Wait, so what are you doing?

How I have been spending my first eight weeks of sabbatical

While preparing to step away from my corporate career, I prayed for a gradual transition emotionally. I wanted to ease into this season — more like wading into the ocean from the shallows and less like jumping off a cliff into choppy waves.

Chalk this one up in the ‘answered prayers’ column. I have been *shocked* by how natural sabbatical¹ has felt.

To be clear, yes, I felt slightly disoriented on my last day as I drove out of the parking lot without the corporate-issued laptop that had been my constant companion for six years. And I wondered if my sense of self-worth would take a hit without coworkers “needing” my support. But it has not.

Instead, I have enjoyed:

• Waking up without an alarm

• Slowing down to pray, read the Bible, and journal

• Celebrating my grandma’s 86th birthday in Las Vegas

• Spending time with my family in Michigan

• Writing countless thank you notes to wildly generous financial supporters

• Playing pickleball as often as physically responsible

• Running errands — e.g., receiving a tetanus booster (so painful!)

• Getting my nose pierced (notably *not* painful whatsoever)²

• Planning lunches and crashing a work event³ to reunite with coworkers

• Gearing up for the wedding of one of my closest friends

• Laying out to eliminate tan lines from the aforementioned pickleball for the aforementioned wedding⁴

• Visiting dear friends in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia

• Reading more books in August than January–July combined

• Attending tournaments of the pro tennis and pro pickleball varieties

• Hosting a going away/launch/pizza party at some friends’ farm

• …and apparently blogging⁵

P.S. I love footnotes. They may become my new trademark move.

1. “Retirement”? “Voluntary unemployment”? Open to suggestions.

2. Five stars to James at Skincraft in Northside!

3. Fortunately, I read the situation correctly — i.e., coworkers were glad to see me. When I finally closed the place down, my cheeks hurt from incessant smiling.

4. For me, laying out is a labor of love. But I must admit I sort of love the drama of subjecting myself to it (versus just using a self tanner).

5. Manage your own expectations. I have *no* idea how this will play out.