Whatever you do my dear friends, don’t get sick this winter! Why not you say? Well, this one is a doozy. I’ve been down and out for about a week. It all started last Monday with an itty bitty scratchy throat. I didn’t pay much attention to it. I rarely if ever get sick and wasn’t going to give in this time. Well, here’s what happened – the moment I let myself relax – WHAM – full blow ICKIES.

You see, last Monday was the start of Christmas vacation for the kids and for many life started to slow down a bit for the holidays. By Tuesday I was feeling even more off and by Wednesday I was down right miserable. It probably didn’t help that I had our family tradition of taking the kids to Zoo Lights at the Portland Zoo on Tuesday night and we had the pleasure of standing outside in the cold for over 2 hours. (Yes, mom, I was bundled up, but it didn’t help).

So, Wednesday I ended up trying to rest most of the day. I have been literally off the computer since last Wednesday. Aside from a few glances at email and Facebook from my phone I have pretty much been down and out for the last week. Not easy for an Internet Marketer.

As I said, I don’t get sick often. This means I’m not a very good patient 🙂 My poor family. And guess what? Now that I am on the mend I think they are starting to get it. Never fails right?

I tell you all of this because I want to share the lesson I learned. As you’ve read in the past, I go-go-go 110mph most of the time. I usually end up sick when I allow myself to slow down and relax – something about my immune system letting down its guard, I’m sure.

So, there I was last week with no interest in even looking at my computer much less sitting up and at it for 8, 10, 12 hours a day. Then the weekend hit and we were preparing to celebrate Christmas. There I was, in between naps, prepping gifts for the kids and prepping for visitors. I rallied and was able to hang with friends and family over the weekend and just asked them not to hug me – virtual hugs were good. I think I only gave one friend the crud from what I’ve heard.

It’s been a long week and only today do a feel well enough to sit with the laptop and type. I haven’t even checked email thoroughly enough to make sure there are no major issues. My thought has been – if there was a major issue, someone would call me or text me.

My lesson that I learned – the world will not fall apart without me for a week and my ego is still in tact. My facebook friends are still there wishing me well, my students aren’t mad that I’ve been away and are more concerned that I heal so we can kick butt in 2012, my business partners have picked up where I was unavailable and my family has survived without mommy being at 110% activity level (thanks hubby!).

Now the thought did cross my mind while sick and miserable in bed that if no one missed me this week – was what I do valuable and needed in the world and what if I just stopped and decided to do something else?  I’ve never sugar coated anything I’ve shared with you. I’ve been tired the last 4-6 weeks. Tired physically and tired emotionally. I even wrote about it here: Why I Almost Gave Up Coaching This Week.

Of course while lying in bed I realized that it was the ICKIES talking as I was feeling sorry for myself while hacking up a lung. Seriously, I was having a down right full on pity party. I’ve had a hell of a great year when I look back at all of the different successes but I wished it was more. (Don’t we all?) This was no time to make rash decisions to throw in the towel and curl up in a ball in the corner. Remember – never make a decision when you are feeling your lowest of energy levels. And I had to remember if I was feeling 100% I would never even think of throwing in the towel. I would instead decide to go 120mph.

Why is this a lesson you may be thinking?

Well, as entrepreneurs so many times we are chief cook and bottle washer along with mail clerk, customer service rep and VP of sales and marketing. Many of us feel that if we aren’t doing it all, we’re not doing enough or we feel we don’t have a choice but to do it all. Could we do more and is all we are doing worth it?

Believe me, I’ve felt this way many times over the years and I do know letting go of control is something I work on all the time. I have gotten much better at delegating where I can and doing the work that I love.

The lesson is to take the time to slow down and evaluate where you are in your life and your career and to adjust accordingly. You may need to adjust your strategy going forward for something that better suits your goals and dreams. Sometimes we just get going into momentum we lose sight of the road a mile ahead because we are looking 25 feet in front of us.

It seems the time I take to do this more often that not is when I am sick. I even wrote about this a previous time here: Ask and Answer the Hard Questions.

So, is now the time for you to evaluate and take a good look at where you are and where you’re going as we head into 2012? If you haven’t thought about it I’d encourage you to do so – without the ICKIES of course! I don’t wish this crud on anyone.

Please be healthy and take care over yourself during this coming winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and as always, please share as you never know when what you share may help someone else.

All the best,