Leaning Back Instead of Leaning In. By Kate Northrup.

By simply...woman! on January 28, 2014

“I wish I’d worked more,” said no one ever on their death bed.

YESTERDAY I WAS INTERVIEWED FOR A PODCAST AND WHEN I WAS ASKED WHAT I WANT TO DO IN 2014, I REPLIED:

LESS.

2013 was amazing. I turned 30. I got engaged. I had my first book come out. I launched my first digital program. Business tripled. I moved into the first home I’ve EVER felt like I have enough space in. A banner year for sure.

But you know what? I worked a sh*t ton. And yes, that’s a measurement.

At any given moment I felt like I had three or four projects I was in the middle of and at least one deadline looming over my head.

I was recently having a chat with my Uncle Phil who also happens to be one of my business mentors and a very wise guy and he said this:

“You need to learn how to stop validating your existence through action.”

Woah Nelly!

Here’s something that is not news:

WE TEACH WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN.

Financial freedom is a spectacular goal. It’s something I’m proud to teach about and stand for.

But it’s the other kind of freedom that’s a bit more of a sticky wicket.

The kind of freedom where we don’t feel guilty after sleeping 10 hours and where, if we produce nothing in a day, we don’t feel any less worthy of a human.

This year I’m after freedom, just like in years past.

But this year the kind of freedom I’m after looks like white space in the calendar, more unplanned days, and letting myself off the hook for taking a break.

There are times when your nose needs to be right on that grindstone. And there are times when you need to lean back.

This year I’m gonna see what happens when I lean back instead of lean in.

 

here’s what i’m pretty darn sure of:

– Production is not the meaning of life.

– Working more hours does not increase our inherent worth.

– The best ideas often come while we’re taking a break.

– We can have a lasting impact on the world while steering our course according to ease and feeling good.

– Working less can net more.

– We are more able to be of service when we’ve slept enough and allowed ourselves to relax recently.EVERY TIME I ASK MYSELF WHAT I WANT IN 2014 I GET THE SAME ANSWERS:

– blank space

– unplanned time

– less is more

– ease

We don’t have many models of people consciously organizing their time around enjoyment, doing less, and choosing ease. But we have a few. And that’s enough.

I got a letter in the mail from Leonie Dawson with her 2014 Create Your Amazing Year Life + Biz Edition Workbook. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this one part:

“I only work 2-3 hours a day. I’ve never worked full time hours in my business – even as it doubles (or even triples) in size each year. My priority is to spend lots of happy, gentle, creative + adventure time with the loves of my life: my husband Chris and my daughters.”

Game. Changing.

When I read that my not so small, still voice screamed out: I WANT THAT!

WHAT IF WE PRACTICED DOING LESS, SAYING NO TO MORE OF THE EXTERNAL SO WE CAN SAY YES TO MORE OF THE INTERNAL, AND TAKING TIME TO SIMPLY BE?

I think it would create a revolution in the gentlest, most-relaxed, organic way possible.

It would be a revolution where we focus on living instead of doing, where striving gives way to feeling good, and where being is valued as much (or more than) doing.

I’LL BE PART OF THAT REVOLUTION. WILL YOU?

 

Kate Northrup is a professional freedom seeker and creative entrepreneur. She created financial freedom for herself at the age of 28 through building a team of more than 1,000 wellness entrepreneurs in the network marketing industry. Her philosophy is that if you free yourself financially you can be fully present to your purpose on the planet. Her first book, Money: A Love Story with Hay House is NOW AVAILABLE! She continues to mentor entrepreneurs in creating financial freedom. Find out more and take her free quiz to find out what your relationship with money says about you at http://www.katenorthrup.com.

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