Are Creative Sabbaticals the new trend? I hope so. Can you imagine stepping away from your everyday routine with the space to meet new people, have some daring experiences, to live in new cultures, get in touch with “you” again or take time to say, write a book?
“It may sound like an idea for the dreamers, but taking a few months off with no plan for what comes after may be the best thing for your career” Vipin Goyal, cofounder of SideTour.
There are many reasons to take a sabbatical. It is not an escape, nor a holiday, but an intentional choice to not work and allow space for curiosity.
Perhaps for me, as J.R.R. Tolkien so eloquently put it, “I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.” It was an opportunity to step back from my business and focus on personal enrichment and professional development.
Thus, began my “Year of Curiosity”, which extended to nearly two years.
Here’s a taste of what I got up to: – I learnt Salsa in Cuba, walked in Spanish forests, ballooned over the Serengeti, got dangerously close to a viper in Costa Rica, tasted the delights of Campari in Italy and I discovered my French lineage in Guernsey. Sipping champagne and visiting aristocrats and counts in stunning and exclusive venues in France and Italy was not difficult either (all research of course!). So many stories, so much fun.
- Did it solve all my (real & perceived) problems? – No and nor did I expect it to.
- Did I meet some truly amazing people? – Yes
- Did I discover “Mindfulness” and kindness? – Yes
- Did I learn a lot at the courses I attended? – Yes
- Was it worth all the money and time away from my business? – Indeed it was.
Since returning I have moved to a new town, bought a new home, downsized Way Out Theatreworks and have some exciting projects in the pipeline. I am recharged and with a better sense of myself. I am content and excited to contribute with my business and more broadly, my life. It was well worth the risk.
If you want to know more about the “ins and outs” of world travel (64 countries and counting), walking the Camino, which places to hold extraordinary exclusive events in Italy & France; or perhaps hints on how to put more curiosity into your life, why don’t you give me a call and we can do coffee. If you have had a sabbatical and it has improved your life I would love to hear your story.
E: monique@wayouttheatreworks.com http://www.wayouttheatreworks.com
I could fill a room with pics from this trip…