feed is filled with condolences from people in every corner of my life. Friends have shown up to help. Clients understood when I said I was taking a break. People get it. Everyone has challenges. We still know how to be human and care about one another.
- Live your life. Stop waiting. Life is too short not to live to the fullest.
- End well. My father had a full life and a beautiful death. He was surrounded by his family, friends, and music. Thanks to one of my clients, the Threshold Singers sang him home. If you'd like to read the obituary my mother, brother, and I wrote, it is here.
Life is a series of beginnings and endings. You can always begin again. And whenever it's time for something (job, relationship, life phase) to end, end well.