I have belonged to a book club for about a year. Tonight I made it to my second meeting. Several times in recent months I was on work-related travel and unable to attend. At least twice, I intentionally missed because I hadn't had time to crack open that month's book.
We had a meaty 90-minute conversation. I discovered the members are well-educated, well-read, and thoughtful. I found myself remembering things I hadn't thought about in years. The evening was stimulating.
About an hour into the dialogue, I shared something from my undergraduate years that I hadn't thought about for a very long time--something as an undergraduate I wanted to learn more about "when I had time." Of course, I never had time or more accurately other things were priorities. Breaks between terms were always too short for the things I wanted and needed to accomplish. As soon as I graduated, I headed to grad school, where there was hardly time to breathe.
Grad school was followed by starting my own business; anyone who has done that would laugh that I might have time to go research something of interest, but the truth is, by then, the thought was long forgotten. As testament to our amazing brains, although forgotten, certainly not gone, just lingering in the gray matter eagerly awaiting attention.
Almost immediately my train of thought in the last paragraph began to chug through my reverie. I consciously felt myself exhale. Until this month, I can't remember when I wasn't racing from one thing I had to do to another thing I had to do, rarely taking time to breathe much less check in on what I wanted to do. In my exploration time, I can exhale...regularly and often, and take time for things I want to explore. That's the point: learn about things that interest me.
I knew that taking time to exhale was something that I will relish and I wanted to write about it. Yet, as I sat down to write the title of this piece, I believe I heard a chuckle in my ear: "Inhale first." Then I chuckled. How many times have I suggested to coaching clients to "breathe"? Yet from that crazy treadmill I've been on, I haven't taken time to either exhale or inhale.
Even though I had made a commitment to write for this blog every day, I sat and explored the topic that has been sitting in the back of my brain, awaiting attention for decades. It fascinates me still. I know that I will investigate more this weekend.
In the meantime, I will exhale...and inhale...and exhale...and inhale...just like it was a normal thing to do, because I think it is.
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